Hilton Mc Connico’s collection fo cactus glasses was commissioned by Daum in 1984
Hilton Mc Connico started out in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was born in 1943, as a debutante dress designer and was lucky enough to meet Grace Mirabella at American Vogue in the 1960’s. She recommended that he move to Paris where he found work with Ted Lapidus. Very soon he was working on movie sets as a decorator and he did the decors of “Diva“, the magical film by Jean Jacques Beneix shot at Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord which revealed Wilhelmina Wiggins Fernandez as an opera singer.
Hilton Mc Connico died on January 29
He was an artist, a photographer, a decorator and became a full time designer in the 1980’s. His shop on rue Madame was full of eccentric objects and he started a collaboration with Daum and Saint Louis, the glassware manufacturer. His cactuses were in every magazine and Parisian dining room. He also worked closely with Jean Louis Dumas at Hermès and was a revered furniture and lamp designer after having worked in the movies.
One of his cactus chaise longue
The ashtray designed by Mc Connico for the restaurant le Toupary
When in 1994, La Samaritaine opened its fabulous restaurant, Le TOUPARY, overlooking the Seine, he designed it and I still have a little ashtray from the opening with the phone number of the restaurant on the back.
Hilton Mc Connico died at 74 on January 29, and will be cremated this afternoon, Tuesday February 6, at 3.30 at Père Lachaise. His step son, Julien David filmed him in the last months of his life in a documentary where he shows all his sense of humor while facing his disease. His wife Jacqueline Ternier survives him.
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4 Comments on “Designer Hilton Mc Connico has left us”
Mac Cc Connico a été le scénographe de l’exposition Un Diamant dans la ville, Bijoux de Jean Schlumberger en 1993 au musée des Arts décoratifs (MAD), C’était un bonheur de travailler avec lui. Il dirigeait aussi les prises de vue pour les photos du catalogue. Il était très inventif et stimulant. Je garde de ce moment de merveilleux souvenirs.
Nous nous sommes beaucoup fréquentés pendant les fabuleuses années 60/70 lorsque je travaillais pour les Tanneries du Puy. Il recevait délicieusement dans son rez-de-chaussée entièrement peint de fresques à la Douanier Rousseau avec Polly sa miniscule et extravagante maman qui ne portait que des shorts en satin de grands couturiers. Il était aussi charmant et délicieusement bien élevé que bourré de talents. Son décès m’attriste beaucoup.
Quelle tristesse. Hilton est parti beaucoup trop tôt. Il était charmant dans le bon sens du mot. Il avait aussi beaucoup d’humour et un talent indéniable pour tout ce qu’il entreprenait.
Je l’ai rencontré pour la première fois dans les années 60 et je l’ai photographié souvent au fil du temps.
Il restera dans nos souvenirs.
I knew him as Joe way back in the 50s and 60s in Memphis. He was always creating art that nobody else was daring to do. Thank goodness the bigger world got to experience his talent.