truman capote

Cary Grant, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Tom Ford and David Beckham have all had an undeniably important influence on the world of men's style – but what about Truman Capote, Che Guevara, the Sex Pistols and Jarvis Cocker? They all deserve credit as well, argues Simone Werle in a cool, lavishly illustrated new book called Fashionisto: A Century of Style Icons from Prestel. Werle names 50 figures from the last 100 years who have had an impact not only on the way men choose to adorn themselves but how they act and as well. She dubs them "fashionistos", the male equivalent of the famous fashionista. What makes a man a fashionisto? "Swagger, elegance, daring, perhaps a really well cut suit," the author notes, but not always – see Oscar Wilde, Johnny Depp and Kurt Cobain.

Each icon is featured in a double page spread with glossy full-color photographs and Werle's acute observations, anecdotes, and historical insight. While you may not have personally felt the sartorial influence of Boy George or Bootsy Collins, Werle makes a compelling case for their inclusion. She divides the book into sections according to the various styles or fashion phylum represented: The Gentlemen, The Rebels, The Dandies, The Rock Stars, The Classics, The Fashion Designers, The Beautiful People, The Bands and The Extraterrestrials.

"Fashionistos like fashionistas choose clothing that accentuates their best parts, not only of their bodies but also their personalities," Werle writes. "Both know when to follow the rules of style and when to break them. And both have the courage to stay who they are. But all the same, there is a huge difference. Men have a much easier time in fashion – and yet a much more difficult one." How so, you ask? "Classic men's fashion has very clear-cut rules; if you follow them, you can't go wrong. The man who doesn't look good in a custom-made suit of fine fabric has yet to be born," she notes. "But to make a mark on the history of style, more is needed – and this is where it gets tricky. Men's fashion does not suffer rebels gladly. If you have the courage to rebel, you need self-confidence – and more than that, a sense of style."

A home in the Brooklyn Heights area of New York City may set a record for a Brooklyn real estate sale. The NY Daily News reports that the 11-bedroom mansion where Truman Capote wrote "Breakfast at Tiffany's" has hit the market for $18 million with Sotheby's Realty. The five-story Greek Revival townhouse was built in 1839 and has details that a Southerner like Capote might approve of including a columned porch along the rear of the house. Other gracious details include the elliptical mahogany staircase with rosette oculus window at the top, a double parlor with high ceilings and 11 fireplaces. There are two kitchens, a master suite with a bath and walk-in closet, an artist's studio and library. One of the best features of the home might be the small but delightful rear garden.

The Daily News says that the home was owned in the 1950s by Broadway art director Oliver Smith, who rented the house's garden apartment to Capote from 1955 to 1965. Legend has it that Capote would throw lavish parties when Smith left town. Capote also spent time in the Hamptons, living in a Sagaponack home which was on sale last year.

London luxury goods firm Dunhill has just announced the opening of the new bespoke and custom tailoring floor of its Madison Avenue flagship store in New York (above), the first of its kind in the U.S. Overseen by Bruno Cosentino, Dunhill's resident master tailor who personally hand makes every bespoke item, the space is entirely dedicated to the brand's exceptional tailoring service. Working one-on-one with each client to create the ultimate in tailoring indulgence, Cosentino first guides clients through thousands of luxurious fabrics, from the finest 'super grade' wools to Mongolian cashmeres and lightweight linens. The master tailor then suggests appropriate fits and styling to complement the client's lifestyle and ways to personalize each sartorial investment. Once the design of the pattern is complete, it then becomes part of the Alfred Dunhill archives, kept in reserve for returning clients seeking additional bespoke services. Dunhill's custom tailoring tradition includes a tuxedo made for Truman Capote to wear at his infamous Black & White Ball in the 1960s as well as bespoke suits made for Frank Sinatra.

When a listing says "hear the ocean" that means only one thing, you can't see it from every angle. This property in Sagaponack, New York was once the home of author Truman Capote. The nearly four-acre property went on sale last year. Capote lived here for 23 years prior to his death in 1984. Capote wrote "In Cold Blood" while living in this house. The NY Observer reported last year that Capote bequeathed the property to his partner, Jack Dunphy. When Dunphy died in 1992, the house was passed on to the Nature Conservancy, which then sold it to artist Ross Bleckner in 1993 for $800,000.Bleckner restored the home, enlarged the main house and added a 1,900 square-foot studio, a two-bedroom guesthouse, an outdoor pool and garage. The charming retreat is pretty modest compared to some of the homes surrounding it. The main house is open and mid-century modern with simple details. An upstairs bedroom offers a view of the ocean in the distance. The look of the property recalls the days when this area was more of an earthy retreat for artists and writers than for the wealthy and famous. It has been listed for one year at $14.6 million.

