Mod goes modern

The decade that gave us Camelot and Haight-Ashbury, the Vietnam War protests and the civil rights movement also revolutionized fashion. One minute we had Twiggy and Carnaby Street, Nancy Sinatra’s vinyl boots and miniskirts, and short, spiky Sassoon cuts. Then came vintage velvet granny dresses and embroidered capes, bare feet peeking out from massive bell-bottoms and flowing hair accented with wildflowers.

Like an explosion, the ‘60s sent fragments of fashion in all directions. Within a few years, “you can’t” and “you shouldn’t” were chucked out the window. Designers were handed the gift of freedom to experiment. And they did.

They still are too, often with a glance over their shoulders. The following pages feature the work of designers whose contemporary takes on that extraordinary time include vibrant, modish styles suited to a wild night or lush, beaded gowns fit for kicking up water in a fountain on a Roman holiday.

In our creation of a slice of La Dolce Vida, we imagine an eclectic and eccentric gathering at Silvertop, the Silver Lake house by architect John Lautner, who was blowing apart convention with such designs as the Chemosphere--the saucer on a stalk--throughout the decade.

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Production by Clio Bitboul/Blur Photo; location by World Locations; assistant stylists: Nicolas Bru and Leona Mizrahi; photo assistant: Kevin McHugh; gaffer: Bern Caughey; prop stylist: Becket Cook; assistant prop stylist: Corey Spears; tailor: Gary Garrison; makeup: Alexis Benveniste / celestineagency.com for MAC and Geoffrey Rodriguez / celestineagency.com for Laura Mercier; hair: Jenny Cho/celestineagency.com for Kerastase and Frederick Parnell/celestineagency.com for AVLON; models: Colin Angus/L.A. Models; Colin Armstrong/BBA; Bianca Blanco/KSA; Jordi Caballero/CESD; Camellia Clouse/L.A. Models; Marc Crumpton/Bleu; Annie Little/Ford; Brita Petersons/Ford; Danika Singfield/CESD; Arlene Tur/CESD; Ursula Whittaker/KSA; Shannon Wilcox/Ford; Gerold Wunstel/BBA

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Resource Guide

Black-and-white striped fur jacket, $9,895, zebra-print wide-leg silk pants $1,095, and black silk tank, $295, all at Giorgio Armani, Beverly Hills. Loree Rodkin diamond earrings and matching necklace, both at Maxfield, West Hollywood. LaCrasia zebra-print leather gloves, at www.wegloveyou.com. Patent leather platform shoes, at Sonia Rykiel, New York. Three-button tuxedo, $2,395, and tuxedo shirt, $300, both at Giorgio Armani. Black-and-white pin-dot silk chiffon oblong scarf, at Yves Saint Laurent, Beverly Hills. Diamond indicator watch with mother-of-pearl dial, at Chanel, Beverly Hills. Printed gold halter evening gown, $410, at Nicole Miller, West Hollywood. Vintage Yves Saint Laurent gold seashell necklace, at Decades, West Hollywood. Gold bracelet and coral and gold ring, both at Neil Lane, Beverly Hills. Barbara Seidenath crystal and enamel ring, at Sculpture to Wear, Santa Monica. Silk chiffon leopard-print dress with metallic waist and neck, $2,450, by special order from Petro Zillia at (818) 988-8188. Gold necklace, at Roberto Cavalli, Beverly Hills. Astrakhan jacket with chinchilla trim and beaded detail, $20,000, at Badgley Mischka, Beverly Hills. Naeem Khan black jersey V-neck chemise with gold filigree beading, $1,790, at Mi Place, Newport Beach. Rodo silver clutch, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills. Balaton martini glasses, at Crate & Barrel stores. Salviati Bassorilievi etched ice bucket and martini glasses, at Modern Living, Los Angeles. Joseph Grace tiger-pattern martini shaker, at Zipper, Los Angeles. European Touch clear carafe with lid and Salviati etched-glass martini pitcher with stirrer, at Modern Living. Gastone black plastic folding serving cart with steel frame by Antonio Citterio, at Kartell, Los Angeles. Iittalia Aarne Dof 7-ounce glasses, at Modern Living.

Yves Saint Laurent green-and-white strapless velvet dress, $3,855, by special order at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills. Black velvet and labradorite L’Imperial necklace, at Louis Vuitton, Beverly Hills. LaCrasia white leather gloves. Corduroy pants, $395, alpaca crewneck sweater, $695, and quilted waistcoat, $2,915, all at Gucci, Beverly Hills. Print cravat and brown leather boots, at John Varvatos, West Hollywood. Sunglasses, at Giorgio Armani. Bottle-green cashmere silk dress, $6,220, and black velvet ankle-strap shoes, at Yves Saint Laurent. Wolford orange velvet tights, at Saks Fifth Avenue. Vintage plastic bubble earrings, at The Way We Wore, Hollywood. LaCrasia orange leather gloves. Ivory silk chiffon halter gown with pale blue embroidery, $5,990, at Badgley Mischka. Platinum and diamond earrings, at Neil Lane. La Pluie white gold and diamond ring with South Sea pearl, at Chanel. Clear lucite shoes, at Giorgio Armani. Black silk cocktail dress, $6,790, and crystal resin bangle, both at Chanel. LaCrasia white leather gloves. Diane Von Furstenberg by H. Stern 18-karat white gold and diamond ring, at Gearys, Beverly Hills. Vintage black and white plastic earrings, at The Way We Wore. Linda Farrow Vintage white sunglasses, at Diavolina, Los Angeles. Vera Wang gold jacket, $1,320, at Neiman Marcus. Paris Tokyo Wheat earrings, at Chanel. Gold bracelet and tiger’s-eye ring, at Neil Lane. Vintage Yves Saint Laurent bangle, at Decades. Red pony Scala clutch, at Tod’s, Beverly Hills. Vintage Christian Dior sunglasses, at The Way We Wore. Diamond and platinum earrings, at Neil Lane. Vintage silver metal necklace, at The Way We Wore. LaCrasia velvet gloves.

