Bryan Ferry

September 19, 2004
Very Ferry
he fashion flock has a kooky way of describing seasonal direction, saying things like, ''''This season is all about Dickens.'''' Or Sikhs or pimps or Puritans or Studio 54. For men, this season is apparently all about Bryan Ferry. One of New York''s top merchants told me that his buying inspiration was Ferry, the former lead singer of Roxy Music, and ''''the idea of an English rock star who lives in the country but still gets dressed up, with velvet and razor-sharp tailoring.''''

I like the idea that this fall is about Bryan Ferry, because he''s one of the few men in the public eye who has got it right. Maybe this means we won''t have to look at so many men in horse-dragged jeans and belts that buckle over the pubic bone. Maybe urbanites will look a little less like trick-or-treaters and more like grown-ups. Besides, I''m all for Ferry''s star rising. He is that rare artist who stands unashamedly for intelligence and refinement.

To coincide with his all-about-ness, there is a new CD box set, ''''Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music: The Platinum Collection'''' (Virgin), as well as the coming book ''''Both Ends Burning: The Complete Roxy Music'''' (Reynolds & Hearn). It''s almost as if we''re finally seeing the light at the end of civilization.

I called Ferry (full disclosure: once, after a few drinks, I grabbed a P.G. Wodehouse book out of his hands and threw it off a balcony) and asked him how he felt about his being an impetus for fall men''s wear.

''''Really?'''' he asked. ''''I''m in vogue? Umm. Errrr. Who am I influencing?''''

I listed designers allegedly under his spell, including Alexander McQueen and Tom Ford in his final collections for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

''''Well, I''ve always been a big fan of Savile Row,'''' Ferry said. ''''But I do think in the last few years, ready-to-wear people have been doing better things, people like Dolce & Gabbana and Hedi Slimane and Tom Ford. But they''re all similar to things I wore ages ago, really. I like things that will look good next year, I suppose. That doesn''t sound very exciting, really. Does it?'''' I assured him it would sound smart in print.

''''Just what I wanted!'''' Ferry said.

So, there you have it, from the mouth of fashion''s inspiration: this fall is all about next fall. Finally!


SAVILLE ON SAVILE: SINGING FERRY''S PRAISES
As an art director, my entree to fashion and visual culture was courtesy of Roxy Music. The cover of ''''Another Time, Another Place,'''' Bryan Ferry''s second solo album, released in 1974, was like a picture window to an aspirational world. I was 19, I lived in the industrial north of England and I was on the learning curve of glamour. My next-door neighbor gave me a white Vegas-style tuxedo, and I had white shoes like Bryan did. I learned about style through his sartorial journey: it starts off almost post-Elvis, and it ends up in a Harris tweed jacket. Bryan is really fantastic at taking Savile Row and giving it a bit of sex appeal. Any man would do well to follow suit.


Bryan Ferry finalises divorce

Rock star Bryan Ferry has divorced his wife Lucy on the grounds of adultery.
The Roxy Music lead singer married society heiress Lucy Helmore in 1982 when he was aged 36 and she was 22, and they have four sons.

The case was granted at the High Court Family Division in central London, but the couple did not attend the hearing, which was uncontested.

In divorce papers before the court, Ferry said his wife had admitted the adultery - which he had first suspected in May 2000 - but he did not name another man in the documents.

BBC News, 21 March, 2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2865447.stm

Bryan Ferry&Roxy Mysic pictures
Roxy Music Tour in L.A.
Cool Roxy Music page
Ferry links
Ferry at home in Los angeles, 1977