Welcome to the first in a new series of exclusive photo features showcasing seasonal style essentials inspired by classic icons of elegance, sport and design, photographed with the most beautiful and coveted cars on the road. The emphasis is on luxury of course, but of the timeless variety as opposed to mere extravagance.

In our recent Classicist column on the 2010 Jaguar XK convertible coming out this August, we remarked on the sleek new cat's stylistic heritage dating back to 1948's XK120, as driven by the likes of Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, as well as later models like the D-Type (or XK-SS) made famous by the great Steve McQueen. The first in our new series of exclusive shoots is inspired by them and stars the XK in homage to these stylish icons, both man and automotive (read all about the new XK here).

In particular, the influence of Gable (with his XK120 in 1954, top right) and McQueen (with his XK-SS, center right) can be seen in the summery style essentials we've assembled for this shoot. For the pastoral setting we drew on another classic Jaguar reference, an image of writer Truman Capote in a Jaguar XK-E, the model most closely aligned with the new XK, in the Hamptons in 1965 (bottom right).

In the spirit of summer we've chosen a classic combination of navy and white, popular as fashionable resort wear for a nearly a century and still going strong in the right circles. While navy blazers of the type shown here originated as part of English cricket club scenery and other elegant sporting occasions such as the Henley Royal Regatta, without gold buttons it needn't be unnecessarily nautical or costume-y.

The jacket shown here, in tropical weight wool with soft shoulders by the dashing Italian house of Etro, references its sporting antecedents with grosgrain tipping on the lapels, pockets and cuffs; however, since it is finished in the same color as the jacket the effect is a subtle one, while the slim cut updates the look with Italian flair. A cream linen camp shirt by Paul Stuart and white linen pants by Polo Ralph Lauren round out the rest of the ensemble.

As an alternative on cooler days or evenings - which we've certainly had plenty of this summer - we've also included a variation of the navy blazer by Brooks Brothers made of butter-soft goat suede with spiffy sporting details including a throat latch, stand-up collar, action back and pure Irish linen lining, which calls to mind the jacket worn by Gable above.

While a polka dot foulard silk scarf by the venerable British clothier Turnbull & Asser (shirtmaker to the Prince of Wales) provides not only another classic touch and added dose of sprezzatura, it also protects against the elements while piloting the XK with the top down at serious speeds. A hefty dose of McQueen meanwhile can be seen in the rakish cap, sunglasses and watch. For the feet and the road, a pair of pebble-sold leather driving moccasins by Tod's keep the haute Italian vibe going.

The checked linen driving cap - this model is made by Brooks Brothers - of the type favored by McQueen has no brim to collide with a car's headrest, and is infinitely more elegant than a baseball cap. Also on view: iconic Italian Persol sunglasses, in particular the model made famous by McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring in this feature are a foldable version of McQueen's faves, as well as a couple of other killer Persol models; all are available at Ilori. Also included is a pair of shades by Paul Smith. The watch is a classic and vintage stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II, available at Tourneau, of a similar design to the Rolex Submariner model favored by McQueen (and which recently fetched a record price at auction). Read on for details of the rest of the accessories after the jump.

In times of economic uncertainty luxury consumers looks to timeless classics they know will hold their value and last for years as opposed to flash-in-the-pan trends and glitzy impulse buys. Witness the sudden increase in Rolex sales as Iceland's financial markets tanked, or the way the traditional tailors of Savile Row are weathering the crisis, which we wrote about in this space last week. In fact, the very basis of this column as you may recall is timeless style, enduring elegance, and true, built-to-last luxury as opposed to mere extravagance.

We think that London-based men's clothier and luxury goods firm Dunhill, which dates back to the 1890s, is well situated to weather the storm in similar style thanks to their espousal of these same values. That's a very good thing as the company recently opened two new flagship stores, in New York City and London. The 7,000-sq.-ft. NYC store (above), on the corner of Madison and 55th, replaces the old shop at 711 Fifth Avenue.

It carries the full range of Dunhill's luxe merchandise, including menswear, leathergoods, accessories, writing instruments, watches, gifts and games. The lower level houses Dunhill's custom-made menswear and leathergoods offerings, as well as a display of one-of-a-kind pieces from the firm's illustrious history such as Truman Capote's Dunhill tuxedo worn at his famed Black & White Ball in 1966, and original sketches of a Dunhill bespoke suit made for Frank Sinatra.

From the NY Observer's Manhattan Transfers:
--A four-story Upper East Side townhouse 152-156 East 81st Street, shown above, has gone on the market for $45 million. It has a a 3,000-square-foot garden, 38-foot-wide drawing room. two libraries and one sitting room; a parlor-floor dry bar and a "wine cellar/grotto" in the basement. The listing is here.
--Moby is an investor in a a four-floor, six-room, three-bedroom unit at Landmark 17 which was sold to gas broker Javier Loya and his interior designer wife Lucinda for $4.35 million.
--Michael Novogratz's a former Goldman Sachs partner who is behind Fortress Investment Group and officially became a billionaire last February his company went public once rented a 5,000-square-foot loft at 400 West 14th Street that had listed for $37,500 per month. The hedge fund executive's family even made changes to the rental. Now they've moved to their renovated Tribeca apartment and the their old apartment is listed at $29,000 a month. Check out the listing here.

