As beautiful and she was kind, actress Sharon Tate left an indelible mark on the world.
The style icon's life is celebrated with a new book Sharon Tate: Recollection (amazon.com, $23) available June 10. Compiled by her younger sister Debra Tate, the gorgeous book is filled with never-before-seen photographs paired with anecdotes and memories from her friends, co-stars, directors, and family.
We talked to author and little sister Debra Tate about the book and Sharon as she remembers her. What follows is an intimate look into the starlet's life and style; from her extraordinary work ethic to what cheap drugstore product kept her famous pout so perfect.
Get a sneak peek inside Sharon Tate Recollection now and read our interview with the author, Debra Tate, below.
Quote of Note
"I’d like to be an American Catherine Deneuve." —Sharon Tate on her career
What were her favorite beauty products?Her favorite beauty product was simple Vaseline, for her lips. She also liked Yardley clear lip gloss, and used her brown Max Factor eyebrow pencil as a lip liner. For skincare, she preferred Erno Laszlo and she never went to bed with her makeup on. Sharon wasn’t into perfume, as she was scent sensitive. Instead she made her own custom blend of essential oils, usually including tea rose. She also loved a bath product called “Milk and Pearls.” I still have her last bottle.
Do you still have any of Sharon’s clothes or jewelry? Do you hope to pass them down to your daughter?I do have a large amount of Sharon’s clothes and jewelry. It’s all kept in a climate controlled environment. My daughter is a fashion designer and I know we both plan to keep the collection in the family.
What inspired you to write this book and dig up all these incredible pictures and tributes from people who knew your sister?I had always wanted to write a book about Sharon. For many years she had been in the public’s consciousness for a specific reason—and then I noticed a change. New generations began to appreciate Sharon for who she was. Fan websites started appearing, fashion blogs regularly featured her as a sixties fashion icon, and major celebrities even referenced Sharon as the style inspiration for their magazine editorials and red carpet appearances. The idea for the book was not to present a traditional biography, but to carefully assemble photographs and pair them with recollections from myself, Sharon's friends, costars and work associates, and even Sharon herself. I hope by doing this, it will give her current and future fans a sense of who Sharon really was.
Recollection
Exquisite
Teen Dream
The Fearless Vampire Killers
Here, a redheaded Tate dressed in denim takes a break on the set of 1967's The Fearless Vampire Killers. Said friend Warren Beatty of her beauty, "I have never seen a woman who could stop traffic with her beauty like Sharon, and that in town like Hollywood, known for its gorgeous girls!"
Beauty Queen
Only a Look
Model Perfect
Valley of the Dolls
Tate's most iconic role was in 1967's Valley of the Dolls. "Being in Sharon's presence was being enveloped in grace," said he co-star Patty Duke. "Her inner beauty superseded her outer beauty, if you can imagine."
The Starlet
Photographer David Bailey remembered Tate as naturally exquisite. In Sharon Tate: Recollection, he is quoted as saying. "Even caught off-guard, Sharon was a study of elegance and poise." Here, a quiet moment in 1967 is captured on the set of Valley of the Dolls.
