company UOVO in archived. Dresser: Hamish Bowles at Long Island City, were characters Grooming: Losi He speaks of his his collection is pieces as if they the art storage where most of in a novel… Tae Smith.

THANKS TO MOLLY SORKIN, JENNIFER PARK AND HILLARY HUMMEL. UOVO.ORG collector Ever alittle was since he boy, Vogue’s American Hamish an archive amassing been Bowles has treasures, behind discover and stories the them of extraordinary couture pieces. Golfar Fiona visits himvisits in New York afew of to view his The Photographs by Photographs H suitfor 50pence.” managed tosave. InsteadI bought a moneythatIhadn’tweeks ofpocket tears ofregret, thatwas120 because I couldn’t buy it, and there were bitter that, it went for£60. Of course Spanish. auctioned they very When jacket, likeatoreador mightwear, had donated aBalenciagabolero clothes;had given Margot Fonteyn town. trustees well-heeled “Some books,style andglobalman-about- curator, to18fashion contributor and fashion historian, aesthete, journalist, Vogue Hamish, who today isAmerican Wells whenIwasjustabout10,” says withtissuepaper.filled baby,newborn box into agarment it down, asone woulda asgently 1946 Balenciaga bolero. Then he lays across theshouldersofaruby tips ofhisfingers, nimbleas Nijinsky, the totheleft,two running andgently or spinning hisslenderbodyaninch brogues,cobalt-blue suede Louboutin 1986 goldcape. inhis Heturns Yves Laurentautumn/winter Saint he adjusts the billowing of an collar breathing,barely hisfocusintentas de chat “I saw this jacket at a sale at Sadler’s at a sale atSadler’s sawthisjacket “I ’s international editor-at-large, a ashestands, asapin, still Jason Schmidt Jason twirl, pirouette and fingers His febrile dancers.ballet hands move like amish Bowles’s jeté and pas pas > > 267

JASON SCHMIDT GORDON PARKS/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY; COURTESY HAMISH BOWLES diminished. “Lucinda’s wasat party Lambton, Lucinda Lady a little the “coming ofthedebutante ball out” the taleofhow toEngland for itcame Balmain1961 gown,a Pierre hetells film. hemof thetulle twitches Ashe be out ofplacein a British Thirties deal easiertostore,” hequips. collection. beenagreat Itwould have I wishhadpursuedmystamp environments.controlled “Sometimes boxesgarment in temperature- kept inindividualtissue-padded are themselves while theclothes recorded on computer spreadsheets, them!” Today, however, hisitemsare jumblesale.’ on-Sea have Istill slippers circa1905, 50p, Bexhill- write, ‘Ladies’ whitesatinevening cards.finds on individual Iwould keep thedetailsofmyjumble-shop me bymyfather, Iwould inwhich recalls, hadared“I filingbox, to given sincetheageofsix. He harvesting the 3,000-pluspieceshehasbeen theserepresentall afraction of only Laurent, Rhodes, 1981Zandra and Fath, 1967Givenchy, 1969Saint Grès, 1948Dior, 1951Jacques 1926 Jeanne Lanvin, 1945 Madame with gentle padding. Before us is their backs, waists, hipsandbusts, thecontoursalive ofthedresses, with yards ofpetticoat, bringing with , out sleeves skirts swelling maintain thearchive, are puffing Jennifer, whowork withhimto research assistants, and Molly institutions. devoted Histwo the great with all has collaborated Hamish isagenerous lenderwho of Technology, among others – the MetorFashion Institute inParis, Décoratifs Musée desArts lives, whenitisn’t on loantothe ofhiscollection where themajority UOVOcalled Island City in Long room inavast, facility sleekart-storage bosom ofhiscollection, awindowless the store hadn’t recognised it.” silhouette.that ghostly But, happily, andthere’s years after off wallpaper label, like when you takea painting long, narrow shadow oftheBalenciaga its label, although you could see the Angeles andthere itwas. Ithadlost jacket. walkedintoastore“I inLos down thatvery –tracked history collections ofcouture andfashion possession ofone ofthemostrevered lifelong fashion super-sleuthnow in Hamish’s voiceisgentle; itwouldn’t Hamish andIare standinginthe later, 30years Some Hamish–a

