Charlotte Neuville did hers in enormous faux pearls. Zandra Rhodes` is covered with grafitti and sequins. Yves Saint Laurent commissioned exquisite butterfly embroidery for his.
Perhaps most to the point, Tom and Linda Platt`s bears the words ”Safe Sex” in raised cheerleader-sweater letters-and includes a condom.
It just goes to show you: Give the world`s top designers a plain Levi`s denim jacket and a good cause, and there`s no telling what you`ll get back.
These and other custom-decorated jackets will be auctioned Feb. 23 at what promises to be one of the biggest charity soirees of 1990: ”Denim by Design,” sponsored by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. The jackets also will be on display at a preview party Feb. 5.
Behind all the hoopla is a very happy Sal Ruggiero, vice president and fashion director of Marshall Field & Co. Ruggiero solicited each designer`s participation by personal note, and he sees the overwhelming response as an affirmation of the many friendships he has formed during 20 years of fashion retailing.
”You have to remember that these people are always being asked to do things, especially for AIDS,” Ruggiero said, standing before the bulging racks of decorated denim in his office. ”It was very satisfying to get this kind of response. They really thought about what they were doing.”
As Ruggiero displayed each jacket like a proud parent, it became clear that his last remark was something of an understatement. Kenzo`s jacket is handpainted. Attached to Paul Smith`s jacket are real Coke caps, playing cards and a Mercedes-Benz hood ornament.
Hubert de Givenchy added satin insets shaped like people`s profiles, while Carmelo Pomodoro opted for panels of ink-blue organza. Donna Karan did a good-natured spoof on the self-promotionalism in her moderate-priced line by plastering her jacket with ”DKNY” labels. Randolph Scott covered his jacket in an elaborate plastic-tile mosaic, and the result weighs in at about 30 pounds.
Needless to say, some of the jackets make more sense as objets d`art than funky streetwear. But wherever they end up, Ruggiero is going to miss them.
”It`s going to be difficult when they all have to leave and go to their new homes,” he said with a sigh.
For more information on the Denim by Design auction party and preview event, call 642-5454.
