directed by Berry Gordy (1975)

On a co-worker’s recommendation, I pushed the Diana Ross as young upstart fashion designer/model vehicle Mahogany to the top of my queue strictly for the over-sized jewelry (which, no doubt you know, I’m a big fan of – ever want to get me a gift, just type HUGE into the vintage jewelry section of eBay).

It’s a terrible movie, but the style is fantastic – plus, you’re exposed to constant flashes of the unbelievably broad smile of one the most charismatic men around (the great Billy Dee Williams) as well as a riveting and creepily realistic performance by go-to weirdo Anthony Perkins as a Machiavellian fame wrangler (at least, it feels accurate to me, though I’ve never personally been to the gun room of a Phil Spector type, but I imagine Perkins got it right).

The plot (which calls to mind a dumbed-down, simplified take on the story lines of Jacqueline Susann) is as thin as Ross, who plays “young” not entirely convincingly, but with an amazing amount of sassy charm – there’s a reason that this broad is a star! And there’s a reason her creation, Mahogany, is my style icon: it’s all kimono sleeves, rainbow gowns, jersey capes, feathers, statement hats, body paint, gonzo hairstyles, Egyptian influence, and sequined or Navajo wraps. LOVE IT. There are a good many stills to peruse below/after the jump.

See more: Style Icons: Female 1970s Designers Fictional Characters Models

Posted on February 14, 2010