Cameron Silver

Early life

Cameron was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Beverly Hills. Silver did an album for Hollywood Records called Berlin to Babylon.

Decades

Since fashion philanthropist Cameron Silver opened the doors of Decades in 1997, the dress code in Los Angeles has irrevocably changed due – in large part – to Silver exhorting his frequently-photographed, trendsetting clientele to “dress up!” Located at 8214 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, CA, the store rapidly gained popularity and quickly became one of the foremost high-end vintage stores in the world. A cult celebrity following was not long in coming; Silver and decades are known for dressing a whose-who of American celebrities from Chloe Sevigny, to Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow, Dita von Teese, Rihanna, Lady Gaga.

Cameron’s rise in influence and popularity has risen alongside Decades’. Today, he is a favorite pundit on E! Entertainment, the Style Network and “Fashion File.” Pulling looks from Decades’ deep closets, he styles celebrities for major red carpet awards appearances like the Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards. He has also written about luxury, from shopping to travel to his front row perch at the haute couture presentations, for Harpers Bazaar (UK), C Magazine, Departures, Style.com, and others. He made headlines in conjunction with the 2012 Met Ball, by wearing a costume Nicole Miller suit based on a 1986 Miller print with a vintage Schiaparelli sequined blowfish cane.

Collaborations

While curating some of the most comprehensive collections of vintage fashions, Silver has also collaborated with some of the greatest names in fashion of our time. He is frequently tapped both as public emissary and secret weapon to consult on everything from re-imagining a brand’s identity to navigating its global launch. He has been linked with such storied brands as Pringle and Boucheron, for whom he has been an official brand ambassador, and Azzaro, for whom he served as creative consultant.

In association with Decades, Silver has also joined forces with a variety of other industry forces. In 2012, he collaborated with Modern Vintage to design a shoe capsule collection which showcased the styles four different decades. He launched the collection in association with Gilt.com, and has since been selling the shoes in both the decades boutique and at the decades trunk shows nationwide. Collaborations also include Mriam Haskell for decades (creative directed). Worked with Hermes, Costume National, Loro Piana, Samsonite.

Philanthropy

Silver’s passion for good design extends beyond the realm of fashion. He was among the first to recognize the disappearing architectural legacy of Los Angeles’ great modernist homes, and scooped up a crumbling hillside 1930 treasure by icon R.M. Schindler which he spent eight years meticulously restoring. The L.A. Conservancy awarded the efforts, the house was landmarked, and it has appeared on the covers of shelter magazines and in several books.

Silver has also been heavily involved in several nationwide philanthropic movements, largely with the purpose of making art available to the public. Accordingly, he has worked with some of the biggest institutions in the country, from the Met, the LACMA, the MOCA for whom he most recently curated an exhibit (February 2012), and the Art of Elysium for who he recently partnered with for a featured film at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. The movie, Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution, is the perfect fit for a vintage connoisseur and historian such as Silver; he narrates the story of the restoration event at the famed French palace that became the fashion showdown that firmly established American sportswear.

In January 2012, The Art of Elysium recognized Silver as the year’s Visionary and creative force behind their Heaven gala. He also heavily involved with the Friends of The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2010, he served as the Honorary Chair of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ legendary Dada Ball.

In February 2012, in conjunction with the 2012 awards season, Silver guest curated an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Design Center in Los Angeles (MOCA). Entitled The Total Look: The Creative Collaboration Between Rudi Gernreich, Peggy Moffitt, and William Claxton, the collection celebrates the Los Angeles-based collaboration of the iconic model and the influential designer who helped make her famous.

Bravo show and Bloomsbury Book

2012 also marked the announcement of both a book and a TV show for Silver.

In April, Bravo announced their new line-up of new TV show for the next year including a reality docu-series centered on Cameron, Christos, and all things Decades. Following the two men’s fashion adventurous, the show is set to show off their exclusive and glamorous world of vintage couture filled with Givenchy, Balenciaga and Chanel.

Around the same time that the Bravo show is slated to begin, and to coincide with the showing of Spring 2013 collections, Silver will present his first book, Decades: A Century of Fashion showcasing an unexpected compilation of the most significant 20th century fashions, as well as many of the celebrities he collaborated with over the years. The chic new coffee table tome by Bloomsbury is an in-depth, decade-by-decade guide to the most influential looks of the last century. Using photographs of everyone from Zelda Fitzgerald to Jackie O and including contributions and interviews from every arena of fashion influencer, from editors and icons to models and designers, the book is already being heralded as the next fashion bible.

Within 48 hours of release, the book sold out. The 2nd edition is shipping out right now.

He has appeared on CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose, Gayle, GMA, Ricki Lake.