I can’t quite believe that we are already half way through 2022…Happy June! Nor can I believe that this month we begin year five of nenasnotes The Fashion Book Club. In many ways it has changed from its concept, yet it remains the same in purpose! Once a month a fashion or lifestyle book is featured. Usually a new publication and usually I’m in conversation with the author. Until March 2020….a month none of us will forget, you may recall the pandemic descended upon us….we met as a group at an elegant private club in Chicago for Bubbles and Bites. The first half hour was a get together and then an hour of conversation followed by discussion and a Q & A. I always had that evenings and the next month’s book available for purchase thanks to my Independent Bookseller of choice The Book Stall in Winnetka https://www.thebookstall.com Beginning in March 2020 we went virtual and have continued virtually via zoom. We began with local attendees and now have guests from all over the States! I must admit the group has changed as some of the attendees miss the in person socialization of the events, but many have been with me since the beginning!
Rana Lee, a very dear friend and one of my regular supporters, suggested I begin year five by sharing the list of our books and guest authors with you. Along with that I thought it would be fun to share a few photos of some of in person programs, again my apologies for repeat photos along with some covers.
The list…….*indicates conversation with the author
*LOU LOU AND YVES MAY 2018 WITH AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER PETKANAS
UNMISTAKABLY MACKIE JUNE 2018 (OUT OF PRINT)
*NORELL AUGUST 2018 WITH AUTHOR JEFFREY BANKS
*BONNIE CASHIN SEPTEMBER 2018 WITH AUTHOR STEPHANIE LAKE
DIOR AND HIS DECORATORS OCTOBER 2018
CAROLYNE ROEHM NOVEMBER 2018
*PINK DECEMBER 2018 WITH AUTHOR VALERIE STEELE
*PROUST’S DUCHESS FEBRUARY 2019 WITH AUTHOR CAROLINE WEBER
*DAWNRIDGE MARCH 2019 WITH AUTHOR HUTTON WILKINSON
YVES SAINT LAURENT BIO APRIL 2019
TONNE (GOODMAN) MAY 2019
*DAWN (MELLO) JUNE 2019 WITH AUTHOR JOHN TIFFANY
THE LAST COLLECTION JULY 2019 (NOVEL)
CAMP AUGUST 2019 METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
*SKREBNESKI IN PERSON SEPTEMBER 2019 MOST SALES…AND MOST ATTENDEES A TRIBUTE TO THE BRILLIANT CREATOR AND DEAR FRIEND
*SUPREME MODELS MARCELLAS REYNOLDS IN PERSON OCTOBER 2019
*SCRIPT FOR SCANDAL NOVEMBER 2019 WITH AUTHORS RENÉE PATRICK (NOVEL)
ADRIAN DECEMBER 2019
*RALPH LAUREN JANUARY 2020 ALAN FLUSSER ON PHONE
KAISER KARL FEBRUARY 2020
BALLERINA MARCH 2020 CANCELLED CORONA VIRUS
BILL CUNNINGHAM APRIL 2020 CANCELLED CORONA VIRUS RESCHEDULED
*THE WOMEN WHO REVOLUTIONIZED FASHION WITH PETRA SLINKARD MAY 2020 STARTED OUR VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS
CHANEL’S RIVIERA JUNE 2020
BILL CUNNINGHAM BOOK AND DOC JULY 2020 WITH CO-HOST JEFFREY BANKS
ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY AUGUST 2020 WITH CO-HOST MARCELLAS REYNOLDS
ABOUT TIME ANDREW BOLTON MET PUBLICATION SEPTEMBER 2020
*HIGHJACKING THE RUNWAY WITH TERI AGINS OCTOBER 2020
*KENNETH WITH GUISEPPI LONGO NOVEMBER 2020
* THE WORLD OF FEDERICO FORQUET WITH HAMISH BOWLES DECEMBER 2020
LESAGE JANUARY 2021 THAMES & HUDSON RESCHEDULED DUE TO TECH ISSUES
CECIL BEATON BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS FEBRUARY 2021
*BES-BEN WITH ELIZABETH JACHIMOWICZ MARCH 2021 PARTNERING WITH THE COSTUME COUNCIL OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM
WHAT BECOMES A LEGEND MOST RICHARD AVEDON BIO APRIL 2021
*FASHION LIVES: FASHION ICONS 1 WITH FERN MALLIS MAY 2021
*NAEEN KHAN EMBELLISHED WITH NAEEN KHAN JUNE 2021
*FILM NOIR STYLE WITH KIMBERLY TUMBLER JULY 2021
*DRESS CODES WITH RICHARD THOMPSON FORD AUGUST 2021
VIVIANNE WESTWOOD: RUNWAY SEPTEMBER 2021
LESAGE OCTOBER 2021
*SUPREME ACTRESSES WITH MARCELLAS REYNOLDS NOVEMBER 2021
MISS DIOR DECEMBER 7, 2021
*CHRISTIAN DIOR DESIGNER OF DREAMS WITH MAUREN FOOTER DECEMBER 14, 2021
*PATRICK KELLY RUNWAY OF LOVE WITH GUEST PETRA SLINKARD JANUARY 25, 2022 EXHIBITION NOW AT THE PEABODY MUSEUM IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
*HER NAME WAS CARRIE WITH JERRIE MARCUS SMITH FEBRUARY 22, 2022
*CHANEL AT THE RITZ (NOVEL) WITH GIOIA DILBERTO MARCH 22, 2022
EMPRESS OF FASHION DIANA VREELAND BIO APRIL 26, 2022
*HALSTON BY LESLEY FROWICK AND HALSTON BY FRED ROTTMAN MAY 25, 2022
I’m very excited for our June selections….I’m featuring two books with their authors….first up the brand new biography ANNA by Amy Odell who will join me in conversation on Tuesday, June 14th. The book is beyond fabulous and Amy’s attention to detail in the interviews and research is very insightful! The book has been getting rave reviews. Our evening has been in the works for months and I couldn’t be more eager to share it with everyone.
Then on Tuesday, June 28th Jeffrey Banks who joined us year one with his extraordinary monograph on Norman Norell, returns to talk about another of his books and one of his passions, TARTAN: Romancing The Plaid! Jeffrey has become a HUGE supporter of nenasnotes The Fashion Book and The Fashion Film Clubs not only attending each month but instrumental in suggesting many of our books and inviting the authors to join us…I am forever in his debt! It is a not to be missed evening.
The upcoming monthly schedule will continue to feature the newest, and, in some instances past books worth exploring, on fashion and lifestyle topics. Some novels, some monographs, some biographies some academic in scope, but I think always thought provoking. I constantly try to get the authors via zoom but even when they aren’t present our discussions become fascinating and, I hope, informative. I very briefly mentioned the nenasnotes The Fashion Film Club. That also meets monthly on the second Tuesday…I try to tie in the film or documentary with that month’s book choice. If you are interested in joining the group please email me at nenasnotes1@gmail.com. I like to keep our group small but there is always room for a few more!!!!
