Fashion Maven Mr. Blackwell Dies In Los Angeles

We've lost one of the wittiest voices in fashion.

Mr. Blackwell, the fashion designer/critic famous for his annual 10 Worst Dressed Women lists, died yesterday in Los Angeles of complications from an intestinal infection. He was 86 years old and leaves behind R.L. Spencer, his partner of 60 years.

A brief history lesson on Mr. Blackwell: Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Blackwell's birth name was Richard Sylvan Selzer, and he actually pursued a career as an actor in his younger years, appearing on Broadway in productions such as Dead End and Catherine Was Great. He also played small roles in films starring the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Gene Kelly.

When Howard Hughes signed Richard Sylvan Selzer to RKO, it was he who changed his name to Richard Blackwell. Mr. Blackwell eventually gave up acting to pursue a career in fashion, creating the House of Blackwell and rising to prominence as a designer in the 1960s, creating clothing for stars including Jayne Mansfield, Peggy Lee and Jane Russell.

It was 48 years ago that Mr. Blackwell began issuing his annual worst dressed list, and over the years he lambasted celebrities for their poor fashion choices to our great amusement. While he once labeled Madonna "the bare-bottomed bore of Babylon," he called Sharon Stone "an over-the-hill Cruella DeVille." Of Courtney Love, Mr. Blackwell quipped, "Looks more like cold cuts and Spam than the goddess of glam," and he dismissed Mariah Carey as "shrink-wrapped cheesecake."

While the stars got a dressing down from Mr. Blackwell, they also took pride in being skewered by him. "You haven't made it in Hollywood until you've made the list," Lynn Redgrave once said.

By the way, Mr. Blackwell also praised good fashion in his Fabulous Fashion Independents lists, but those lists never really got the same publicity his worst dressed lists got.

We'll certainly miss Mr. Blackwell's memorable observations. Do you have any favorites?

(Image courtesy of Getty)

Comments

[poopy pants]

What an asshole. I don't think he'll be missed by many.

[corrective_unconscious]

A sharp wit skewering celebrities for the entertainment of the hoi polloi ('Bjork: "She dances in the dark — and dresses there, too,"') a partner for 60 years...all wonderful...but what was _he_ wearing when he croaked?

[Stevezatt]

Wonder what they'll bury him in?

[doyle]

I know we are not supposed to talk about the dead... but i said this when he was alive. I knew him personaly for have done work for him in years past. He loved refering to women as the "C" word and i've seen him out and about with Spencer and rolled my eyes at his "fashion Hypocrisy" I don't much appreciate or idolize bitter old queens who put a bad light on being gay. We should not look up to people who come across as bitter, condescending, critical. We should pity them if anything. I do feel sorry for anytime someone who has lost their loved one, of 60 years, no matter how imperfect he or she was. God rest his soul

[Jett]

Good Riddance! He made my "top 10 most preferred dead" list.

[cK]

I truly am sorry that his partner is left alone after 60 years together. Maybe he can start fresh. Mr. Blackwell was a spiteful, bitter, condesending "queen" in the worst sense. I don't see any merit in acknowledging his self important career of criticism. What a failure. Obviously he didn't have talent as a designer or he would be a name label in our clothes. Had he been a famous designer with true talent maybe his criticism would be understandable. He really had no achievements worth mentioning. He was a star in his own mind.

[Mikey K, West Hollywood, California]

My partner and I were out one afternoon at, of all places, the local In-N-Out Burger. At the adjacent table (with attached seating benches) were Blackwell and Spencer.

My partner was fidgeting in his seat while he ate (yes, kind of like a small child) and Blackwell made some less-than-polite comment to his partner about the jiggling seat.

My partner said to me, "if he wants a perfect seat, he should go to Musso and Frank's, not In-N-Out."

The irony of Blackwell's fame, in my own opinion, is that it's the 'bitchy queen' act that gets attention and laughter (since they say what so many of us are actually thinking). I hope it was just an act and that he wasn't like that in real life.

[Just another gay guy]

One whose fame is derived from degrading others need NOT be famous! Hopefully he will NOT be replaced.

[Jett]

Rex Reed, there is now an opening for a rude bitter old fashion queen, you're more than qualified to fill the dead assholes position.

[Jon]

The Mr's Blackwell & Spencer that I met several years ago were community minded and generous. They gave several million dollars to local Hospitals. Being a bitch was how he made his living, he got no attention when he was nice. (ie his 10 best dressed list) May his soul rest in peace.