Vintage Style Icon: Candy Darling

1971 photograph by Gerard Malanga

As promised, here are the photos of Warhol Superstar Candy Darling. Born as Jimmy Slattery, Candy spent her childhood in Long Island watching and learning from old Hollywood films. She dressed up secretly during her early teens, and in later years would catch the late night train into Manhattan for nights out in Greenwich Village, putting on her make-up along the way (away from the prying neighbourhood eyes).

In 1967 she met Andy Warhol, and quickly became a part of The Factory crowd. Her first two films were Flesh and Women in Revolt, but she later had parts in films such as Klute (with Jane Fonda). Of her career, Candy said honestly "I've had small parts in big movies and big parts in small movies".

More than her somewhat patchy career though, Candy was admired for simply being fabulous. While Edie and Nico epitomised the gamine look of the late 60s, Candy was more inspired by 1930s glamour with her mane of platinum blonde hair, red lips, sequins and furs. There were then of course the cat fights with other drag queens, parties, admirers, famous friends, and a final, tragic death from leukaemia at the age of 29.

You have seen her on the cover of The Smiths single, but she was also referenced in Lou Reed's 'Take a Walk on the Wild Side' (Candy came from out on the Island, in the backroom she was everybody's darlin'), and the subject of the Velvet Underground song 'Candy Says'. Rolling Stone magazine also suggested that Ray Davies wrote 'Lola' after going on a date with Candy, but Davies denied this and said it was actually about a transwoman their band manager had been confused by (those crazy Kinks).

There is a new documentary out on Candy called Beautiful Darling, and her diaries were published a few years back (but be careful, they made Wendy B sick).