ON THE FERRY EN ROUTE TO THE ISLE OF BUTE FOR A LOVELY SCOTTISH WEDDING LAST YEAR, WRAPPED TIGHTLY IN MY FATHER'S WOOL SMOKING JACKET WHICH I COVETED FOR YEARS AND THEN NICKED (APOLOGIES DADU).
HE WAS ALWAYS LOOKING SUPER ELEGANT WHEN HE WORE IT, (FOR ENTERTAINING AT HOME) WITH A SPECTRUM OF WILDLY COLORED CORDUROY TREWS AND VELVET SLIPPERS.
FOR FALL 2011, WE CRAVED A BIT OF THAT NOSTALGIA FOR OURSELVES; THE MEMORY OF DADU, AND THE LEGENDARY LOOK OF SAINT LAURENT AND SAVILE ROW.
ENTER THE THEODORA SMOKING JACKET, THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA TAKE ON THE CLASSIC. WE MADE THEM IN JEWELED VELVETS AND PAISLEY CORDUROYS, BUT WE ARE QUITE ATTACHED TO THE VINTAGE COTTON VERSION, PHOTOGRAPHED IN NEW YORK LAST YEAR BY DANIEL SETH PAGEL.
'WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE?' I EXCLAIMED, AND THREW AN UNLINED VERSION IN MY RUCKSACK AND TOOK THEODORA TRAVELING WITH US LAST MONTH. IT WAS IDEAL OVER A MADRAS BIKINI, (NO ONE LIKES AN EXHIBITIONIST) AND OFFERED A BIT OF PROTECTION AGAINST THE BLAZING MEXICAN SUN.
BUENOS DIAS THEODORA, AND WELCOME TO THE SMOKER'S CORNER.
ALIX OF BOHEMIA THEODORA JACKET, BY SPECIAL ORDER. SHOW ABOVE IN VINTAGE COTTON DOT WITH SEERSUCKER PIPING.
