ROME -- During the presentation of her high fashion collection for women recently in Paris Donatella Versace chatted with reporters and told them about Camilla Parker Bowles' recent visit to the Versace atelier to refresh her wardrobe. According to Donatella, Prince Charles himself phoned to make the appointment although he didn't accompany the lady.
Camilla chose eight outfits, and according to Donatella, Charles gave precise instructions regarding the dresses. She added that no discount was asked nor given. So I guess we know who's paying the bill, right? And to think that Charles complained about Diana's high wardrobe bills.
It seems sort of ironic that just when everybody is doing their best to make Camilla "presentable and acceptable " to the Queen and to the British public that Charles himself should choose, of all fashion houses, Versace. First, because Versace is most famous for its over-the-top, rock style glam and glitter. Second, because Princess Diana, who was supposed to always represent the best of British fashion, raised a few hackles when she wore her Versaces, which she loved.
Oh well, for several months women's magazines have been having their say about Camilla's makeover. People still just can't seem to accept that Charles preferred being with the homely Camilla to his young, beautiful and elegant wife. My aunt Elizabeth used to say "Everybody to his own taste said the old lady as she kissed the cow," but it was obvious that Camilla and Charles had many things in common and memories going back for more than two decades.
Camilla comes from that kind of background of upper-class English women who live on country estates (some more lavish than others), go bird-hunting and fishing with their menfolk, and ride to the hounds (another expression for fox-hunting) on the lands of their neighbors. It's a whole way of life, and although Diana may have grown up in the country in one of Britain's most beautiful historic homes, she was definitely a city girl.
But why should a woman in her forties have to be made over? Camilla must have been a tomboy in her youth because when we see her on TV she strides along with purpose, and you can't say that she has a regal posture. She's been wearing the same hairstyle and makeup for years, and she wouldn't get far in Hollywood with her teeth and narrow lips.
But when Italy's top makeup guru Diego Della Palma had a go at doing a "virtual" makeover with a computer I can't say that I thought there was much improvement. In fact, the "old" Camilla looked a lot better. In an article for the weekly "Oggi" magazine, Della Palma, after remarking that "...she certainly can't be cited as an example of femininity," also comments on her posture and bearing as leaving room for improvement.
He feels that Camilla could enhance her experience and culture by spending a little more time on her clothes, by wearing suits made of lighter-weight fabrics and a less masculine cut, by avoiding bright colors and sticking to pale, luminous shades as well as black.
He also suggests feminine shoes with low heels, large shawls with delicate embroidery, handbags with soft sides, and small but luminous jewels. Della Valle would thin Camilla's thick hair and add even more blonde highlights, and get rid of her bangs completely, combing her shorter hair on either side. I think he could have done better here. She has a long, bony face and although they could be modified, the bangs should stay.
We finally get to the makeup, and Della Valle wants to pencil in her eyebrows and darken her shade of lipstick. He made it rosy-red but I think a rosy-beige would have been better. I'm so happy that L'Oreal has brought back a shade I always loved (it was 302 in the U. S.) that they dropped in 1987. It goes with everything and I found it by chance at my local dime store. Camilla would have looked much better in that than the shade the computer painted. Perhaps I'll send her a tube.
I think that Mr. Della Palma gave better advice in the dress department than hair and makeup. Perhaps the dresses chosen at Versace were, according to his advice,"...loose, with soft fabrics following the line of the body and avoiding form-fitting clothes and masculine cuts."
Donatella Versace says that the first dress Camilla tried on was pink - can't get more feminine than that!
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Logan welcomes questions and comments and will respond to as many as possible. They may be sent to ParadigmTSA, P.O. Box 111372, Stamford, CT 06911-1372 or by e-mail to paradigm@paradigm-tsa.com. Additional fashion and style information may be obtained from Logan's website, http://made-in-italy.com
(c) Copyright 2000 Logan Bentley Lessona
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