Dodie Rosekrans died last week. She was a Grande Dame who loved fashion.
As chairman of the Paris/San Francisco Sister City Exchange, she was very proud and supportive of our connection with Studio Berçot and l’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale.
Dodie attended many of our fashion shows and other functions including a symposium with Saks Fifth Avenue, a party at Elisa Stephens’ house for our exchange students, and a lunch for Vivienne Westwood.
John Galliano owes much to her support, before he was hired by LVMH. Dodie underwrote some of his best shows in Paris and on one occasion entertained the whole design team in her suite at the Ritz to watch the video after the show. They all smoked their heads off, leaving poor Dodie to sleep in a haze.
That was before she acquired the most beautiful apartment in Paris decorated by Tony Duquette and part of the Brandolini palazzo in Venice.
Her house in San Francisco, formerly an archbishop’s palace was filled with treasures. The central atrium was a tropical jungle with water; a stained glass window of Pope Pius offset a sexy African wood carving with an enormous penis. The Picassos competed with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Her devotion to fashion would take a book to write. May she rest in peace and give the saints and angels a dose of real style.
Written by: Gladys Perint Palmer
