ItвЂ™s almost become more important than the thing itself but I didnвЂ™t ask about it, because I am stupid.вЂќДЄlong with speaking her mind, Coddington also spends a lot of time disparaging herself. I am sure when actors have to do a film, the first thing they ask is about what they will have to do for publicity. But I didnвЂ™t realise how much work it would be. So I thought, вЂWell, maybe instead of clothes it should be about no clothes, because that is how every fashion picture starts really, thatвЂ™s the base.вЂ™ ThatвЂ™s how I rationalised it. вЂњThen the Paddle8 people wanted portraits but I am renowned for being annoying and always wanting the feet to show in my pictures. To which Coddington says: вЂњI wanted to do fashion photographs but apparently they donвЂ™t sell. I ask, for example, about the fact that the auction will take as its theme вЂњnudesвЂќ and point out the irony in someone who has made a career out of putting clothes on вЂ“ both on her own body, as a model from the ages of 18 to 26 (having won a Vogue model competition), and on other peopleвЂ™s bodies as a stylist at British Vogue from 1968-86, then at Calvin Klein as design director for a year in 1987, and then at American Vogue from 1988 to today вЂ“ choosing to curate a selling show focused on taking clothes off. In the world of street style and cosmetic surgery, she is notable for opting out, which has had the effect of making her even more noticeable. Her cloud of bright red hair is pulled up on one side in a barrette, two diamond studs are in her ears, and some dark red lipstick has partly migrated to her teeth otherwise, her face seems bare. Or even a good day.вЂќД¬oddington is in her usual uniform of navy CГ©line crewneck sweater, black trousers, and bright orange CГ©line Vans shoes for as long as I have been going to the shows and seeing her across the runway, this, with a few variations and different brands вЂ“ a white shirt here, a black dress there вЂ“ is what she has worn. After sliding into the booth, she says with a laugh: вЂњPeople come up to me and say, вЂOh, I love you!вЂ™ ItвЂ™s kind of wonderful it really cheers you up if you are having a bad day.

Now Coddington gets recognised at least once a day when she is on the way to the subway from her home in Chelsea, where she lives with her partner, hairstylist Didier Malige and their two cats, to her office on Times Square. It is probably the nicest, most sheltered spot in the restaurant.Д¬oddington, 73, became an accidental celebrity in 2009 thanks to RJ CutlerвЂ™s film The September Issue, which was nominally about the making of the September 2007 edition of American Vogue but turned out to be a portrait of the complicated alliance between the analytic and creative sides of the business, as embodied respectively by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Coddington. вЂњThis is her table,вЂќ he says confidingly. вЂњOh, come with me,вЂќ he says with great concern, and leads me to a round corner booth.

Chelsea coddington revizto linkedin