The world thought Kate Moss was making an original fashion statement when she accessorized her silver lamé outfit at last year’s MET Gala with a turban, but the look definitively belongs to an original New York nightlife icon, Zelda Kaplan, who started donning headgear before heroine chic was even a term. Kaplan, who recently celebrated her 94th birthday, has been an original fashion muse on the scene since reinventing herself as a New York personality in the 1960’s. Since then, she rarely misses a night out on the town, a glass of champagne in hand, everything topped off with her signature turban or over-sized shades—or both. More recently, she became interested in humanitarian efforts in Africa, where she travels frequently to speak on the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation (and where she acquires her authentic tribal garb).

“Remember, sweetie,” she once told us, “don’t call until four or five in the afternoon. Otherwise, I’ll still be in bed.” Once risen, the girl about town makes a small meal then calls up her crew to decide where the party will be. Before Bungalow closed a few years back, she would close down the bar, heading home just before dawn in her bold prints, sheer materials, and of course, her signature turban.

Her joie de vivre was outlined in a New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/19/nyregion/citypeople-the-amazing-zelda.html?pagewanted=2 ''I want to be an example for young people so they aren't afraid of growing old and a lesson to old people that you can be productive. You don't have to sit around and wait for death.''

Zelda turned 94 last week at Orsay's Entre Nous in a sheer top, dark bra, and high-waisted silk pants, all pulled off with more elan and more style than most of the junior fashionistas present.

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