Geoffrey Beene - Fall 1966

After working for Harmay and Teal Traina in his early years, Geoffrey Beene started his own label in 1964. He was an immediate success. For Fall 1966, he showed several pieces in black and white check wool. All three of these photos appeared in the same issue of Harper's Bazaar.

This is Beene's own ad showing a suit with a swingy jacket and slim skirt worn with black gloves, opaque tights and Mary Jane shoes. Look how the houndstooth check on the pocket flap is perfectly matched to the check on the jacket behind the flap.

Here, a nearly identical suit by Beene in an ad for The Wool Bureau. This ad tells us that the jacket buttons up the back and it features slash pockets and a high funnel collar. Worn with a matching hat and black gloves.

The editorial section of the magazine featured this Geoffrey Beene dress with a similar swingy feel. It sold in 1966 for $185 (about $1217 in today's dollar). Shown here with a matching Lilly Daché hat, Wear-Right gloves and earrings by Sandor Goldberger. The model wears a long braided hairpiece by Mr. John Wigs.

Which do you like best?