Uncategorized – Mary Jane Denzer

Iris Apfel, the not-so-accidental icon

*On March 8, 2015, Iris Apfel appeared at O Cinema Miami Beach to present “Iris,” Albert Maysles’ documentary about her. https://www.flickr.com/photos/55155430@N03/16733360409/*

She’s been the subject of an exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute and a documentary film, the inspiration for a Barbie and a character in “The Incredibles” film series.

Designer Iris Apfel, who died March 1 at her home in Palm Beach at age 102, was, to borrow the name of her jewelry collection and the Costume Institute retrospective, a Rara Avis (rare bird) indeed – a maximalist among minimalists, an individual in a world a conformity, a woman of style where others sought to be merely fashionable.

“Why would you want to look like everyone else when there’s such a big choice of things today?” she told Harper’s Bazaar in 2018. “It’s hard to give blanket advice, but I just think that if everybody tries to be as self-respecting and interesting as they can, it would be a better world. Use your head and think about other people and look in a mirror once in a while.”

The mirror came naturally to the native New Yorker, whose family owned a glass and mirror business and whose mother had a fashion boutique. As a youth, Apfel scoured antique shops and drew style compliments from a Brooklyn department store. Even during the Depression, she and her crafts-minded family stayed stylish on a budget. Apfel studied art history at New York University and art at the University of Wisconsin, then honed her eye working for Women’s Wear Daily, interior designer Elinor Johnson and illustrator Robert Goodman.

But it was her longtime professional and personal partnership with Carl Apfel that propelled her onto the world stage. In 1950, they started the textile business Old World Weavers, which reproduced 17^th through 19^th century fabrics. Among their clients – nine U.S. presidents, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan inclusive and Bill Clinton.

Sourcing fabrics from around the world, Apfel also began buying artisanal clothes in bright colors and bold textures and patterns that she would pair with her statement jewelry pieces and wear at parties. Add her oversize glasses, red lipstick and, as time went on, shock of white hair, and you had the makings of a global style icon.

As the urban legend goes, an exhibit at the Costume Institute fell through, and “Rara Avis: Selections From the Iris Apfel Collection” soared in 2005, marking the Costume Institute’s first show about someone who was not a fashion designer. What followed was a media blitz – a touring exhibit, two documentaries (“Iris” and “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast”), a book (“Iris Apfel, Accidental Icon”), a Barbie that was not for sale, plus two “Styled by Iris Apfel” Barbies that were, and a modeling contract. (The Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Boynton Beach, Florida, is designing a building with a gallery to house Apfel’s clothes, accessories,and furnishings.)

Apfel did it all, and she did it her way. At a time when everyone began discarding everything Marie Kondo style, Apfel layered her looks and her dwellings. She was the living embodiment of the Mae West saying: “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”

Tags: Iris Apfel, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Costume Institute, Palm Beach, New York University, Harper’s Bazaar, Mae West, Carl Apfel, Old World Weavers, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barbie, “Rara Avis (Rare Bird): The Irreverent Irish Apfel,” “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast,” Elinor Johnson, Robert Goodman, University of Wisconsin, Women’s Wear Daily, Albert Maysles, O Cinema Miami Beach, Miami Film Festival,

Welcoming spring with Erdem

British designer Erdem Moralıoğlu tapped the spirit of the elegant Greek soprano Maria Callas, seen here in 1958 on the CBS program “Small World,” for the Erdem fashion house’s Fall Collection.

Florals are very much in the DNA of British designer Erdem Moralıoğlu. And that makes his designs a wonderful resource here at Mary Jane Denzer for the spring season and all that we associate with it — bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and weddings, particularly the still-trending barn wedding.

It’s not only the prints, however, but Erdem’s textured use of materials that makes his dresses and gowns so engaging. A linen dress is overlayed with floral organza. A cream satin is presented ruched and off-the-shoulder. A floral chiffon is offset with sleek pleats.

