“Happy family gives you a brick-by-brick foundation that you build on for the rest of your life. And then it teaches you so many things that are important in your life, like being a good sport, and not thinking negatively, and always having a good feeling for your fellow man. We went to wonderful schools. We just had a great life and I'm ever grateful for it.” ThinkingMenGivingImportantFeelingsSchoolSportsTeachWonderfulGratefulHappy Family Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think movies also played a part in my interest in fashion. I've also always been hooked on the movies. From my early teens on, I always had my favorite movie stars who I admired, like Carole Lombard and Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, and the men in my life who I loved, like Gary Cooper.” ThinkingMenInterestFashionHe ManMy FavoriteMovie StarGary Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I loved the masculine style of dressing of Katharine Hepburn, who came from the same town that I came from. I was fascinated by the way she wore trousers. So I think the romanticism of the movies also influenced my life and my interest in fashion greatly.” ThinkingInterestFashionStyleMasculineRomanticismHepburn Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“One day, Sally Kirkland said to Diana Vreeland, who was the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar at the time, "I have a young woman I want you to meet. She's very young, but I think you should meet her." When Sally Kirkland told me this, I said, "I can't possibly do that! I'm going to throw up! That's the scariest thing I've ever heard! I can't do that, Sally. I'm not ready to do that!" But Sally said, "You let them make that decision." I was absolutely terrified.” ThinkingDecisionFashionOne DayI Want YouYoung WomenNot Ready Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think Diana Vreeland recognized the passion and the energy I had. I stayed at Harper's Bazaar for two years, until I met my first husband and moved on to Philadelphia in 1952. But they were incredible years - wonderful, wonderful years. But, anyway, my career sort of took off from there. I was really blessed.” ThinkingPassionEnergyWonderfulHusbandBlessedMovedIncredibles Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I was surrounded by talented people. I always remember Mrs. Carmel Snow, saying to me, "You know, Polly, if one person thinks they're a big star, then we're all stars. You just go out there and always do your best. And always have time to see any designer - no matter how big or how small, have time to see them. You don't have to just see the big shots. You never know what's coming around the corner and the talent that is going to be important. That is your job."” PeopleThinkingImportantRememberTalentSnowDesigner Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“It's great advice - to open your eyes, have a little humility, and let go of ego. I think that instills in you a sense of responsibility. I also think you have to feel like you want to enrich your life, and you want to keep your eyes open, and you want to listen and be a good listener.” ThinkingEyeResponsibilityAdviceHumilityLike YouLetting GoEgoSense Of ResponsibilityGood Listener Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I cannot imagine what an influence a five-week trip to the Orient had on me. I mean, the culture, the absorption of the Japanese way of life, the Japanese way of thinking, the discipline. The entire thing was an extraordinary experience. So these were more than memorable things to me.” ThinkingMeanCultureImagineInfluenceDisciplineExtraordinaryMemorable Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I personally do not think that I have ever done, in my working life, anything vulgar. I know I've done provocative things.” ThinkingDoneVulgarProvocative Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think the reason for vulgarity is because of the freedom that there is now to do certain things, and a lack of sophistication on the part of some people who, in their work, like to give the impression of, "Has there been intercourse or not? Are they about to?" But they take it into a realm that has a vulgar touch to it.” PeopleThinkingGivingReasonImpressionVulgarSophisticationVulgarity Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think there a lot of great photographers working right now in the 2010. At the same time I do occasionally feel a great disappointment in some of the things that I see from certain people. But it is today.” PeopleThinkingTodayPhotographerDisappointment Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“Steven Meisel is completely consumed with what interests him. He does what he wants to do, and when something doesn't interest him, he's not afraid to say so. I think that's why you don't see his work all over the place as often as you might like to. Today he only photographs what he wants to photograph, what turns him on. He has an extraordinary eye, and his sophistication is limitless. This is a man who doesn't miss a beat.” ThinkingMenEyeTodayInterestMissingExtraordinaryPhotographNot AfraidLimitlessSophistication Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think that some people have wonderful spots. I think that Karl Lagerfeld has a wonderful spot designing for Chanel. They really just let him go. I think John Galliano is a huge talent. Marc Jacobs is also a huge talent - and a very interesting one to me.” PeopleThinkingInterestingWonderfulTalentDesignVery InterestingLet Him Go Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think Alexander McQueen was very, very special. When I went to his first show, I couldn't speak because I was so enthralled. I was saying to myself, "What am I looking at here? What's going on here?" Because, I'm really a loner. I've been a loner for a long time, because I guess I prefer that. For me to get the best out of myself, I have to trust my judgment. And so while watching an Alexander McQueen collection, I would feel isolated. Even though I was surrounded, I would still feel isolated by what I was looking at, if that makes sense.” ThinkingLongSpeakSpecialJudgmentMake SenseLonerMcqueen Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“When you think about Balenciaga muse and model Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon - I mean, you look at their mother Jane Birkin, and what they have grown up to be . . . They aren't invaded in fashion, and yet they love it.I mean, who is going to schlep these big skirts and trains and all these things? How wonderful it is to see the young in miniskirts!” ThinkingMeanMotherWonderfulFashionTrainMuse Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I do think there is a lack of modernity at the moment - and I don't even like that word, modernity, anymore. There aren't enough designers today anyway - there are more stylists.” ThinkingEnoughMomentsTodayDesigner Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“If you've taken the job to be the stylist for a collection, then I think it's important for you to really listen to the designer and look at the board. Look at the wall, look at what the designer is interested in, and then move on to that. But the designer also must not lose sight of the reason for their point of view. Otherwise it won't come across.” ThinkingImportantReasonMovingTakenWallPoint Of ViewDesigner Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“How many times have people said to me, "I think those pants are incredible, but I could never wear them." Well, why not? What's so different about these pants? I wear very classic things, but maybe with a little change here or there.” PeopleThinkingDifferentIncrediblesClassic Author:Polly Allen Mellen
“I think that there are people who go to the best stores, and they have money, so money is no object, but they can't find a pretty dress - and I think that's their problem because the dresses are out there somewhere. So I think the answers to these questions lie somewhere in there.” PeopleThinkingProblemLying Author:Polly Allen Mellen
