Wmagazine
Wmagazine
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Video
SubscribeSubscribe
Fashion

Suzy Menkes: Up for Auction

“I have never thrown anything out of my wardrobe since 1964,” says the International New York Times’ fashion editor Suzy Menkes. On July 11, however, she will be selling select pieces in a Christie’s online-only sale. Here, Menkes explains the stories behind some of her most memorable items.
Sarah Leon
July 10, 2013 1:19 pm
Facebook
Twitter
Email
WhatsApp
Emilio Pucci sleeveless summer dress of silk jersey (estimate £250 – 350)
facebook dialog
Pinterest
1/5

The pink Emilio Pucci dress was the first piece of “logo” fashion that I ever bought. I drove with my friend Idanna Pucci from Cambridge, where I was at the university, to Florence. I fell in love with the Pucci prints and managed to scrape enough Lire together to buy one dress. That night, Idanna took me to a party in the hills above Florence. I wore the dress and the whole evening was magical— the moonlight, the Cyprus trees, all these dolce vita people. With my small knowledge of Italian, my conversations with the glamorous young men went something like this: La luna e magica! Molto romantico! This was met with a rather dramatic response and I was soon dodging two gorgeous men at once. I was never sure whether it was because of my Italian or my dress!

facebook dialog
Pinterest
2/5

The Ossie Clark dress is pure 1970’s—the moment when square-cut mini dresses morphed into languorous chiffon sweeping the ankles. I wore it on holiday in the South of France with tongue-pink, chunky soled sandals. Unfortunately, the French had never seen anything so clumpy so all eyes went to my feet instead of my dress.

facebook dialog
Pinterest
3/5

I could not resist the black and white dogtooth check bag. I bought it, and then the matching jacket, at a Christian Lacroix sample sale so far outside Paris that it was the end of the metro line. Such a fun take on fashion geometry!

facebook dialog
Pinterest
4/5

The Chanel Suzy bag was a joke. It was given to me by Gilles Dufour, who was then Karl Lagerfeld’s right hand, because I had written an article saying that logos— like the famous double C’s— were SO over and that your own name of the front was much more chic. I never used it, but I did have it decorating the top of the ebony chest in my Paris apartment for the longest time.

facebook dialog
Pinterest
5/5

I wonder if all the people just discovering Elsa Schiaparelli now know that she was Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion heroine. He made quite a few clothes inspired by ‘Schiap’ collections and this is one of them, with the flames licking around the neck of a satin jacket. I always think that the colors look like Laduree macaroons. But the firm shouldered shape is totally YSL.

Facebook
Twitter
Email
WhatsApp

Keywords

ChanelChristian LacroixChristiesIn My Fashion The Suzy Menkes CollectionOssie ClarkPucciSuzy Chanel ClutchSuzy MenkesSuzy Menkes AuctionSuzy Menkes Christies AuctionSuzy Menkes ChristiesSuzy Menkes SaleThe Suzy Menkes CollectionYSL

Subscribe to
W Magazine

Subscribe

Follow
Us

Stay connected.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Google+
Contact usAccessibility HelpSitemapSubscription ServicesCareersCondé Nast StoreReprints and PermissionsW Magazine Media Kit
Conde Nast
  • Allure
  • Ars Technica
  • Backchannel
  • Bon Appétit
  • Brides
  • Condé Nast Traveler
  • Epicurious
  • Glamour
  • Golf Digest
  • Golf World
  • GQ
  • GQ Style
  • Pitchfork
  • Self
  • Style
  • Teen Vogue
  • The New Yorker
  • The Scene
  • Vanity Fair
  • Vogue
  • W
  • Wired

© 2018 Condé Nast. All rights reserved

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 3/21/12) and Privacy Policy (effective 3/21/12).

W Magazine may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers.Your California Privacy Rights

The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.