Oh Edie

She was the face of the mid 60's Manhatten, New York scene, queen of Beatnik, Psych chic, with the perfect yet fatal combination of troubledness and immaculate individual style and specialness.
Andy Warhols muse, the 'IT' girl of fashion and The Factory, whoever Edie Sedgwick met was like a moth to the flame with her, she touched everyone and remains unforgotten.

In 1965, Edie met artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol.
She began going to The Factory and during one visit, Warhol was filming 'Vinyl', his interpretation of the novel 'A Clockwork Orange'. Despite 'Vinyl's' all-male cast, Warhol wanted Edie in it.  Although her appearance was brief, she'd generated so much interest that Warhol decided to create a film in which she could star.

Although Warhol's films were not commercially successful and rarely seen outside The Factory circle, Edie's notoriety grew, mainstream media outlets began reporting on her appearances in Warhol's underground films and her unusual fashion sense. During this period she developed her "trademark" look of black leotards, black tights. Egyption inspired make-up, blonde cropped beehive hair and large chandelier earrings. Warhol christened her his "Superstar".

After, a seemingly short struggle with Alcohol, Speed and Heroin, Edie left the Manhatten scene and married, starting a new, cleaner life. Although she had somewhat recovered Edie was also on prescribed medication for physical illness and often claimed she had lost them in order to get more or mixed the drugs with alcohol. Edie died on the 15th November 1971, accidental overdose of barbiturate.

Edie’s individual style has been seen time and time again on the street and in the media. I for one could be condemned for completely robbing her of her look. I have been known to go out in a fur coat that covers my bottom and earrings longer than my skirt…but it does look good. I even went as far to chop all my hair off and dye it blonde. Granted, it is not an easy look to pull off. Edie’s pixie like legs flattered a leotard and winkle pickers. Mine however, did not. Being a size 8-10, I may as well be obese trying to look good in some of Edie’s outfits.

It takes a certain person to pull off the short hair, almost transvestite make-up and skimpy outfits, maybe the cut -off point would in fact, sadly be age. Edie did only live to 28 and at the time of her factory days, she was only 24. It could be considered strange that she did in fact die so young. Was Edie only made for youth? What would she have looked like at 30?
I think she would have been bored.

Many women in the spotlight have been seen to emulate Edie's look. It is as timeless as the superstar herself. Edie was the enigma of the 60's, she can never be created again, there was nobody like her before and still there is nobody who has come after her.



Kate Moss



Pixie Geldof



Madonna



Pixie Geldof

Even X-Factor (ex) contestant Katie Waissel has been seen emulating the Sedgwick fro

What’s most interesting about Edie is she demonstrated Warhol’s theory perfectly; “everyone will have their 5 minutes of fame”. Although she has become an icon, a focal point for 60’s fashion and at the time a phenomenon, she was only in the public eye for 2 years. A very short space of time. She then fell off the media circuit and disappeared.

Although Edie Sedgwick died 41 years ago, she remains alive, her timeless appeal will live on
forever.