Well, I didn't find any threads on her, so mods, I appologize if it does need to be merged.
I thought this would be an appropriate thread because Luisa Casati was just a facinating woman in all aspects of her life. She was eccentric, even by today's standards, she was dark, decadent, glamourous and scandalous....way before it was ever de rigeur to be so. Her appearence was memorable, with the palest of white skin, blood red lips, unusually large kohl rimmed eyes (made all the more unusual looking by drops of belladonna, which dilated the larger then natural) all topped by a tousled mane of flame red hair. Casati infamously walked her pet cheetahs around Venice, naked underneath her fur coat, had a staff of gilded nude males attend her, and held the most lavish of parties. If not for her, Paris Hilton et al would have nothing to do. She was a great patron of the arts such as painting, sculpture, photography and (most appropriate here) fashion. She was outfitted by designers including Poiret, Fortuny, Bakst, Vionnet and Schiaparelli; played muse to artists including Boldini, Van Dongen, Man Ray and Beaton, just to name a few.
Contemporary designers and artists have been inspired by her unusual beauty and eccentric style as well, most notibly by John Galliano for his s/s 98 Dior HC show but apparently inspired Visconti and was one of many influences for the YSL s/s 04 collection (did not know that
)
photos: Style.com
painting by Van Dongen
photo: Marchesacasati.com
photographed in a Bakst costume, portrait by Van Dongen
photos: Repubblica.it
portrait by Alberto Martini, photo by Adolph de Meyer
photos: art-is-life.com
photo by Man Ray
I thought this would be an appropriate thread because Luisa Casati was just a facinating woman in all aspects of her life. She was eccentric, even by today's standards, she was dark, decadent, glamourous and scandalous....way before it was ever de rigeur to be so. Her appearence was memorable, with the palest of white skin, blood red lips, unusually large kohl rimmed eyes (made all the more unusual looking by drops of belladonna, which dilated the larger then natural) all topped by a tousled mane of flame red hair. Casati infamously walked her pet cheetahs around Venice, naked underneath her fur coat, had a staff of gilded nude males attend her, and held the most lavish of parties. If not for her, Paris Hilton et al would have nothing to do. She was a great patron of the arts such as painting, sculpture, photography and (most appropriate here) fashion. She was outfitted by designers including Poiret, Fortuny, Bakst, Vionnet and Schiaparelli; played muse to artists including Boldini, Van Dongen, Man Ray and Beaton, just to name a few.
Contemporary designers and artists have been inspired by her unusual beauty and eccentric style as well, most notibly by John Galliano for his s/s 98 Dior HC show but apparently inspired Visconti and was one of many influences for the YSL s/s 04 collection (did not know that
)
photos: Style.com
painting by Van Dongen
photo: Marchesacasati.com
photographed in a Bakst costume, portrait by Van Dongen
photos: Repubblica.it
portrait by Alberto Martini, photo by Adolph de Meyer
photos: art-is-life.com
photo by Man Ray
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for some reason, I chose to rename it Magnificent Obsession up above which is completely different