around in a ballgown. It is an amusing hasavision ofmedrifting everyone on,the clothes althoughIknow that beenaboutputting passion hasnever but,in afrock asheinsists, “This been spotted that Hamishhasnever Reader, hedoesnot. I’m notsaying hecollects?”he weartheclothes is “Does of many Hamishobservers old-fashioned cologneKnize Ten. scentofthe powdery and deliciously rose. About himhovers thefaint in his buttonhole sits a lilac Charvet lilac, too is the face of his Rolex, while Wedgwood cufflinksare lilac. And, islilac, shirt andhisexquisite Charvet lilac ishiscolour, sohispinstripe aboutHamishknowsanything that the shoulder. Anyone whoknows Cifonelli withitsfamousflare through forhisbespoke frame suitby perfect with immaculateposture, hehasthe humour put you at ease. Tall and slim sense of his enthusiasmandquick Ford glasses, butwithinmoments aloof behind hissquare-framed Tom you imagine?” before withdelight. shuddering “Can re-embroider Hepauses, everything.” and ofvelvet onthe feathers tostrips Havre andpaint had togo toLe feathers, sothewholeBalmainatelier forthe paperwork the necessary at customs from , itdidn’t have down it,running butwhenitarrived designed, hadreal pheasant feathers décor. The dress, asitwasoriginally Searcys, andCecilBeaton didthe A question that trips from the lips fromA question thattrips thelips At first sight Hamish might appear

in the collection many couturiers – just one of the by Jacques Fath gowns from 1951 aged 11. shop by Hamish, local corner designed for the advertisement, “rather hopeful” Opposite: Above: a

