Mi Amiga Magazine Editorial Article

The Heart & Soul of Sol Kent

June 10th, 2014

By: Candace R. Salim

On the first evening of May, in scenic midtown Atlanta, the Mi Amiga fashion

team enjoyed a standing room-only event entitled Be Divine: A Tribute To Fashionata

which honored the contributions of the late legendary fashion curator, Sol Kent. As the

resident styling consultant of the world-renowned Richs store during the 1950s-1980s,

the essence of his work continues to be heralded long after he has left us. As a Jewish

man, himself, Kent worked tirelessly to include a diverse and global collection of designs

for the Atlanta socialites that loved to shop but were unable to travel to destinations such

as Milan to grab the latest couture straight from the runway. Sols innate eye for style

was the authority of the day; legend has it that when he informed a woman that he did not

approve of her outfit, she would immediately change into something that was more

appealing to him rather than disappoint the fashion guru!

During this time, cities such as New York, London and Paris were hosting their

annual Fashion Week events, but Atlanta was not necessarily a hub for couture designers.

Sol Kent wanted to change that. He and his team, personally, traveled the world to

purchase beautiful investment pieces from Christian Dior to Oscar de la Renta and would

hand-deliver them to his loyal clientele. He became so enthralled with the process that he

eventually took over an event entitled Fashionata which was started in 1945 but lost its

steam until Sols rebirth of it in 1957. This show was lively to say the least. Those in

attendance during its hey-day still rave about it decades later! It was truly an experience

to be had, where Atlantas elite descended upon ornate venues such as the Symphony

Hall or the Fabulous Fox Theatre to view the Broadway-inspired, interactive fashion

shows. This occasion was always one of the most highly anticipated events of each year

and fashion directors from other high-end department store competitors, such as Saks

Fifth Avenue, would take their lead for the upcoming season from these events.

The proceeds from the Be Divine affair benefitted The William Breman Jewish

Heritage Museum, which recently wrapped its Return to Richs: The Story Behind The

Store exhibit. The marriage of the Be Divine event with the Museums retrospective

was all the more relevant since the founder of Richs (the late Morris Rich) was also a

Jewish man like Sol Kent. The host committee was diligent in informing its guests that

the goal of the evenings show was to honor Mr. Kent and to, in no way, re-create the

famed Fashionatas of the past. So much of Fashionata was a physical extension of Mr.

Kents vibrant spirit and personality that those who survived him still work tirelessly to

preserve the memory of his contributions. In the event program, Sols wife, Irene Kent,

wrote, ...this evening is not meant to be a Fashionata but a remembrance of a time and

era gone by. The evening began with a light-hearted introduction by Mr. Aaron Berger,

the current Executive Director of the Museum. He fondly reflected upon memories of

past Fashionatas and shared funny anecdotes about the eccentric world of Sol Kent.

Thereafter, the show opened with beautiful models, or mannequins as Mr. Kent would

refer to the beauties, sashaying down the runway in designer duds from the 1960s. The

platforms were flanked on either side by projectors, which showed looping videos of

Kent narrating past Fashionata events. It was surreal to see the current show juxtaposed

with the vintage footage. Catwalk Productions and Carter-Barnes Hair Artisans provided

the hair, makeup and beautifully designed set. One of the very first designs to hit the

stage was a beautiful Chester Weinberg frock set to the tune of Frank Sinatras It Had

To Be You. As the audience was transported back in time, a steady stream of beautiful

clothes flowed down the catwalk. The models ranged in height, age, weight, and

nationality, which was very reflective of the diverse models that Sol chose for his shows

in the past. He would personally teach them how to walk and had an influence in every

aspect of the production. From a beautiful pale yellow dress by Teal Traina to a show-

stopping floor length gown by Nina Ricci, the shows 1960s segment ended with a soul-

stirring serenade of Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie.

The devil was in the details during the 1970s disco era! The models seamlessly

transitioned into the funky threads that were the antithesis of the pastel palettes and pussy

bow ties previously shown. In the opening, we hear Sol Kents voice booming from the

speakers as he says, Over the years, we have resorted to all sorts of shenanigans there

were times when you must have thought that we were more than slightly demented.

