Carolina Herrera on Warhol, Diana Vreeland, and Jackie O

2011 May 25

Carolina Herrera
Victor Demarchelier View Gallery

Carolina Herrera is profiled in the June issue of Harper's Bazaar —you know, the one with the Brit Brit cover. We can't figure out what we adore more--Mrs. Herrera's dishy anecdotes or her regal button-up ballgown in the B&W snapped by Victor Demarchelier. Here's the best of the best from the self-proclaimed "seamstress" herself.

SHE OWES IT ALL TO DIANA! "I went to Diana Vreeland and said, 'You know what? I'm going to design fabrics.' And she said, 'Oh, that's so boring. Why don't you do something else? Why don't you do a collection of dresses? It's much more fun."

SHE, TOO, DRESSED A FIRST LADY! "Jackie had a great sense of history and responsibility for what and who she was. She said, 'I am nothing. He was the president. I was only the first lady, so I don't have anything to say.'"

SHE WAS EVEN A FACTORY GIRL! "Andy [Warhol] and I used to see each other all the time with Bianca [Jagger] then. When he did my painting, I went to his Factory, and he took 40 or 60 Polaroids. He was quiet, but he did say key things in a very funny way. Andy seemed to be very timid, shy, but he liked being very successful. I remember when he wanted to be a fashion model. He was cast in a Halston show. Bianca and I were in the audience, and when Andy walked in and saw us there, instead of going backstage, he stopped and said hello to all of us. That was the end of that."

AND THIS BEGS THE QUESTION: DID SHE KNOW PATTI SMITH? DID SHE READ JUST KIDS?! "[Robert Mapplethorpe] would say, 'You have to let me photograph you,' and I would say, 'Why?' And he said, 'Because I'm going to be so famous, and you're going to be so mad you didn't!' An aunt of mine bought a book of Robert's and said, 'You know you are in a pornographic book. You're sitting there with a hat and a veil very proper, but everybody else is naked.'"

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