I found all these pictures of her > thesepicturesI foundall of her > the suits. itback,Then I traced and of Gloria Vanderbilt one of wearing clothes. Ifoundatiny picture Later significant must have owned these undersung. thenthatsomeone Iknew great have elegance,always andare they ladylike, toadegree –occasionally interested in, be can whoseclothes Iwasparticularly couturier American byMainbocher, wereThey mainly an belongedall tothesameperson. and obviously had great verve “They forsale,”anonymously me. hetells in New York thathadcome in interesting thingsatanauction ofsalons.privileged asheisinthemost world a twilight inthedemi-monde of as comfortable essenceofHamish,egalitarian who hostess,to society is which from to Galliano Valentino, door-girl the designer’s runway collection first collar,an asymmetric wasfrom which toaGalliano dressturns with Jamesor Henry . He were inanovel: characters think malaise.by aterrible anything,” groans Hamish, as if struck façade. justcan’t“I letthelighton to splendour withthebuilding’s modern dress outside to juxtapose its bygone the photographer suggeststakinga our one pointduring the clothes.” Indeedheis. At realise. I’m toomindfulofpreserving fantasy, butnotone Iwouldever “Years ago, of really I bought a slew He speaksofhispiecesasifthey have some have real presence, butthey sleuthing.” Itis this segue took quitesome Edmond.husband “That of Lily’s multi-billionaire death the mysterious thatsurrounded scandal with the chimes wickedly voicethat a conspiratorial Safra,” Lily heconfides in belonged to the socialite gown. evening “It couture Valentino1987 and-white one-shouldered he shows mea black- bought it from her. Then there –andHamish designer, who was a regular frombought itdirectly the Eighties.” in theearly She Cha ClubbehindHeaven door attheinfamousCha who usedtowork the toafierce girl “belonged and forawhile, he says, Vogue shoot, the the is is 269 wearing the other things. So that of runway pieces. And My father, having at first despaired of “Fashion is endlessly exciting,” says was wildly exciting.” I thought, ‘This is insane that I’m not me ever playing football, was then Hamish Bowles. Hamish does his detective work all acquiring these,’ so I did. Now I totally supportive. We would all go to “It will always move over the world. He works closely with have a lot of Ghesquière and Dries the ballet and theatre, which I adored, forward while looking back” the houses and their archives, often Van Noten, although he has also been and is something we still do together.” spending days sifting through original exceptionally generous and gifted me Another thing they would do design drawings. He mentions how amazing pieces from his collections.” together is shop. Hamish’s father, the Saint Laurent Pierre Bergé He adds, “Sarah Burton has also given David, former vice-provost of Fondation has recently “been me extraordinary pieces by Alexander University College , recalls, immensely helpful”. Not long ago, “I McQueen.” Currently on his hitlist “We would go to to a sent them images of all my Saint is one of Christopher Kane’s “leafing posh charity shop when Hamish was Laurent and also my Saint Laurent through a book” dresses, with all those about seven years old. I used to stand for Dior pieces. They are identifying panels of sort of fluttering as to one side because I always found it the owners because each couture label it moves, because, as Bowles points amusing to observe the scene. The has a number and through that they out, “that idea is a technique that assistant would come up and say, ‘Oh, can identify the owner.” Jean Dessès used in the Fifties.” hello, little boy, are you looking If Hamish is in Paris for the shows, Born in London in 1963, where for something for your mum?’ and he’ll spend an extra day dropping in he lived until he was nine years old, Hamish would say, ‘Actually, what to museums, talking to curators, Hamish has fond memories of the caught my eye was that dress in the examining yet more records. Valerie family neighbour Dr Ann Saunders, window. Can I have a look at it?’ She Steele, fashion historian and director editor of the Costume Society, giving would say, ‘Yes, but be very careful.’ of the Fashion Institute of Technology, him V&A silhouettes of paper dolls After studying it he’d ask, ‘Do you tells me from New York, “The depth from the 19th century, on to which he realise this is from the early period of of Hamish’s research is nothing short Balenciaga?’ And I would see her of astounding. He doesn’t just say, He kept details of his mouth beginning to open and then ‘Oh, that’s a lovely piece’; he wants to he’d say, ‘What caught my eye was the know everything about it. ‘When was finds on cards: “Ladies’ stitching. That is always the giveaway!’” it in the show?’ ‘Who wore it?’ ‘Who By the age of 10 he had read Cecil covered it in the press?’ ‘Who bought white evening Beaton’s The Glass of Fashion: Fifty it?’ ‘Where might it have been worn?’ Years of Dress and Décor and had He knows more than most fashion slippers, 50p, Bexhill- discovered Vogue. He started to historians and curators.” on-Sea jumble sale” become excited by the idea of fashion. As a result, he picks up clothes Bill Gibb, Thea Porter, Ossie Clark, at auction that others might would pin crinolines. “There’s a Zandra Rhodes… “Fantasy time,” he overlook. Steele remembers her 2013 famous family story that when I was recalls with a smile. Aged 14, he collaboration with Bowles on the five years old I ran into her house entered ’s annual talent exhibition A Queer History of Fashion: saying, ‘Is this the right way to wear competition, received an honourable from the Closet to the Catwalk. a fontange?’” (A fontange, for the mention, visited the editors in the “He lent us such marvellous pieces uninitiated, is a high headdress London office, drank a glass of from famous gay dandies that nobody popular in the 17th century.) buck’s fizz and wrote about the else had thought to buy. I heard he When Hamish’s family moved experience for his school magazine. was pulling all these pieces out and to Kent, his mother, Ann, ran the When Hamish moved back to saying to his assistant, ‘Do you think smallholding on which the family London with his mother (his parents this is gay enough for Valerie?’ Oh! lived; she also introduced her son to divorced when he was nine), he They were!” antique shops and photography. He attended a sixth-form college, Although his knowledge of the and his younger sister, Sarah (now which he found “distasteful”. He history of fashion is staggering, a university administrator, to whom eschewed the idea of reading English Hamish’s collection is not just he remains very close), went to the at university and secretly compiled nostalgic; it is altogether personal, local grammar school. “Sarah hasn’t a portfolio that he submitted to dictated by the path of his own worn a dress since she was nine!” Saint Martin’s; he was immediately life and interests. He has Eighties he laughs. “My fault, I’m sure. accepted. It took the glaring talent of Galliano menswear stemming from I had fond hopes that I would have a fellow student, , to his time at Saint Martin’s School my very own Baba and Nancy Beaton make Hamish understand that his of Art (as it was then) with the [the sisters of Cecil] rolled into one, future wasn’t in design, and so he designer John Flett, too, and more but not a bit of it. So I had to look studied . from Bodymap and Antony Price. He elsewhere for dress-up dolls. I’m sure By day, he immersed himself in art recalls, “At a certain point, when I that’s why I went into fashion.” school, and by night he revelled in the became a , I realised Hamish would be the first to admit delights of the London club scene. “I I was in an unusual position because that neither of his parents shared his ignored punk – it absolutely repelled I had a lot of contemporary fashion early fascination with clothes. “But me,” he chuckles. “And I avoided New accessible to me. I went to a there was no stopping me. Luckily Romantic. My look was more tweedy press sale years ago where I was they were extremely liberal, Sixties Brideshead Revisited meets Anthony faffing around looking for a blazer parents who were very excited by Blunt, with an occasional cape.” While and I realised there was a whole rack the idea of challenging gender norms. still at college he was recruited to >

