tziporah salamon
Actually, the original sentence was ” I dress”…
I dress, is what Tziporah Salamon answers when she’s asked about her professional life.
Because what she does is collecting clothes, hats and accessories.
Never the less, glasses.
She combines them into impressive oufits and shares the result on social media but also from the pages of Vogue, The new York Times, The L.A. Times… Magazines she modeled for. Daughter of a master Tailor and a dressmaker, when the family moved from Isreal to New York, she found her way into the coloured streets of fashion.
I didn’t know her personally until our mutual friend Oscar Mamooi, introduced us. Oscar is a designer with huge skills in eyewear design, that’s why he has taken part in my collaborative project called #CELEBRATION. He designed a pair of Sunglasses inspired by-and tributed to the memory of Anna Piaggi. The design was so good, that we had the honour to be copied by a much bigger brand.
Tziporah obviously loved Anna as much as Oscar does and she liked also the glasses he disegned, so she choose one pair for herself. One of the 30 pieces produced with grey thornes on a golden background and black acetate.
There are not many pictures of Tzippy wearing those glasses, not because she’s not using them,but it’s hard to find two pictures of her in the same dress !!!
– Apart from protecting the eyes from light, what makes you decide to wear sunglasses or not during the day ?
I wear sunglasses pretty much all summer and also in the Spring and Fall. As a bike rider, who rides through the streets on NY, I like to protect my eyes from the elements. I also love how they look and complete an outfit. Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory!!!
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– You are proud owner of a big collection of frames, do you have a favourite one ? Where did you get it and did it in which important events of your life it accompaigned you?
I have several frames and I love them all. Most of them are vintage because I like having one-of-a-kind frames. My favorites are a pair from the 40’s which look like goggles and have protection on the sides as well as over the eyes. I have found them in a flea market here in New York, they were so modern and looked almost unworn so i got’em. I love them because they look so cool, that’s why they accompaign me in many moments of my life. Every moment is important.
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– Do you ever begin to assembly an outfit starting from an accessory, as for axample the glasses ?
Yes , but I usually start with a hat and work down. I have over 300 hats and wear one everyday. My collection of eyeglasses is much smaller but growing steadily. I love how they totally transform an outfit and add instant chic!
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– You teach the art of dressing in workshops and seminars, you are one of the stars in “Advanced Style” a film about stylish women aged 62 to 95 who are challenging conventional ideas about beauty. You are a master, no doubt. What’s in your opinion the difference between fashion and style and how would you decribe the style of New Yorker men and women style compared to the Italian ones?
Style is forever, fashion is of the moment.
Fashion changes; style endures.
Fashion says “me too”; style says “only me.”
Italians are probably more stylish, while New Yorkers are more fashionable.
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– In “advanced style” only female fashionistas ( do you allow me this word ?) are featured. If I was a woman I wuold definitely copy every single outfit. What could a man do, in terms of wardrobe, to express the same power, good taste and style, without looking ridiculous ?
Number one, shorten their pants. Most men’s pants look like they are standing in a puddle – which looks ridiculous. To be chic, and au currant, pants should end at the ankle bone. Add some color. Wear vests. Add a bow tie, suspenders, eyeglasses. Don a hat. Take inspiration from old movies. Mix it up. Loosen it up. Be playful.
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– As usual a question about food. We never had lunch together, which thing I regret, so we never had a conversation about food. Restaurants can be very stylish, but what about the cuisine? What makes a dish stylish?
The presentation is definitely important. Color. Texture. Make it a visual delight! Add garnishes. Use beautiful dishes. Use the freshest ingredients so they ooze vitality and aliveness.
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Thank you for your time.
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