Journalist. Mother. Bunny enthusiast. Pop culture junkie.

Journalist. Mother. Bunny enthusiast. Pop culture junkie.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Beautiful and Damned



Boho chic. Hippie chic.


Before Kate Moss and Sienna Miller sported those trends, there was the woman who invented them: Talitha Getty.


She was a model, actress, and most importantly the Bohemian Queen, a hippie chic angel who glamorized the swinging 1960s scene.


Mod. Hippie. Stylish. Mythical. Her fashion sense from four decades ago continues to inspire designers such as Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Michael Kors, and Christian Dior.


Her style can be seen everywhere and yet her name has not graced the ears of most people in our generation.




Talitha was born in 1940 in Indonesia to Dutch parents. She was interned along with her mother in a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War. Her father, a painter named Willem Pol, was imprisoned in a different camp, and after their release the couple separated.

She moved to England with her mother, who died in 1948, and was brought up by her father and his second wife, Poppet John, the daughter of the painter Augustus John.

As soon as she became a teenager, the gorgeous creature was swarmed by admirers. In 1966 Talitha fell in love with and married John Paul Getty Junior, the son of the richest man in the world, and heir to an oil fortune.







They quickly purchased the breathtaking 19th century Le Palais du Zahir in Marrakech, which became known as the Pleasure Palace.



The wild couple hosted some of the most famous parties of the decade in their new home. Some of their closest friends included members of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, plus Yves Saint Laurent and Diane von Furstenberg.

Adorned in harem pants and silky blouses, the barefoot flower child entranced everyone she met.



“When I knew Talitha Getty my vision completely changed. I knew the youthfulness of the Sixties. Talitha and Paul Getty lying on a starlit terrace in Marrakech, beautiful and damned, and a whole generation assembled as if for eternity where the curtain of the past seemed to lift before an extraordinary future…”
- Yves Saint Laurent



During these years, the bohemian beauty gave birth to a son and dabbled in a little acting. Her career didn’t matter, however, because she was a style icon.





But like most icons, her pedestal began to crumble with the erosion of a serious drug addiction.





It was a problem she shared with her husband.

In 1971, at just 30 years old, the charismatic hippie with the long limbs and heartbreaking smile died of a heroin overdose in Rome.



She left behind a 3-year-old son and a fashion legacy that will never be out of style.

46 comments:

Ela said...

Such a beauty and such a shame. It's so sad to see people at the top and crumble to such a low point. It's terrible that it's almost a given in that industry. Sad but I wonder who it'll be for our generation.

Unknown said...

she's so glorious! ...drugs are so devastating. it's seriously so sad.

starbrained said...

I want her style. She looks sensational.
Oh, and I'm sorry if you cried! I feel bad.

Angela said...

wow so tragic. i really enjoyed reading this post.

Nubiasnonsense said...

Great post, She is just lovely. Sharon Tate was also a great beauty with similar style

bryna said...

oh i love talitha getty.. i have never seen a lot of these photos.

Unknown said...

Wow! I like Bohemian chic. I never knew who invented it until today. Thanks for sharing this info! :)

Now, it makes me wonder what happened to her 3yr-old son? Did he turn out into a model? :)

LAYNE said...

such a great post. so unfortunate tho for her.

xx,
Layne

Flashes of Style said...

wow this is all so inspiring! I absolutely love the first photo. :)

Leia said...

she is absolutely gorgeous. Such a shame though how so many people fall into the downward trap of drugs :( It's a topic very close to my heart as someone I know is struggling with it right now.

Gerri Ward said...

OMG! I have always been in awe of her STYLE, a STYLE that will never die and how unfortunate she did at such an early age! Talitha was GORGEOUS!!!:)
p.s. I luv this post!

Anonymous said...

I love Boho style!

Death Wears Diamond Jewellery said...

gorgeous photos, ive always loved talitha getty. she is a TRUE style icon, none of this sienna miller boho rubbish or girls like miley freakin cyrus!

xxx

MJ said...

Its so sad that people have to turn to drugs... looks like it ruined yet another young and promising life.

http://dreamingspiresandoldcartyres.blogspot.com/

Sophie said...

She is gorgeous, I had never seen a lot of those images before so thanks for sharing them and her story with us. xo
teacups-and-saucers.blogspot.com

noura. said...