Immediately, a slideshow appeared featuring photos of magazine covers, musicians of the

times, and movies that captured the essence of the 70s. The live models then arrived on

the runway wearing wind-swept hair, halter tops, and Pierre Cardin wrap dresses (a la

Diane Von Furstenburg) with deep v-necks. Everything about them looked slightly more

carefree and liberated while they still maintained a fierce gaze. One of Sols original

mannequins appeared wearing a colorful Bill Blass dress with a rainbow pleated drop-

waist hem. The way that she sashayed down the runway was filled with so much pride

and nostalgia! The clothes, which were on loan from a variety of notable Atlanta fashion

collectors, were unbelievably vibrant and full of buttery leather suits and accessories. The

clothing coming down the runway was as vibrant as the disco melodies playing in the

background, flanked by big, beautiful afros and bold tribal prints. It was a carefully

curated performance set to the sounds of Barry Whites booming bass vocals and All

That Jazz from the Broadway musical, Chicago. One of the standout pieces was a wide-

legged leopard print Yves Saint Laurent jumpsuit that captured everyones attention. It

had volume, movement, and oozed luxury!

But, there was one ensemble that combined all of the fashionable factors of a 1970s girl-

about-town:

With bright pops of orange, tailored leather pants, deluxe driving gloves, a bold print

blouse, sassy shades, and a Calvin Klein trench coat that could stop traffic from Peachtree

Street to 5th Avenue, the crowd roared with approval! In true Sol Kent fashion, the

shows producers were careful to leave no detail unnoticed when it came to ensuring that

the clothing stayed true to the times.

As we transitioned into the final decade feature, the 1980s, there was an

excitement about how the show would pay homage to the creativity, ruffles, big hair, and

neons of the times! The opening model rocked a hot pink Donna Karan cocktail dress

with a plunging sweetheart neckline and strappy gold pumps. More big names began to

stroll in from Chanel to Givenchy to Valentino and the height of the hair and shoulder

pads expanded with each design! Heres a fun Fall look from Chloe:

And, as promised, the shoulder details and ruffle hemlines made girls just want to have

fun-Cyndi Lauper style:

As the show came to a close, emotions filled the room as Sol Kents former

mannequins came out to take one last stroll together in honor of their mentor:

And we are certain that he would have approved.

Those that worked with Sol Kent before his retirement in 1991 remember his

preparations backstage with the mannequins as everyone waited with bated breath for

the show to begin. While standing in the wings with them, he would whisper no other

instruction than, Be divine. And those two simple words have carried his standards for

grace throughout the fashion world ever since.

After the show, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Aida Perez Flamm,

former Chair of Fashionata and long-time contributor to the Atlanta luxury scene. Below,

she gives us unique insight into the world of Sol Kent and talks about fashion then and

now.

~Since Sol's retirement in 1991, how has the Atlanta luxury fashion scene changed?

Nothing has ever been quite as great. I've attended a lot of fashion shows but it doesn't

have the same panache. He had all the top designers and could fill the biggest venues like

the Fox Theater! Now fashion shows are a lot smaller and more like a party.

~How important was diversity in the life and work of Sol Kent?

He was WAY ahead of everybody else. He gave most of the Black and Asian models in

Atlanta many of their runway jobs. However, I don't believe that at that time there were

many Latina models.

~What did you wear to the Be Divine event?

I wore a Dolce & Gabbana outfit. I bought it at the Dolce & Gabbana boutique within

Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Oh, and red Valentino shoes!

~How are the current Atlanta department stores (Macy*s, Neiman Marcus, Saks)

maintaining the fashion events scene in the absence of Rich's?

Fashion shows are very expensive when done correctly. Fashionata gave you an idea of

what you wanted for the rest of the season. Now, the shows can be so small and only

focus on one brand. However, when Ken Downing comes in town to do his shows at

Neiman Marcus, its great because he brings a lot of personality to the events, which is

what Sol used to do.

~How have you stayed involved in the fashion community over the last 20 years?

Technology has helped me to stay connected between websites, reading articles, and

social media. I also love to buy and sell clothes online.

~What is your opinion of the Latina presence in the Atlanta fashion community?

I came to Atlanta in 1973 and I have sat on the Latin American Association board for

10 years. I get to travel a lot and see fashion in other parts of the world. I spend lots of

time in India where the fashion shows there are so glamorous! But, here I dont see very

many Latinas designers. Often, many Latinas that work in fashion are on the service side,

such as working in Alterations. I would love to see Mi Amiga Magazine do a story on

Latinas in fashion!