Erdem linen dress with floral organza overlay.

Floral dresses and gowns – draped and layered asymmetrically or presented as two pieces with a flowing skirt and a plunging bodice, at once concealing and revealing the sinuousness, and sensuousness, of the female form – were on display Feb. 17 at the British Museum in London as the Erdem fashion house presented its Autumn-Winter 2024 Collection.

But this was the yin to the Erdem show’s yang. Coats with broad, bold collars in soft colors – gray, celadon and marigold – announced the confidence that is also part of womanhood.

Erdem ruched, satin, off-the-shoulder, cream floral dress.

That confidence and floral beauty served as homage to the striking, fiery New York City-born Greek soprano Maria Callas, especially her role in “Medea,” with runway models sporting kohl-rimmed eyes and shoes festooned with feathers and roses to channel their inner diva. (The British Museum location was not without its controversy– amid marbles from the Parthenon in Athens, known as the Elgin Marbles – a source of contention between the British and Greek governments.)

But Callas – whose birth centenary fans celebrated last year – was herself a controversial singer and cultural figure, her remains repatriated to Greece in 1977 after her final years of isolation in Paris.

“I wanted to show in this space that epitomized her Greek-ness,” Moralıoğlu said at the time of the show, adding, “I was interested in the idea of someone starting off somewhere and ending up somewhere else.”

And just as “Medea,” the ancient Greek play by Euripides and the 18^th-century opera by Luigi Cherubini, became metaphors for Callas as a woman scorned by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis once he married widowed first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy – although depending on the sources, Onassis continued to see Callas ,and Kennedy was fine with that – Vogue suggests Callas has become a metaphor for the multicultural Moralıoğlu, who was born in Montreal to an English mother and Turkish father and grew up there and in Birmingham, England.

His education reflects that transatlantic upbringing. Moralıoğlu graduated from Marianopolis College in Quebec, received a Bachelor of Arts from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, interned for Vivienne Westwood and moved to London in 2000 to study fashion at the Royal Academy of Art on a Chevening Scholarship, funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was then off to New York but relocated to London to establish his own label in 2005.

In 2018, he designed the costumes for Christopher Wheeldon’s ancient Greek-flavored ballet, “Corybantic Games.” Four years later, he expanded into menswear.

Moralioglu’s expansive creativity has led to various honors – including the British Fashion Council’s Women’s Wear Designer of the Year (2014), the International Canadian Designer of the Year at the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (2017) and a Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, (2020) – as his designs continue to be embraced on both sides of the Atlantic.

Photographs courtesy Erdem.

Tags: Erdem, Erdem Moralıoğlu, Maria Callas, Elgin Marbles, Erdem’s Fall 2024 Collection, Montreal, Quebec, Birmingham, England, New York, Greece, H&M, Royal Academy of Art, Christopher Wheeldon, Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, spring, barn weddings, Mary Jane Denzer

Elevate Your Elegance: Unveiling the Allure of Mary Jane Denzer For All of Your Important Events

By Nicole Steinthal
Influencer/Social Media Strategist/Radio Show Host at NS Lifestyles

In the realm of social occasions, be it a gala, a wedding, or an upscale soirée, the attire you choose speaks volumes about your style, grace, and confidence. When it comes to finding the perfect dress that seamlessly blends sophistication, glamour, and uniqueness, look no further than Mary Jane Denzer. Here’s why this luxury boutique stands out as the epitome of elegance for all your special event needs.

1. Timeless Elegance: Mary Jane Denzer has established itself as a purveyor of timeless elegance in the tri-state area for over 40 years. The owners, Anastasia Cucinella and Debra OShea meticulously curated selections are the world’s best designers, transcending trends, ensuring that their offerings remain eternally chic. The boutique embraces the classics while also showcasing some show-stoppers, providing a collection that is both enduring and on-trend for its sophisticated clientele.

