something about mary mcfadden

At Brimfield years ago

I spotted a huge chunky gold leaf cuff 

sparkling on a table 

in the early morning light. 

I immediately reached for it 

because it had such a modern form.

At first I thought it might be African,

but the gold leaf threw that off, so I then thought

French Art Deco,

but it didn't seem that old,

 so I was stumped until I looked inside and saw the signature

"MARY MCFADDEN"

stamped in the metal.

Who the hell was Mary McFadden?

Well, 

the first person I asked said incredulously

how could I not know who Mary McFadden was,

so I decided to find out!

So, if you don't know either, you should find out too.

These pictures are from the book

"Mary McFadden: 

The High Priestess of High Fashion, 

A Life in Haute Couture,

Décor, and Design".

That title ain't no joke,

and either is Mary.

So, 

back to our story....

When I got home I gave the bracelet as a gift to 

Jessica

and she became kinda obsessed with Mary too.

She had plans to write her about the bracelet, to show her

her jewelry designs, to try to meet her.

Then one day we were in San Francisco,

and let's say Jessica has the bracelet on,

 and at a table in the window 

of a very fancy Chinese restaurant,

we see who we swear is Mary McFadden.

We stood outside staring in trying to decide what to do.

I tried to get Jessica to go in, but she was too shy and not positive it was her,

 and me, forget about it. 

That would be like asking me to sky dive, not ever gonna happen.

 So we moved on

and over beers talked about if it really was her, 

what were the chances, and if it was actually her, 

how we blew it, 

and dammit we should have just gone in 

and showed her the bracelet.

Then we forgot about it....

About a week later, 

as we were headed to the airport,

to fly back home to NYC,

I looked out the window of our taxi and saw 

this exotic and elegant woman in a beautiful long Mercedes with a driver.

It WAS her! 

We caught eyes, 

and I swear she remembered us from

outside the window of that Chinese restaurant the week before.

I wanted to wave, 

and 

almost did, 

but she was gone....

 Mary McFadden

In her New York City dining room.

1972

Photo by Horst

Mary McFadden

View of her apartment.

1972

Photo by Sam Haskins

Mary McFadden

From a spread in Vogue

June 1972

Photos by Duane Michals

Mary McFadden

Vogue

August 1968

Photo by Sam Haskins

Mary McFadden

Vouge

August 1968

Photo by Sam Haskins

Mary McFadden with her daughter Justine

in their NYC apartment.

Photo by Horst

Mary McFadden

Photo Marcus Leatherdale

Mary McFadden

Wearing a gold leaf bracelet similar to Jessica's.

Photo by Stephen Sprouse

Mary McFadden in her NYC showroom.

Mary McFadden leading seven models 

across a busy New York City street.

Vogue

September 1977

Photo by Oliviero Toscani

Mary McFadden's office

Mary McFadden's NYC apartment.

Architectural Digest

1999

Photo Michael Moran

Mary McFadden

Architectural Digest

1999

Photo Michael Moran

Mary McFadden's NYC apartment.

Architectural Digest

1999

Photo Michael Moran

Mary McFadden's NYC apartment.

Architectural Digest

1999

Photo Michael Moran

Mary McFadden's NYC apartment.

Architectural Digest

1999

Photo Michael Moran

Mary McFadden's Manhattan apartment.

Photo Pieter Estersohn

Mary McFadden

On the stairway of her New York apartment.

1972

Photo by Horst

Buy the book

HERE

There is also a new book out,

buy it

HERE

I just ordered it so look for

More Mary soon!

One more thing:

HERE

is a funny

People Magazine

article on her from 1989!