JASON SCHMIDT from the same collection is seen on the previous page Above: patchwork dresses, Below: found “scrunched up” in a vintage shop in Paris when I was about 10 years old. Everything was bought with pocket money – 10 bob a week.” Right: the 1955 Mystère de New York Dior dress “An appraisal list of my collection, made Yves Saint Laurent’s gypsy-inspired Vogue

March 1969 – a dress

at Sadler’s Wells, but managed to find it 30 years later in a Los Angeles store Fonteyn – Hamish couldn’t afford it at the age of 10 when he saw it at auction photograph on page 266. dress in American Above right: Above: Gloria Vanderbilt in 1962 in a Mainbocher suit now owned by Hamish

a Balmain tulle gown Below: Vogue, the 1946 Balenciaga bolero owned by Margot , Vogue September 1967 – both can be seen in the September 1967 – both can be seen in the June 1960, and, right, name – I thought it had more of a couture ring to it…” I was about 11. I toyed with the idea of ‘James’ as a Below: apurple “One of my fashion designs, drawn when .

COURTESY HAMISH BOWLES; FRANCIS McLAUGHLIN-GILL; JERRY SCHATZBERG; ; BERT STERN; JACQUES ROUCHON JASON SCHMIDT about the history oftheir houses,about thehistory Bass, Lynn moreWyatt –heknew so admired. Nan Kempner, Anne of the in theheart “shiny hehad set” 1992, ensconced Hamishwasfirmly York towork in forAnna Wintour him inpeace.” he is, justdoesn’t hiscuriosity leave ofwhathelikesandwho clear very thoughheis Hamish isthateven isamazingabout continues, “What hoots Hamishatthememory. Testino Diana Cooper!” into Lady Chancellor andbeautifulmodel Cecilia natural the very turning were endlessly “we ofglamour,Beguiled bythesamesort we spent so much money.”because Express’, on‘Murder theAmerican socialites. known Itbecame as with shoton filled a train story many wasafashion collaborations hit itoffimmediately. One ofour romantic eccentric,” says Testino. “We as Beaton andParkinson. wasa “He created byphotographers such worlds “society” and the elegance of the by,and captivated theglamourof exposed to,Both of themwere newly young photographer, . on thefashion pageswithatalented an editorat serendipities likethat.” dressed inahurry. Paris of isfull the stiletto-heelholeinit–shegot dressrunway model, complete with no ideawhatitwas!Itwasthe of 1955. The littlevintageshophad the dress from the Y-line collection York famousdress; was areally itwas mannequin. And Mystère deNew Dior’swas Christian emblematic name oftheatelier. Lucky, ofcourse, Mystère deNew York’, andthenthe the hem. Written on itwas ‘Lucky enough, into I found a tape sewn togetthechills,I started andsure chiffondressblack on astand, and Paris Ifoundthisscrunched-up treasures. remember“I one day in uncoveredeye many hidden and New York, hisremarkable Portobello toParis, Milan, Rome growing passion forcollecting. From allowed his himtofeed involved fashion, hiswork andthetravel of himself known intheworld international shows. He was19. Bazaar editorforAustralian London magazine. Before long hewasmade edit ateenissueof By the time he arrived in New By thetimehearrived school, art After Hamishbecame making Hamish wasswiftly forwhom hecovered the Harpers &Queen Harpers Harpers & Queen &Queen Harpers , working Harper’s