From the Real Estalker:
--Stephen Dorff has listed his Chelsea apartment. It was our estate of the day on Friday.
--Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have listed their Beverly Park estate, it is our photo-heavy estate of the day later today.
----Lawyer Chris Darden has put his Tarzana home on the market for $2.199 million.
--Madison Hildebrand, a real estate agent who appears on Bravo's Million Dollar Listing show has listed his Malibu townhouse for $1.27 million.


From the LA Times Hot Property:
--Ving Rhames has listed a five-bedroom home in Brentwood. It was our estate of the day on Saturday.
--American pop artist Edward Ruscha has listed his Malibu beach house for $7.15 million. The listing is here.
--Barbi Benton, Hugh Hefner's former live-in girlfriend, Hee Haw star and frequent Fantasy Island and Love Boat guest star, has listed her Bel-Air home with her husband, George Gradow, a real estate developer.The pair live in Aspen and have rented the Bel-Air home to a variety of celebrities including Prince, Mariah Carey and Michael Caine. The property website for this elaborate home is here.
--Nicole Murphy, Eddie Murphy's ex-wife has re-listed her Calabasas house, asking $8.495 million. Last October it was on the market at $9.95 million. The listing is here.
--The Beverly Hills estate of three-time Oscar-winning songwriter Ray Evans is listed for sale at $9.995 million. Evans, with his partner Jay Livingston penned "Que Sera, Sera," "Silver Bells" and "Buttons and Bows." He lived in this mid-century modern house for more than 50 years. It's a real beauty, check out the property website.
--The owners of Stonepine the Stonepine Estate Resort in Carmel Valley, Gordon and Noel Irwin Hentschel have put their longtime Bel-Air home on the market for $18 million. The French Normandy-style home also rents for $65,000 a month. The listing is here.
--Beck has listed his Malibu home for $2.399 million. The listing is here.
--Tori Spelling has listed her home in the Westwood area of Los Angeles for $2.395 million.

From Berg Properties Big Time Listings:
--Actress Annabeth Gish has paid $1.65 million for a 1,476-square-foot house in Valley Village.
--A seven-bedroom house in Sherman Oaks once owned by model Rachel Hunter has been listed for $3.495 million. The property website is here.
--A five-bedroom home in Encino where Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen spent a good amount of their youth is on the market for $2.795 million. The listing is here.
Public records reveal that Brad Garrett got $7,500,000 for his five bedroom home in Hidden Hills.

From the NY Post's Gimme Shelter:
--Alexis Stewart has relisted her bright white TriBeCa apartment at the same price, $12.4 million, with a new broker. The listing is here.
--A 16-room duplex at 1030 Fifth Ave. has been reduced by $13 million since it first went on the market last June for $47.5 million. The owners are still set to make a profit though, they paid just $2 million for it in the 1980s. The listing for the now $34.5 million apartment is here.
--Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit has sold a four-bedroom co-op at 300 E. 85th St. to Pantelis Apessos, a fellow Citigroup executive for $2.25 million.
--John Paulson, a hedge-fund manager who pocketed as much as $3 billion last year on bets against subprime mortgages, had a buyer with a signed contract walk away from his $16.9 million listing on Ox Pasture Road in Southampton. The home is still on the market, the listing is here. Meanwhile Paulson has spent more than $41 million for a 10-acre estate down the street known as Old Trees.

From the Wall Street Journals' Private Properties:
--The former home of Truman Capote in the Hamptons recently went on the market for $14.6 million.
--In Tel Aviv, two high-floor apartments in a planned 27-story condominium designed by architect Richard Meier have gone to contract for about $15 million each.
--James Guercio, who produced early albums by the rock group Chicago, has placed a large piece of Wyoming land up for sale for $75 million. The property has more than 80,000 acres including the legendary OW, V Bar C, Pitchfork, Wolf and LX Bar Ranches along with two downtown Sheridan office buildings, and the old Birney Store & Saloon.The listing is here.

From Newsday's Real LI:
Socialite and actress Jennifer Creel and her ex-husband Lawrence have sold a five-year-old, 3,500-square-foot home on Fisher's Island for $3.05 million.

From the International Herald Tribune's Raising the Roof:
--The Montreal Ritz Carlton has officially started selling 50 new residences starting at $1.75 million for the apartments, which range from 1,060 to 5,640 square feet. The apartments are scheduled for completion in 2010.
--Cacique, the $800 million development in Costa Rica being developed by AOL founder Steve Case has been delayed and now won't break ground until 2010, at the earliest.