#9. Insightful Interview with Jane Tucker: Sharing the Legacy of Pauline Trigère

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 a family member of Ms.Trigère but also from working in the fashion industry. As soon as I arrived at her home, Jane welcomed me into her dining room where she had filled the entire table with photographs, newspaper articles, and personal memorabilia. I was thrilled when I saw Ms.Trigère’s cutting scissors on the table among all the items Jane had laid out. A vivid memory while I was apprenticing with Ms.Trigère was her proclamation while we were draping one day: “When I die, these scissors go to Metropolitan Museum of Art.” This wasn’t bravdo, she had a profound awareness of her contribution to the fashion industry. The scissors were her trademark, prominently featured in her plaque at the Fashion Walk of Fame on Seventh Avenue. Early in my research journey, I had reached out to the Metropolitan Museum to inquire about the scissors. I was informed that the famous scissors were not among the Trigère archive. Subsequent inquiries to other museums and universities failed to locate her trademark scissors, so when I walked into Jane’s house and saw her scissors it was one of the best moments of my research journey.

The house was filled with art collections, many paintings and sculptures plus award plaques which I recognize from video footages and so I was thrilled to see them in person.

Jane has been instrumental in sharing stories in regard to private moments with Ms.Trigère, especially towards the end of Pauline's life, stories with the singer trio The McGuire Sisters and attending Barbara Streisand's concert in Las Vegas. Although Jane and JP have known each other for 46 years, they finally decided to get married in November 2001. Pauline wrote a lovely letter to Jane below, some words are missing due to Pauline's hand-writing.

Dear Jane:

After the surprising shock at my dinner - I finally find a moment to write and tell you of my happiness at the great news. Years have passed, me watching you loving my son, so now its wonderful that you will become part of us, the Trigère-Radley family. Welcome, my beautiful 'new' daughter and all my special booklet???

I should share my "memoir", but then it would be too shale??

I hope that you have a happy reunion with your family ---

I miss you here but I hope to see you - ? you, wish you personally all the best things in the world that you deserve, with much love, Pauline.

June 23~26, 2022