2. Exclusive Designer Collections: Mary Jane Denzer collaborates with renowned designers, bringing you exclusive collections that are not easily found elsewhere. From international couturiers to emerging talents, the boutique showcases a diverse array of styles, ensuring that every woman can find a dress that resonates with her personal taste and style preferences.

3. Unparalleled Craftsmanship: Craftsmanship is at the heart of every dress curated for the collection at Mary Jane Denzer. Meticulously designed and tailored, each piece exemplifies the highest standards of quality. The attention to detail is evident in the intricate beading, luxurious fabrics, and flawless silhouettes. Choosing a dress from Mary Jane Denzer guarantees not just a garment but a masterpiece that accentuates your individuality.

4. Personalized Service: At Mary Jane Denzer, shopping for a special event dress is not merely a transaction; it’s an experience. The boutique prides itself on providing unparalleled service, with Anastasia and Debra working with you to guide you through the process of selecting the most beautiful and appropriate choices for your venue. Whether you have a specific vision in mind or seek expert advice, Mary Jane Denzer is dedicated to making your shopping experience seamless and enjoyable.

5. Size Inclusivity: Recognizing that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, Mary Jane Denzercelebrates diversity by offering a wide range of silhouettes and sizes. Every woman deserves to feel confident and beautiful, and the boutique ensures that its collection caters to a diverse clientele. They are experts and fit and with their team of experienced seamstresses, make sure that every garment that leaves the premises has been tailored to perfection.

In conclusion: Mary Jane Denzer emerges as the premier destination for those seeking a dress that transcends the ordinary. With a commitment to timeless elegance, unparalleled craftsmanship, exclusive designer collections, personalized service, and size inclusivity, Mary Jane Denzer stands as a beacon of style and sophistication in the world of special event dresses. Elevate your elegance and make a lasting impression with a dress from Mary Jane Denzer.

Please call us at 914-328-0330.

Happy 80th Birthday, Neil!

If there is one designer who has been associated with Mary Jane Denzer in White Plains more than any other over the last 42 years, it is Neil Bieff. Indeed, so often has MJD featured his delicately textured creations, which both caress a woman’s silhouette and flow around her, that store co-owner Debra O’Shea has affectionately described him as a kind of “in-house designer”.

“There’s something about the timelessness and comfort of his clothes,” added O’Shea, who co-owns the store with Anastasia Cucinella. “We have women who wore his dresses to their children’s bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, who now are coming in and looking at gowns for their children’s weddings.”

Bieff – who turns 80 on Jan. 23 – has kept clients coming back with his sculptural use of fabric and painterly approach to color. He begins with fine, textured fabrics, softly draped or cut on a bias to flatter as they accent a woman’s body – beaded chiffon, pebbly wool crepe with smooth satin, a hand-stitched ruffle here, hand embroidery or a band of sequin colors there.

But what is truly remarkable is the way he uses colors as washes – layered to give the design an opalescent quality; contrasted to heighten tension (much as Vincent van Gogh would juxtapose red and green, what he called “the colors of passion,” or blue and yellow); or gradated so that one color subtly blends into another for an ombré effect.

A native New Yorker based in Ossining, Neil honed his skill with and love of color at Syracuse University, where he studied painting, and abroad in Florence and Paris. (His love of sequins and knowledge of hand embroidery are the results of time spent in India.) He started his fashion career as assistant to couturier Arnold Scaasi, then went on to design suits and coats for Dan Millstein. Neil’s own label was born at his Genesis store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, where yielding matte jerseys would be a bellwether for the shapely chiffons, velvets and wools of his later creations.

A career highlight was also a personal one – designing a bridal gown and dresses for the wedding of son Gwyn to Ikbal Bozkaya in Istanbul in April 2019. For this, he created a sleeveless V-necked bridal gown that was “a very shapely, very diaphanous mélange of different beads, sequins and alabaster stones on white silk chiffon over white silk charmeuse,” he told WAG magazine.

