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Going Ape Over Jacques Tiffeau

March 24, 2009 by WendyB

I had no particular interest in the gorilla-arm look recently shown by Balenciaga and Giles Deacon.

Balenciaga
Photo source: Style.com

Giles Deacon
Photo source: Style.com

Then I noticed this vintage coat with monkey-fur arms by Jacques Tiffeau online. I figured I’d just share the the photos with y’all and remark on how there’s nothing new under the sun, great minds think alike, etc.

Jacques Tiffeau coat

First, I needed to look up Jacques Tiffeau, who was a new name to me.

Jacques Tiffeau coat, full-length

Tiffeau died in 1988 at age 59, and his New York Times obituary was very informative. He shared my Wear What You Want philosophy, according to the Times: “He once said women should not trust him, or anyone else, to tell them how to dress.” But what really won me over was the next sentence in the obit: “Women’s Wear Daily, which labeled him with the epithet ‘sauvage,’ once quoted him as saying he took clothes seriously, but not fashion.” That attitude makes Tiffeau my soulmate. An interesting coat with a great story behind it? I had to have it. Look for it on me next winter.

Meanwhile, you can check out this jacket with super-shaggy Mongolian-lamb cuffs for $149 on eBay. I won’t buy this one out from under you.

From eBay seller kukuvintage

UPDATED TO ADD MORE ON TIFFEAU: This blog post led me to two great links here and here. Must reads!

UPDATED AGAIN TO ADD UNRELATED NEWS ITEMS:

  • All you peeps who saw my designing friend Zang Toi on the Real Housewives of New York can see everything I’ve written about Zang here.
  • Show your support! I’m auctioning off an 18K gold and citrine Pineapple Necklace, valued at $1,125, at charitybuzz. Proceeds benefit the New York Women in Communications Foundation and its scholarship program for deserving women.
  • Thanks to Tavi for sharing with me this bit of fashion insanity. A must-see, darlings!
I designed this ring for Zang Toi’s Fall 2007 line.
Shot on and by gorgeous blogger Jennine.

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Filed Under: charity, coats, designers, fashion trends, great minds think alike, jackets, vintage designers, zang toi

Previous Post: « Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Next Post: The Teeny Genie »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alicia/InstantVintage says

    March 24, 2009 at 9:37 pm

    He sounded like one of those people I could really get into…like Uncle Karl and his surly musings on life.

    That coat is insanity. I’m sure it will look amazing.

  2. wrennybird says

    March 24, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    What a fantastic philosophy he (and you) had!

  3. Shawn says

    March 24, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    Love that “wear what you want” mantra. I definitely do, and it usually has more to do with my mood at the minute, not strictly fashion.
    (even though I love fashion)

  4. The Vegetable Assassin says

    March 24, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    Everyone needs to subscribe to the ‘wear what you want’ philosophy. I mean if I want to dress in 1960s vintage dresses (and sometimes I do) who’s to say I can’t? I like vintage styles. I like my 1950s chocolate suede jacket and 1970s wooden platform sandals. They’re “me”. Screw those guys who think if you’re not wearing this year’s colours or the in-styles from the catwalk, that you’re irrelevant. I figure THEY’RE irrelevant and they’re welcome to be as irrelevant as they want. 🙂

    I love your quirky style miss B.

  5. Lavender says

    March 24, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    At first glance I said ‘ew’! But at a second and a third I actually think I might love that Jacques Tiffeau coat.

  6. Farren says

    March 24, 2009 at 11:33 pm

    I wasn’t even aware people used monkey fur for in any kind of fashionable way until a week or so ago. I still have some mixed feelings about this. But, the mongolian lamb fur jacket is awesome!

  7. Sharon Rose says

    March 25, 2009 at 12:47 am

    Hi there-I can’t wait to see this coat on you, its totally stunning!

  8. Hannah says

    March 25, 2009 at 5:48 am

    I really like the way the coat looks, it’s very elegant, but I don’t think I could ever bring myself to wear fur, especially monkey fur.

  9. enc says

    March 25, 2009 at 6:11 am

    These looks would be perfect for my orangutan arms!

