Barbara Feldon: "Get Smart" TV Show Barbara Feldon and Don Adams from TV show "Get Smart" "Pauline was a star. Pauline was a diva.”   —  Barbara Feldon During the Covid pandemic, I was able to arrange a telephone interview with actress Barbara Feldon . The television series “ Get Smart ” made Barbara famous for the ground breaking role of intelligent and capable Agent 99. The television series ran from 1965 to 1970, but can still be found in re-runs today. Yet, few people kn

One year prior to the publication of his autobiography, I had a fascinating interview with Mr. Stan Herman as part of my research for the Pauline Trigère book [ HE RE ]. While there’s no official position of Fashion Mayor of New York City, there should be one, even an honorary title. Before Anna Wintour , before DVF , before the two Toms, ( Tom Ford and Thom Browne ), Stan Herman was the esteemed Fashion Mayor of New York City. At 96 years old, he continues to thrive. As th

Young Jane Trigère with Pauline Jane Trigère , the niece of Pauline through her brother Robert, played a vital role in my research on Pauline Trigère. The JaneTrigere.com website was crucial in providing valuable materials from the Trigère family archive. It was one of the primary resources I utilized at the beginning of my research journey. Jane, who was also a talented artist, meticulously gathered and organized detailed records, videos, correspondence, and genealogy that

Pauline Trigère with Dixie Lee Davis Dixie Lee Davis  was a prominent figure in the Cleveland fashion scene. Her remarkable work for identifying top designers from New York City and presenting their collections in Cleveland was highlighted by her admiration for the designs of Pauline Trigère. Having started her professional journey as the Fashion Director at Halle's  Department Store. Established in 1891, Halle's was among the earliest upscale department stores in Cleveland.

Pauline Trigère designed by Lucie Porges The valuable role of Lucie Porges , the quiet and trusted associate of Pauline Trigère, is often underestimated. Highly esteemed by Pauline herself, Lucie Porges was a skilled artist in her own right. Over a span of more than four decades collaborating with Pauline, she earned the title " Second Trigére at Trigére " from the former Vogue  Editor Andre Leon Tally. Lucie Porges began working alongside Pauline in 1951 and remained by her

Paul Peter Porges , known as PPP , was a celebrated cartoonist known for his work in both MAD magazine and The New Yorker . His whimsical and humorous style transcended the magazine world and left a lasting impact on the realm of art illustration. Through his wife, Lucie Porges , PPP designed unique stationery for Pauline that reflected his trademark wit and humor, embodying the core of his humorous artistic expression. These collaborations bridged the worlds of fashion and

During the interview with Lucie Porges' daughters: Claudia and Vivette, I discovered the tale of a special recipe book that Lucie had made for Pauline. After collaborating with Pauline for 15 years, finding new gift ideas had become difficult. One day, Lucie spotted a beautiful cork-covered blank notebook in a bookstore. Aware of Pauline's love for cooking, she had an idea to collect recipes from Pauline's acquaintances. It took more than a few years and the final outcome was

A year after I first interviewed Ms.Audrey Smaltz, (co-interview with Betty Halbreich at Bergdorf Goodman ( here ), I arranged a second interview at her home in New Jersey. The appointment came on a very rainy and cold September day. However, seeing Audrey again and looking thru her Pauline Trigère garments together with so many of her personal photographs for the first time, the reward of this interview trumped the gloomy day. The red wool cape Audrey modeled for us was

Betty Halbreich, Audrey Smaltz and author in Betty's office Audrey Smaltz with Lionel Hampton at a party hosted by Pauline Trigère in 1982. Jane Tucker archive. Through my friend and fashion designer Laura Smalls, [website here } I got in touch with Audrey Smaltz; a good friend of Pauline. A former model turned fashion editor for “ Ebony ” Magazine. After the initial telephone interview with Audrey, I arranged a joint interview of Audrey and Betty Halbreich at Bergdorf Go

" I met Pauline a few times and we spoke French together. She was strong and elegant ." Pauline Trigère with DVF A photograph of Diane von Furstenberg chatting with Pauline Trigère, led me to reach out to the iconic designer for an interview. Diane, mostly known by her initial's DVF is another giant in the American fashion industry. Not only does her eponymous brand have worldwide presence, her legendary wrap-dress sold over 25,000 units per week shortly after she launc

Merle Bassett's illustration of Pauline Trigere ad. Photo from Todaysinspiration.blogpost.com One of my very first interviews for the Pauline Trigère biography was tracking down illustrator Merle Bassett. Among the Trigère articles and materials I have collected over the years, there was this particular sketch that always fascinated me. Completely unaware of Merle Bassett’s accomplished body of works; I googled the tiny credit that bore his name at the bottom of the sketc

Jane Tucker , who was married to Pauline’s eldest son Jean-Pierre Radley  ( JP ), had extremely fond memories of her mother-in-law. After tracking down Jane and speaking to her about my project, I was invited to her home in Savannah and Jane generously hosted me for a long weekend of interviews and shared everything she had inherited from Pauline. Jane had met JP when she first came to NYC and was working as a fashion couture buyer, so she is extremely insightful not just as

Stan Herman from CFDA 1992 catalog As the President of CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) from 1991~2006, Mr. Stan Herman recalled his fondness of Pauline Trigère and their friendship throughout the years.  “ Pauline was one of the mover and shakers in the late 1950’s and 1960’s on Seventh Avenue. She was very much the Queen . ” They first met in 1955 when Stan was a budding designer and created some sketches for Pauline. Years later, their connection deepened

Henry Kissinger and Nancy Kissinger One of my first interviews for the biography of Pauline Trigère was with Mrs. Nancy Kissinger; the spouse of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger . Mrs. Kissinger was a good client and would come in to the Trigère office for fittings, with Secret Service agents stood about. Both Henry and Nancy were good friends with Pauline. Mrs. Kissinger described Pauline's garments as "ageless" and fondly remembered one of her favorite ensembles:

April 12, 2018, Feb 14, 2022, April 15, August 8, 2022 Interview Betty Halbreich at Bergdorf Goodman. I conducted several interviews with Ms. Betty Halbreich at Bergdorf 's, beginning on April 12, 2018. Betty fondly recalls Ms. Trigère's presence at the renowned New York store, where she would host trunk shows and assist her clients from (mostly) the Upper East Side. Betty characterized Ms. Trigère as a talented designer, yet also formidable and would "tough-sell" her clie