Monday, April 13, 2009

Who's That DIVA? Valentino Muse Naty Abascal

The Last Emperor's Spanish Princess...Naty Abascal, on the cover of 1965 Harper's Bazaar

Since I still have "Valentino Fever" from just having seen the fabulous documentary, "Valentino: The Last Emperor", I thought it would be nice to showcase one of it's "stars": Naty Abascal. Naty (short for Natividad, which means "Nativity" in English) is a Spanish socialite, a duchess (by marriage), and Valentino's long time friend. Anybody For Canasta? Naty Abascal, her sister Ana-Maria and Brazilian aristrocat, Helio Guerreiro in a Richard Avedon layout, shot in Ibiza

In her youth, she modeled and in fact made the cover of Harper's Bazaar and shot an editorial with the genius of Richard Avedon back in the 1960's, along with her sister and Brazilian aristocrat, Helio Guerreiro. She is a fixture in the Spanish social pages of magazines such as HOLA! and in fact is the Hola! Magazine Fashion Editor, sometimes modeling in her own fashion layouts. The Genes were Passed on: Naty Abascal and one of her handsome sons

Years ago, she married the Duke of Feria, and had two sons, who look like male models themselves. The marriage ended when their father was caught in a serious scandal involving underage girls. He was convicted and sentenced and soon found dead with an overdose. Yes, a suicide kiddies. Escandalo, as they say. I know, it's a TOTAL NOVELA---Spanish Aristocracy Style! The late father left the boys nothing except a title.
The Muse Wears The Emperor's Clothes: Naty Abascal modeling Valentino

She met Valentino as a 19-year-old model and the two have since been very close friends and in fact , she became one of his muses. In the movie, "Valentino: The Last Emperor", she is shown hanging out with him at his Atelier and in his homes, and musing about her too-tight gown and her protruding bosom. She almost fits into the sample size of his Haute Couture gowns (except for the bust part!) which I am sure by now he either lends to her, sells them to her at a great discount, or gives them as gifts outright. She is only in the film a couple times for a short snap, but they are some of the funniest moments. She's is one of those aristocratic party DIVAS you just KNOW you want to hang out with and a have a couple (or three) Martinis with....
Love her!