Princess Irene Galitzine, 1962. Image courtesy of Galitzine.
In 1960 Russian Princess Irene Galitzine revolutionized womenswear. The Rome-based royal's wildly epic invention: luxe silk pajama sets chic enough to wear from the bedroom to a black-tie gala and everywhere between. Dubbed the "Pyjama Palazzo,"(A clever pun conjured up by who else? Diana Vreeland.) these versatile, luxurious ensembles were cult-like staples for the tastemakers of the time.
Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, Diana Vreeland and Princess Irene Galitzine. Image courtesy of Galitzine.
Gallivanting around the globe wearing these jewel-encrusted PJs were ever-influential fashion icons by the likes of Sofia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Lee Radziwell, Audrey Hepburn, The Duchess of Windsor, Marie-Hélène de Rothschild, and Wallis Simpson.
Left: A thank you note from Jacqueline Kennedy, 1963. Right: Princess Irene Galitzine and Mrs. Kennedy in Capri. Image courtesy of Galitzine.
Fifty years later and the supremely practical, glamorous get-ups are once again appealing to modern women. The recently relaunched label's fall collection designed by Sergio Zambon (he hails from Fendi and Max Mara) draws upon the timeless, easy elegance of the princess's mid-century Pyjama Palazzo and the pack who wore them.
Galitzine, Fall 2013.
