Coolsisters of the Month

Let's talk about Britain's fabulous du Pre sisters (HIlary on top; Jacqueline on bottom). Jacqueline was born in 1945 and showed musical promise before her fifth birthday. By age 10, she was studying cello with the greats like William Pleeth and later Casals, Tortelier and Rostropovich. In 1965 she recorded the Elgar Concerto and the London Symphony Orchestra, a recording which established her stardom. Seriously, you should listen to this. In 1967 she married pianist Daniel Barenboim. Tragically she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1973 and began to to deteriorate, she taught but performed less and less. On October 19, 1987 she died at the age of forty-two. She left behind - among other things - incredible recordings, her two Stradivarius cellos and her sister, Hilary.

Hilary du Pre, Jacqueline's older sister also had a natural affinity for music - flute - at an early age, but was overshadowed by Jacqueline. Hilary married Christopher Finzi and lived with him in the country with the family they made. In 1997, Hilary wrote a A Genius in the Family, with her brother Piers, chronicling the complex relationship she had with her sister which included a love affair between Jacqueline and HIlary's husband. The memoir and subsequent movie were highly controversial with many close to Jacqueline disputing Hilary's version of the facts. Hilary stood her ground and in spite of their difficult relationship, felt she had been true to her sister, "When you love someone, you love the whole of them."

Coolsisters of the Month

''Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure.'' Jane Austen

What (little) we know of Jane Austen’s private life is due to family letters – many written to her only sister, Cassandra Elizabeth (1773–1845), who like Jane, died unmarried. Jane (on the left) and Cassandra were schooled together and among Jane’s earliest work is her parody, The History of England, a manuscript of 34 pages accompanied by 13 water colour miniatures by Cassandra. Jane and Cassandra spent many years together at Chawton cottage where Jane published four novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma. Cassandra and Jane frequently visited their brothers and their families, and other relatives, and wrote to each other when apart. Sadly,it is estimated that that only 160 out of Austen's 3,000 letters survive, as Cassandra burned "the greater part" of the ones she kept and censored those she did not destroy (others were destroyed by heirs). Happily, since 1833, when the first collected edition of Austen's works was published, her novels have been continuously in print.

Coolsisters of the Month

Just in case you were thinking that style is something that looks best with youth, we offer you the always fabulous Sozzani sisters. Franca (right) is the editor of Vogue Italia (and has been since 1988) while Carla owns a photography and design gallery, a bookstore, and very well-known boutique for men's and women's clothing, accessories, and luxury goods. These women, well past the blushing stage, are what we all hope to be: smart, successful, stunning, and totally themselves. Our kind of cool.

Coolsisters of the Month

THE PEDIGREE of honey
Does not concern the bee
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy
___________

A WORD is dead
When it is said
Some say,
I say it just
Begins to live
That day

The only reason you know the poetry of Emily Dickinson (and you do know the poetry of Emily Dickinson - the above just being two little gems) is because she had a sister, Lavinia. Emily instructed Lavinia to destroy all of her letters and manuscripts after her death. Lavinia carried out her sister's wish until she came across a cache of more than 1,700 poems hidden in Emily’s home, only a very few of which had been published in Emily's lifetime. While Lavinia may have betrayed her sister, we like to think Emily would have forgiven her. Sometimes a sister knows best.

That's Emily, brother Austin, and Lavinia in the portrait.

Our First Coolsisters

Once upon a time, this was as cool as you could get - Joan Baez and her sister Mimi Farina. They were richly talented, muses to many, and seemingly well- loved by the most fabulous men. Joan is of course pretty famous, but that Mimi was one mighty fine coolsister. You could look it up.