  10. Iheartfashion says

    March 25, 2009 at 6:23 am

    Love the fashion philosophy, yours and his.

  11. Jill says

    March 25, 2009 at 6:56 am

    This is really a great post. Tiffeau sounds very interesting!

  12. WendyB says

    March 25, 2009 at 7:45 am

    Farren and Hannah, despite the ad campaigns of certain celebrity-obsessed “rights” groups, I don’t really feel differently about fur vs leather vs snakeskin etc. So I am especially unperturbed by a coat that I figure is, at least, 40 years old. It’s an interesting fashion artifact to me and I doubt it will inspire anyone to steal a monkey from the zoo and slap it on a coat.

  13. oh lady e says

    March 25, 2009 at 8:33 am

    I desperately need to invest in more outerwear. I wore my blue ruffly peacoat (which you’ve seen) ALL WINTER LONG. Just about every day.

    I like monkey fur. It looks very smooth and soft.

  14. Delmy says

    March 25, 2009 at 8:42 am

    As cozy as it looks, I’m not sure about it. Im sure other people would be a ble to pull it off.

  15. Imelda says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:05 am

    I’m not a fan of these fury sleeves, but it’s a funny idea 🙂

  16. pretty face says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:27 am

    How lovely! I really like it, that sort of soft zigzaggy (I can’t think of a better way to describe it) sillhouette is so beautiful.

    xx

  17. tam pham says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:37 am

    zang seems like such a character! so fun!

  18. Couture Carrie says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:39 am

    I was struggling to understand those furry muff-looking things at Balenciaga too! There is a place for fur and that ain’t it!

    Fun post, per usual WB!

    xoxox,
    CC

  19. WendyB says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Tam Pham, Zang is an amazing designer but an even more amazing person. Love him!

  20. Sal says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Those understated furry arms are much more appealing than the Balenciaga version, in my opinion. Whatever will you wear this coat with, WendyB?

  21. WendyB says

    March 25, 2009 at 9:53 am

    Probably my usual jeans and black top, Sal! My everyday dressing is not very interesting. Though I think this could go very nicely with certain Ossie dresses, so I will definitely do that combo too.

    And….I just eBayed a Tiffeau dress as well, so I can do a whole ensemble by him! Someone new to obsess over…

  22. LENORENEVERMORE says

    March 25, 2009 at 10:13 am

    I appreciate the mini research Wendy…his name is definetely new to moi -quite sad when someone talented dies so young!

  23. Swell Vintage - Frankie says

    March 25, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    That coat is lush x

  24. jennine says

    March 25, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    i know it’s so unpc but i want that monkey fur coat. (and ring too…that’s more pc…)

  25. Maja says

    March 25, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    I owned a pair of shaggy mittens like the ones in the top photo once! They were red and hideous and I felt like I was wearing hairy oven mitts.

    That gold ring is to die for 🙂

  26. WendyB says

    March 25, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    Maja, I could see how shaggy mittens would be a problem! Thanks re the ring. Jennine only took the best picture ever of it!

  27. discothequechic says

    March 25, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    Such fantastic Tiffeau quotes. I agree that the coat is marvellous enough anyway, but with the added context of such an interesting designer, a whole new dimension is added!

    Thanks for the heads up, I’d never heard of him before..

  28. LJ says

    March 25, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    Love the monkey fur arms……
    xx-LJ from SOS!

  29. Georgie said says

    March 26, 2009 at 6:50 am

    Such a pretty ring 🙂 I love the gorilla gloves, I definitely need a pair of those.
    x

  30. Naki says

    March 27, 2009 at 1:42 pm

    lovely ring!

  31. The Lady Who Doesn't Lunch: says

    March 29, 2009 at 2:55 pm

    I would have to resist the temptation to use those furry gloves as oven mitts!!

  32. The Lady Who Doesn't Lunch: says

    March 29, 2009 at 2:55 pm

    I would have to resist the temptation to use those furry gloves as oven mitts!!

  33. Jen (MahaloFashion) says

    March 29, 2009 at 3:13 pm

    It takes a lot of confidence to pull that look off.

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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