If you pass by Tziporah Salamon on a New York street, you will turn your head to admire her. There is a very precise element of sophistication, elegance and knowledge that is required to build her look; it’s simply divine and, needless to say, captivating.
Salamon was born and raised in Israel, and she arrived in Brooklyn with her parents and sister when she was 9. Both of her parents were tailors.
“My father was a master tailor who survived the Holocaust by sewing the Nazi uniforms. My mother was a gifted dressmaker who could sew, knit, crotchet and embroider. They made ALL my clothes from day one,” Salamon proudly told me.
The fashion consultant, model, actress and teacher and holds seminars called “The Art of Dressing,” during which she does image consulting and wardrobe upgrades with private clients. Salamon also has a one-woman show called “The Fabric of My Life,” a sartorial autobiographical play about her life in and with clothes.
She is one of the favorites of photographer icon Bill Cunningham, and in 2012, she was featured in a Lanvin fashion ad campaign shot by Steven Meisel. Salamon was also included in the 2014 “Advanced Style” documentary about the styles of seven New Yorkers as they age.
Salamon is just sublime, like the Cole Porter song, “You’re The Top.” She is a beautiful artist who loves hats, vintage clothes and fabrics, and her style is beyond advanced. She is Tziporah Salamon, and she is our July Style Master.
Gazelle Paulo: Please describe your style in your own words.
Tziporah Salamon: My style is artistic, bold and graphic. I am a purist, who wears mainly antique clothes — the older and more heavily embroidered the better.
Do you have any peculiar fashion habits?
Yes, they are all peculiar to me. I start with a hat and build the outfit around that. I agonize over every detail. I change buttons on all my clothes. I utilize seamstresses and tailors to copy my clothes and alter them. I rely heavily on vintage. I don’t buy anything unless I am prepared to wear it for the rest of my life. I respect and cherish the cloth, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
How important has fashion and style been to you?
Clothing has always been important to me. My parents were masters who sewed all my clothes. I was blessed to grow up with these two people who taught me to love and respect fine clothing, who educated me about construction, craftsmanship, timeless elegance and, above all, style.
What was the defining fashion moment of your life/career?
All of it. But I would say the defining element is the fact that my parents were such masters of the cloth and made all of my clothes. And my aunt, a great seamstress herself, was married to the VP of Neiman Marcus. Clothing was in my blood.
Who are the most elegant women and men of all time?
Chaplin, Fred Astaire, Coco Chanel, Diana Vreeland and Marlene Dietrich.
Fashionably speaking, if you could have a second chance to give another first impression, when and why?
I think I have always given a first impression that was true to who I am.
What is your favorite store in the world, and your favorite store in New York City?
I can’t speak for the world. In New York, it’s Bergdorf Goodman — I have a history with that store. My father worked there in the alteration department from age 77 to age 85, after he retired from his own tailoring shop on the Upper East Side.
What was the most spectacular party you attended?
Working as a waitress at Jezebel Restaurant in NYC in 1984 where every night was a spectacular scene.
If you could style on peson, who would be the lucky one?
Oprah Winfrey.
What is the perfect attire for the eternal sleep??
A plain shroud made of unbleached muslin. Pure, simple, humble.
Gazelle Paulo is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine. Follow him on Twitter and FreakChic.