belonging to Jackie Kennedy,belonging toJackie which shelf, sitsapalepinksilk coathanger dust jackets. Above them, on the top Beaton, immaculate intheir still collection offirsteditions byCecil freestanding bookshelf ishosttohis Radziwill. room Inthedrawing a and MarellaLee Nureyev, toRudolf decorator Gianni Mongiardino,Renzo whowas andproductioninterior designer were pupilsofthegreat architect, Peregalli,Studio adesignduowho ceilings were for him by constructed walls, fauxarches andtrompe-l’oeil host regular rounds ofbridge. The eatenameal,rarely althoughhedoes New like atrue Yorker, hehas Place,University where, headmits, near apartment decorated intensely as a describes “Proustian-looking”, faint.feel isenough tomakeoneInstagram following on hishecticschedule culture.pulse ofcontemporary Just onthe has kepthisfingerfirmly her to while teaching “Vogue”, he Dunham tie andtailswithLena or working adanceroutine inwhite Parker Jessica Sarah tothe MetBall means” my beyond saysafe to I’m collecting entirely self-funded. It’s donate, been the rest has designers “Although lightest touch, whetherescorting touches.” Asocialassetwiththe last minuteanddothefinishing We know helikestoswishinatthe thetree. holdoffdecorating often comes tostay forChristmas, we knows how tobecosy. he When My grandchildrenadore him. He films.we playandwatch cards bookhis coffee-table photographed herFrench home for with meinProvence [Hamish he comes to stay a delight. “When not thatheisalsonever reports andphilanthropist, collector the art quietly. JanetdeBotton, Hisfriend not American orholidayed with.partied “I’m never about,not written photographed, diva ordesignerthatHamishhas him forit. There isnotaduchess, most ofthemdid, adored andthey their furniture andtheirgowns than Hamish lives alone in a what he aloneHamish lives inawhathe Vogue ,” Hamish says Vogue Living ], ],

looking upoldladies’ skirts.” found atremendous amountofthings steamrollered outoftheway. I’ve be conversation you’ll because counsel you nottoengage mein Hamish isthefirsttoadmit, “I would vintage fair, back. standwell As folds ofadiaphanous gown ata redtwo soles popping through the should seeapairoftailored legs and him livinginlilacluxury. value, dealcouldsee andtheright collection likethisisoftremendous as moneywithHamish, buta One doesn’t asvulgar discussanything .the care ofhis friend in the Metropolitan MuseumofArt goalassume theobvious wouldbe forit,clamouring althoughone would posterity, andmany handsare where landfor hiscollectionwill thought ofathousanddresses.” hishandsingleeatthe rubbing the LastEmperor in thefilmdocumentary remembers how Hamishappeared looking back.” Valentino Garavani while move forward always will exciting. fashion is endlessly “But It itonce was,”the world headmits. future. “Well, not it’s certainly looking towardshe isalways the and farfrom inthepast, beingstuck longer. ButHamishisanoptimist, generation hesoadmired isno are balls of thegrand over; the clothes.these wonderful The days beyond mymeans.” funded. to say It is safe I’m collecting donate, therest self- hasbeenentirely many designersare generous and withtheinternet.escalated Although on howme started myhabithas me withthings–anddon’t get even fromback atrip. Now peoplecontact I enter my apartment, or when I come battling through Fed Exboxes when coming thetime, inall I’m always returning toschool. are “Things hischildren watching reluctantly to thestorerooms, likeaparent are back wheeledaway on trolleys standing looking athisdresses asthey resonatedreally forme,” hesays, Things production of theacclaimed Hamish watched be anunderstatement. To might cluttered theapartment call House.once hunginthe White One thingremains certain. Ifyou decide Hamish must eventually I wonder happento whatwill On arecent toLondon, trip , aplay aboutaddiction. “It : “You seehim can People, and Places Valentino:

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