Diana Vreeland Memos: The Vogue Years

January 4, 2014

20140104-055033.jpg When the UPS driver brought in the box marked Rizzoli, I knew good things were in store. Our much awaited copies of the Diana Vreeland Memos book were finally here! I have been looking so forward to sitting down and spending time with this book, and boy oh boy, it has not disappointed. First off, I adore her. Simply adore her. Actually, those last 2 sentences sound/read very much like what DV would say or write. I have always found her fascinating. You might remember a post I wrote last year about the documentary, The Eye Has to Travel, and how much I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommended it. Same for this book. She was a character. A one of a kind. I think the world needs more characters. Her memos speak to her wit, attention to amazing detail and ultimately her humor. The gal had fun. The book is composed of copies of memos that were sent out while she was the Editor in Chief at Vogue. I love, love, love typewriters, and this is filled with page after page of typewritten memos. Most with her famous red signature as well as notes she added to the page in her handwriting. Memos to Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, her staff–all written with great style and flair. It is a look back to a time before texts and e-mails, a time when she ruled the roost in the fashion world. What a delight.