Linea by Louis Dell'Olio

[golding76]

I do have a silver version of the Apollo earrings that I bought in Greece back in that era.  I had no idea they were in imitation of the Apollo earrings, if, indeed, they were.  Only last night did I learn that these earring (Jackie's gold ones) that I've admired for years had a history. 

My silver ones have a fancy basket weave and are in a darker silver, and the rubies are crystals.

As I wrote earlier, I do love that look.

To explain further, mine do not have a rocket ship, etc., but the basic ball hanging from a long chain design is there.

[golding76]

Probably because I desire a goldish and affordable version of the Apollo earrings, I think a golden opportunity was lost by merchants:  Where is a copy of the Apollo earring for us to buy?  Forget Mickey Mouse!  Who wants a Mickey Mouse piece of jewelry?  I certainly don't.

Perhaps this would have been too big a gamble for QVC, who, as we know, had a line of Jacqueline Kennedy/Onassis jewelry.  But other vendors who are bigger?  They missed a beat.  I'm sure the Smithsonian did not do them, but I will check. 

[golding76]

Another account of those earrings:

The Story Behind Jackie Kennedy’s Moon Earrings They celebrated the Apollo 11 mission and Jackie’s 40th birthday

by Marion Fasel

Jackie Kennedy celebrated her 40th birthday in a big way. She went out all-night long with her new husband, the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis to a seaside nightclub in Athens. When I say all-night long, I mean they were photographed leaving the event at 6 o’clock in the morning. Jackie looked blissfully happy and relaxed at the party on August 1, 1969 where she wore a Pucci mini-dress, a long strand of beads and flip-flops. (Yes, I said flip-flops.) Her colorful ensemble was elevated by a special birthday present, one-of-a-kind gold and ruby pendant Apollo 11 Moon earrings from LALAoUNIS.

Onassis gave Jackie the jewels on her actual birthday July 28, a few days before the big bash. He had commissioned them from the legendary Greek firm’s founder Ilias LaLaounis. There are no drawings or records in the LALAoUNIS archives or museum located at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens about the creation of the now historic pieces. All that remains of the story of the design is the oral history.

Around the time of the historic landing on the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 21, 1969, Onassis contacted Ilias LaLaounis. “He said to my father, what can you make for Jackie to celebrate the event,” explains the brand’s creative director, Maria LaLaounis. “He didn’t talk to my father about the design at all.”

The 18K gold and ruby Apollo 11 Moon Earrings made by LALAoUNIS in 1969 for Aristotle Onassis to give Jackie Kennedy Onassis.Photo courtesy

The imaginative designs Ilias LaLaounis conceived have a swirl motif encircling a ball at the top representing the orbit of the Moon. The long central element is composed of little representations of the Lunar Module, the craft used by Neil and Buzz to descend to the Moon. The big ball at the bottom of the earrings is textured with hammering to represent craters on the lunar surface. It is accented with little rubies.

The moon landing had a significant meaning for the former First Lady of the United States. President Kennedy ignited the race to the moon in 1962 when he gave an impassioned speech with the famous tagline, “We choose to go to the Moon.” He went on to add, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too.”

Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy Onassis leaving her 40th birthday party at six o’clock in the morning. She is wearing the Apollo 11 Moon earrings by LALAoUNIS.Photo AP Images

When the earrings went on the auction block at Sotheby’s in New York on April 24, 1996 in the Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, they sold for $112,500. Now with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landing on the Moon on the horizon, LALAoUNIS is making a limited number of the earrings in a slightly different style. The new Apollo 11 Moon earrings feature diamonds on the Moon’s surface and on the ball at the top of the designs. “It took us some time to figure out how to recreate the jewels to make them light and in the same style,” explains Maria. “We worked for well over three months to make them.” You could say LALAoUNIS chose to recreate the historic jewels not because it was easy, but because it was hard in its own way. The resulting earrings are a delightful tribute to Ilias LaLaounis’ creativity, Aristotle Onassis, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and the landing on the Moon.

[I bet the nightclub they went to was Zambetas.  My first cousins who live in the Piraeus/Athens area told me Zambetas was Onassis's favorite club; they told me this in 1966 when they took me there.

Listen to Giorgos Zambetas here; he was a brilliant bouzouki player.  As did many famous bouzouki players of that time, he owned his own nightclub.  To hear this music by the sea-- the club was outdoors in the summer and, of course, by the sea -- is heaven to me.  Must have been for Onassis, too.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6kBfQzRklQ 

[DiAnne]

@golding76 

I remember her with lots of bright ruffles and fruit on her head.   What was not to like for a little girl!  I also had Carmen Miranda paper dolls.

[NJgirl 1205]

What a fabulous dress on CZJ! Actually the print is very reminiscent of a flower print that Louis has done in the past, I think I still have the navy button down shirt in my closet. In a faux wrap and midi length the dress would be very QVC and Linea.

[Calcgirl]

Hi Goldie 76,

I have an idea you might like to try.  Get a pattern of a wrap dress you like and material (material of choice may take some detective work) and find a good seamstress to make it.  Some seamstresses are good enough to do some tweaking of the style ! 

