Flip through the "inspiration" file that every designer keeps, and at some point you will find a picture of C.Z. Guest. Debutante, showgirl (briefly), model (painted nude by Diego Rivera), socialite, gardener, intimate of artists and writers; Guest had the kind of life that seems fiction, and the perfect patrician looks to illustrate it. She wore her designer clothes with thoroughbred elegance, keeping to simple lines, rich fabrics, and soft colors to suit her cool complexion. But perhaps what drew creative types to her most was Guest's down-to-earth personality, exemplified by her recent advice to would-be gardeners visiting her web site, "The most important thing is to enjoy yourself and have a good time."
Hugh Jackman was the reported buyer of Sun Mircrosystems co-founder Bill Joy's 11,000-square-foot triplex at 176 Perry Street, a staggering piece of minimalist beauty (if that's your type of thing), for "somewhere above $25 million." And what a deal that would have been! You see, Joy spent around $17.5 million on the apartment—the entire eighth through tenth floors of the Richard Meier-designed Far West Village building—and then hired Meier himself to build-out the interior (above) for probably a couple million more. Joy never moved in and listed the spread for a crazy $40 million, then chopped it down to $33 million where it wasted away for another six months (monthly maintenance: $27,841) until Wolverine pounced. Indeed, "somewhere above $25 million" would have been a relative bargain, but there's a surprise twist ending.
Comments