My collection of treasured fashion images of the past.
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Della Oake is wearing a matching ring and bracelet of platinum with diamonds by Cartier, white mink stole from Albert Hart, coiffure by French of London, cover photo by Richard Dormer, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1953
Della Oake has been misnamed as Stella Oakes in many of her photos.
Della Oake Fortunately Della Oake's modelling career was more successful than her first love, the stage. Fortunately again, Cecil Beaton, whose first love was film, ventured backstage, star-spotting, on a visit to Shepperton Studios, '"I noticed a picture of misery sitting on a packing case,' he recalled. 'She was wearing tawdry finery supplied by wardrobe and a tired cotton camelia on her partly dyed head. I realized this extra had something "extra".' This indeed proved so. In London, Paris and New York, Della Oake gave 'a refinement and delicacy to every garment she wore, until she was claimed in marriage by an American tycoon'.
Beaton, as he showed, was entranced and showcased her fragile thin-as-a-sparrow looks whenever he could. A memorable Vogue cover (November 15, 1951) saw her wrapped up in a generous red bow (fashion by Balenciaga). He also arranged her in several of his 'chamber pieces', by which he meant romantic, often ballroom settings with deep-pelmeted curtains and several models doing very little but transporting themselves elegantly.
Henry Clarke considered her a treasure and she would get the pick of the Paris collections over Bettina or Fiona, higher up the pecking order, or even Dovima, who was considered ne plus ultra. She was, as Clarke clearly noticed, a couturier's dream (Balenciaga's especially) in puffed-out sleeves and a tightly cinched waist.
Miss Oake could reprise any role: soignée outside the Savoy in one shouldered shantung; demure in a frosted gossamer tulle and lace ballgown at Versailles; elegant in a giant-baloon-cuffed Balenciaga suit, which would have defeated lesser mannequins.
She was a great favorite of the perennially 'difficult' American photographer Clifford Coffin, who adored her English Rose appeal. She modelled for Beaton, Clarke and Norman Parkinson, the latter of whom she had especially happy memories. 'I remember one wonderful shoot - he had me running down the drive of a derelict mansion in a thunderstorm...I loved going on location with him.
Hello Sophia. Do you know if Della Oake and Stella Oakes are the same model? I ask because I've seen the same photos with these two names. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDella Oake has been misnamed as Stella Oakes in many of her photos.
ReplyDeleteDella Oake
Fortunately Della Oake's modelling career was more successful than her first love, the stage. Fortunately again, Cecil Beaton, whose first love was film, ventured backstage, star-spotting, on a visit to Shepperton Studios, '"I noticed a picture of misery sitting on a packing case,' he recalled. 'She was wearing tawdry finery supplied by wardrobe and a tired cotton camelia on her partly dyed head. I realized this extra had something "extra".' This indeed proved so. In London, Paris and New York, Della Oake gave 'a refinement and delicacy to every garment she wore, until she was claimed in marriage by an American tycoon'.
Beaton, as he showed, was entranced and showcased her fragile thin-as-a-sparrow looks whenever he could. A memorable Vogue cover (November 15, 1951) saw her wrapped up in a generous red bow (fashion by Balenciaga). He also arranged her in several of his 'chamber pieces', by which he meant romantic, often ballroom settings with deep-pelmeted curtains and several models doing very little but transporting themselves elegantly.
Henry Clarke considered her a treasure and she would get the pick of the Paris collections over Bettina or Fiona, higher up the pecking order, or even Dovima, who was considered ne plus ultra. She was, as Clarke clearly noticed, a couturier's dream (Balenciaga's especially) in puffed-out sleeves and a tightly cinched waist.
Miss Oake could reprise any role: soignée outside the Savoy in one shouldered shantung; demure in a frosted gossamer tulle and lace ballgown at Versailles; elegant in a giant-baloon-cuffed Balenciaga suit, which would have defeated lesser mannequins.
She was a great favorite of the perennially 'difficult' American photographer Clifford Coffin, who adored her English Rose appeal.
She modelled for Beaton, Clarke and Norman Parkinson, the latter of whom she had especially happy memories. 'I remember one wonderful shoot - he had me running down the drive of a derelict mansion in a thunderstorm...I loved going on location with him.
From the book: The Faces of Fashion - Vogue Model