If you do this, please post pictures!  Good luck and by the way you have excellent taste.

[golding76]

Calcgirl,

Thank you for the suggestion and the kind compliment.  

You know, I do not know of any seamstresses in my area other than the ones who work at the dry cleaners.  I've learned that not all of them do good work.

Your suggestion has unveiled something I had not thought of:  that unlike my mother in my small hometown, I do not have a go-to seamstress as she had throughout her adult life.  Her era was different that way, I think.

I write that because when I worked for a large national company, several of us were transferred to Miami to open an "experimental" office.  Among the group was a classically fashionable woman who was originally from Yugoslavia (or the area called Yugoslavia in 1972).  She never, but never bought off the rack.  I was shocked when she told me this.  She always wore to the office tailored suits with the most gorgeous buttons.

She told me that wherever she has lived in her life, she has found an excellent seamstress and made the sewer her best friend, so to speak.  I do not exaggerate when I say her look was polished and lovely because of her extraordinary wardrobe.  As for my mother's array of seamstresses, I do not think that they had the talent to pull off the work done on my colleague's clothing.  She was of my mother's generation, so it might have been something that group of women cultivated and cherished.

[Seka]

@golding76   -  Your post made me think of my Mother!  She taught herself to sew as a child on the family farm in Jugoslavia.  There was no sewing machine (no electricity for that matter) - she taught herself to do everything by hand.

My parents ‘left’ Jugoslavia during WW2 - they did not know each other at the time (knew of each other’s families though).  My Mother’s sewing skills came in handy during the time she spent in Italy (Refugee Camp) and where she met my Father.

Throughout my entire childhood, my Mother made all my clothes.  When I was older we enjoyed going to the garment district in our city and browsed through the fabulous fabric shops that sold silk, wool, cotton, linen fabrics - to choose what she would make next for both of us!

She continued to sew my clothes even when I had started working - my business suits (jackets, vests, skirts, pants) and both my work dresses and dresses for ‘special’ occasions!  I never had to think or worry about what to wear!

I often mentioned to my Mother that had she ended up in Paris - she would have worked for Chanel Couture.

I miss her.

[Calcgirl]

---

@golding76 wrote:

Calcgirl,

Thank you for the suggestion and the kind compliment.  

You know, I do not know of any seamstresses in my area other than the ones who work at the dry cleaners.  I've learned that not all of them do good work.

Your suggestion has unveiled something I had not thought of:  that unlike my mother in my small hometown, I do not have a go-to seamstress as she had throughout her adult life.  Her era was different that way, I think.

I write that because when I worked for a large national company, several of us were transferred to Miami to open an "experimental" office.  Among the group was a classically fashionable woman who was originally from Yugoslavia (or the area called Yugoslavia in 1972).  She never, but never bought off the rack.  I was shocked when she told me this.  She always wore to the office tailored suits with the most gorgeous buttons.

She told me that wherever she has lived in her life, she has found an excellent seamstress and made the sewer her best friend, so to speak.  I do not exaggerate when I say her look was polished and lovely because of her extraordinary wardrobe.  As for my mother's array of seamstresses, I do not think that they had the talent to pull off the work done on my colleague's clothing.  She was of my mother's generation, so it might have been something that group of women cultivated and cherished.

---

You might google "bridal shops" and ask them for a seamstress recommendation.

I also knew a beautiful lady who only wore custom and tailored made clothes. She always looked exquisite.

[golding76]

Seka,

Thank you for sharing the loving story of your mother and her extraordinary sewing and styling talents.  She must have been a marvelous woman.  When you mentioned the refugee camp, it reminded me that my colleague (who was a friend, too, by the way) had been in a refugee camp herself and lost her only child and husband there.  In time, she married a Russian and they moved to America.  He was so handsome and debonair, even though he was confined to a wheelchair when I met him.

Can you imagine the determination and talent your mother must have possessed to achieve what she did in the way of garment-making?  I agree with your statement that she was worthy of working for Chanel Couture.  The clothing of my friend, Nina, had that look.  It looked as though it came from the best designers in Paris.  She convinced me of the merits of having clothing made-to-order, but I was young when I met her and used her Miami seamstress for alterations only.

As someone of Eastern European descent, you might be amused by a funny story about my dinner at Nina and Vlad's (her husband) place.  Please keep in mind that this couple was very refined and distinguished.  I write that so perspective is kept.  They invited me for dinner, and I have never been much of a drinker.  The emphasis was on food, mind you -- a glorious assortment of appetizers and masterfully done main courses.  Slavic, Russian.  SO MUCH FOOD!  They wanted to fete me.  They were of the Eastern Orthodox faith, too.

However, we had a toast with a shotglass of vodka before each course.  Vlad's Russian heritage?  I think we saluted one another with "Pros!"  (?)   There were so many courses that I was pretty well snockered by the end of the meal.  Because I was not one who knew what it was to be drunk, I drove back to my place.  When I woke up the next morning, I had absolutely no idea where I had parked my car in my apartment parking lot.