Thank you!
I did eventually.

WILDFLOWER said...

That first picture will always be such an iconic image of that era. Thank you for all the additional info...i didn't realise she died so young. I think I have come across her husbands photos at some stage. Great informative blog lady, i like!

Ton Amour said...

Thank you, she is breathe taking. A noveau idol pour moi!

Damsels said...

thanks for sharing this boho pioneer! ive never heard of her before this post

Rachel @ The Haute Notes said...

What a fabulous woman. Such a tragic story though. It's so sad to see so many people pass away because of drugs.

H A N N A H . M A Y . R O S E . † said...

thanks for this post - ive always wanted to know more about her. its so sad how she died :( and that she left a 3 yr old boy behind. i wonder what happened to him? drugs are horrific, its so sad that she was at the top of her game and lost it all. <333

Maria Confer said...

Wow, such a gorgeous woman! So terribly sad that her brilliant life was cut so short.

Thanks so much for sharing and your sweet comment!

lululetty.blogspot.com

Winchester Manor said...

What a fabulous post! Truly a beautiful woman, such a shame that she died at such an early age, so tragic!

I just love your blog, thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comment.

Hugs,
Karyn

Patty Ann said...

I've never heard of Talitha, but she's so gorgeous!!! Much prettier than Sienna or Kate Moss!!! What an interesting background she has, living in Indonesia and moving to England and interning in a prison camp.
xxxxxxxxxxx


AlphaBetaChic.blogspot.com

Sophia said...

I can't believe I've never heard of her! She's absolutely gorgeous, and it makes me very sad that she passed the way she did.
She looks fabulous.

Sophia said...

PS: I left you an award on my blog :)

The Sydney Girl said...

her poor son :( 3 year old baby without his mum.

she had fabulous style, thanks for sharing.

this is my fave: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jSkUzNa2SyU/Sp7MP-qBYVI/AAAAAAAAAw0/Z5yCaFRys2o/s1600-h/h14.bmp

xxx

debra@dustjacket said...

Fabulous post, that first image is such a classic picture of those times. So interesting and so tragic.
xoxo

Arushi Khosla said...

She is stunning. Might be my new icon.

hippyhippychic said...

love her
x

Couture Carrie said...

Totally gorgeous post, darling! Love these photos!

xoxox,
CC

Eva said...

Oh god, what a biography.
Thank you so much for sharing this.

Dani said...

woah, great post and pictures. so sad though.

http://www.rocknrollgypsy.com

Syed said...

Oh my, she was so stunning. But how incredibly tragic :( Hope you're having a lovely day dear.

The Little Fashion Treasury said...

Wooo, I´m so impressed about all your
background informations!!!
Simple enjoyed to read!

Happy weekend to you!!!

koralee said...

What an amazing story..and so sad. Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog...so glad you did now I have found your lovely blog!

UnoCosa said...

unfortunately, it takes as much strength to stay on top as the one took to get there ... love the post, xoxo

Cesc said...

What an awesome post. I'm ashamed to admit I never knew much about Talitha Getty until I read this post.

xoxo
Cesc

Couture Carrie said...

P.S. Hope you are having a fabulous weekend too, darling!

xoxox,
CC

Diego R. Wyatt said...

Talitha had such an amazing face and sense of style. She defied so many "rules" of fashion in her time and it is unfortunate that many people do not know who she is and that drugs took such a toll on her life. Her legacy graces numerous runways to this day and continues to inspire style generations.

Paz
Diego
Freefall Blog
http://freefallblog.blogspot.com/

LPNY by Monika Pierzynowska said...

I love old photos!! And her style is soo great!

http://jeadorefashion.blogspot.com

Julia said...

I love Talitha Getty! She's had so much influence on fashion and it's a shame more people don't know about her and her continuing legacy!

www.fashioneye.typepad.com

Miss Neira said...

wow she had amazing style!

Unknown said...

She was beyond glamourous... so disapointing. Some people just ooze style so naturally.

Anonymous said...

Came by to check out your Talitha Getty post! Had a bit of a phase with her too, when I was all into the Bohemian stuff, hah. Tragic ending though. But her name still lives throughout the fashion industry like you said - a recognition well earned by her methinks.

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