Dark purple cotton paisley one-button blazer with black satin trim, $2,050, black cotton dress shirt, $350, and black silk tie, all at Dolce & Gabbana, Beverly Hills. Black leather blazer, $4,325, and black sunglasses, both at Giorgio Armani. Black cashmere turtleneck, $895, at Dolce & Gabbana. Mink patchwork sleeveless top, $5,700, at Louis Vuitton. Purple and maroon wool capelet, $490, and purple suede clutch, both at Etro, Beverly Hills. LaCrasia purple leather gloves. Erickson Beamon yellow resin bangle, at Ron Herman, Los Angeles. Black-beaded velvet dress with ruffle halter, $2,895, at Giorgio Armani. Loree Rodkin diamond earrings, at Maxfield. H. Stern diamond bracelet, at Gearys. Aspen white cup and saucer, at Crate & Barrel stores. Salviati etched champagne glass, at Modern Living. Oval stainless-steel tray and double-walled small stainless-steel bowl, both at Alessi, West Hollywood.

Etro silk printed dress, $1,685, at Neiman Marcus. Loree Rodkin gold and ruby beaded necklace; gold citrine, medieval band and yellow gold and diamond rings; and gold hoop earrings, all at Maxfield. Wolford chartreuse velvet tights, at Saks Fifth Avenue. Black cotton dress shirt, $350, silk tie, $115, and textured tuxedo pants, $750, all at Dolce & Gabbana. Naeem Khan paint-splashed silk chiffon gown, $4,140, at Saks Fifth Avenue. H. Stern 18-karat gold earrings, at Gearys. Paris Tokyo Wheat necklace, at Chanel. Leopard silk chiffon gown, $3,050, at Monique Lhuillier, Beverly Hills. Tiger’s-eye earrings, at Neil Lane. Zebra-print pony cuff, at Tod’s. Lace dress with Swarovski crystal sash, $11,500, at Dolce & Gabbana. La Pluie South Sea pearl earrings and necklace, both at Chanel. Diamond bangle, at Neil Lane. Siena silk jersey evening gown, $3,550, at Bottega Veneta, Beverly Hills. Diamond hoop earrings, at Neil Lane. Vintage silver metal necklace, at Decades. Silver leather sandals and metallic cracked-leather clutch, at Jimmy Choo, Beverly Hills. Rosenthal crystal vase, at Lilly Lodge, Los Angeles.

Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere white sanded-wool jacket, $2,685, and white pants, $1,645, both at Barneys New York, Beverly Hills. LaCrasia black gloves. Roger Vivier black patent leather round-toe pumps with buckle, at Neiman Marcus. Dolce & Gabbana navy blue velvet mini-coatdress, $3,350, and black leather, crocodile and astrakhan boots, at Neiman Marcus. Dior by John Galliano lambskin crocodile-effect coat, $5,475, and brown embossed-leather crocodile-print cap, both at Christian Dior, Beverly Hills. Balenciaga white gazar and satin organza shift with black leather and buckle details, $12,945, and patent leather square-toe pumps (on floor), at Barneys New York. LaCrasia black leather gloves. J-12 white ceramic watch and 18-karat gold Camelia earrings, both at Chanel. Salviati etched champagne glasses, at Modern Living.

Green velvet pumps with ankle strap, at Yves Saint Laurent. Wolford black stockings, at Saks Fifth Avenue. Alberta Ferretti strapless tulle and sequin dress, $3,095, at Saks Fifth Avenue. Diamond and platinum earrings, diamond ball bracelet and diamond cocktail ring, all at Neil Lane. Wolford fishnet stockings, at Neiman Marcus. LaCrasia velvet gloves. Black suede closed-toe pumps with silk flower, at Giorgio Armani. Snakeskin T cuff and two mini-cuffs with studs, all at Tod’s. Diane Von Furstenberg by H. Stern 18-karat yellow gold and bronze ring with quartz, at Gearys. Bronze cracked-leather evening bag, at Jimmy Choo. Sheared mink scarf, by special order at Juniper & Jasper, (323) 634-0415. Loree Rodkin gold eye-shaped link chain, at Maxfield. Gold python pumps, at Jimmy Choo. Ivory sable vest with beaded embroidery and velvet bow tie, $36,000, at Badgley Mischka. Judith Leiber black and crystal handbag, at Neiman Marcus. Gold lame evening coat with chinchilla trim, $18,400, at Badgley Mischka.