For the after-party, Neil made the bride a short silver halter dress with a sheer back, antique silver sequins, charcoal silk and trapunto stitching (a kind of quilting technique). “It was very young, very sexy,” he said.

Another Neil design saw Ikbal in a cap-sleeved black print dress, trimmed with black satin, whose V neckline and U-shaped back echoed her bridal dress.

No appreciation of Neil would be complete without talking about his deep relationship with Mary Jane Denzer – the store and the woman who founded it. He has called MJD “one of the best stores in the country.”

As for its meticulous founder, Neil recalled his first encounter did not go well as she proclaimed his choice of style and color for one client “a disaster.” But Neil persevered.

“After that, we often collaborated together. Mary Jane did have impeccable taste and an unerring eye. I would like to think we learned from each other, and it always ended up benefiting the client.”

Mary Jane, alas, is no longer with us, having passed in 2015. But her name lives on in the eponymous store, and Neil is set to celebrate the big 80.

So Happy Birthday, Neil – MJD’s “in-house designer” and dear friend.

Tags: Neil Bieff, Mary Jane Denzer, Debra O’Shea, Anastasia Cucinella, Dan Millstein, Istanbul, Florence, Paris, New York, Madison Avenue, Manhattan, Genesis, Syracuse University

Jenny Packham’s glam factor

Jenny Packham’s fall ready-to-wear collection, which debuted in Paris in March, confidently looked to Hollywood glam, with metallic, columnar dresses that shone like Oscar himself, goddess gowns with dramatic drop backs and enough pink, feathers and sequins to have filled The Met Costume Institute’s 2019 “Camp” show. Is it any wonder that her clothes have been worn by real-life stars like Adele, Jennifer Aniston, Miley Cyrus, Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet; been featured in the James Bond films “Die Another Day” and “Casino Royale”; and been name-checked on “Gossip Girl,” for which she designed costumes as well as for “Sex and the City”?

“With my dresses, while I’m always very happy that they’re worn out to these fabulous parties to make memories, sometimes I wish I could go with them,” Packham told Vogue. “I mean, it would be wonderful to know what they get up to.”

In Packham’s case, they not only get to swan through movie sets or stay up all night poolside, reveling in the high of an award win, but to adorn a very different kind of glam princess – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The future queen consort has worn Packham on at least eight public occasions, perhaps most famously to the 2012 Olympics Gala Concert, at which her teal gown with the see-through lace back and cap sleeves had a memorable effect.

Not that any of this would go to Packham’s head. For one thing, she’s been in the business too long – debuting at the London Designer show in 1988 after having studied at Southampton College of Art and what was then Saint Marten’s School of Art. (She holds an honorary degree from what was Southampton Solent University, now Solent University.) For another, she has the sense of security born of a close family. (Her Prada-wearing brother, Chris Packham, is the naturalist and TV host.) Even her marriage to Packham company CEO Mathew Anderson, which hit a rough patch, righted itself, producing not only two grown daughters but financial success.

Mostly, though, Packham has a level-headed approach to life and a certain deprecation toward herself, as seen in her new book “How to Make a Dress: Adventures in the Art of Style” (Random House). In it, as reported in WWD, she’s fearless in recounting the disasters as well as the triumphs – the time everyone went to the Burberry show instead of hers, despite her having flown in a techno band from Berlin, causing her to abandon showing in London for New York; and the time a balletic theme proved, well, “tutu” much.

Then there was the time when the fangirl in her got the better of the professional and she waited forever to have her picture taken with Leonardo DiCaprio. She couldn’t bring herself to look at it for months.

But we’re sure she looked fabulous.

Tags: Jenny Packham, fall ready to wear, “How to Make a Dress,” Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Adele, Jennifer Aniston, Miley Cyrus, Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, “Gossip Girl,” “Sex and the City,” “Die Another Day,” “Casino Royale,” James Bond, 2012 London Olympics, Leonardo DiCaprio