Patricia Altschul Mourns the Loss of "Closest" Friend and "Style Icon" Mario Buatta
Renowned interior decorator Buatta, who was known as the "Prince of Chintz," had a 30-year bond with the Southern Charm matriarch.
Acclaimed interior designer Mario Buatta, 82, died Monday after a battle with pneumonia. His flair for over-the-top extravagance earned him a celebrity clientele that included Malcolm Forbes, Barbara Walters, Billy Joel, and Mariah Carey. And his love of chintz, a printed cotton fabric that's been glazed, earned him the nickname "Prince of Chintz."
One of his dear friends was Patricia Altschul, and the Southern Charm matriarch paid her first tribute to her late friend on Instagram.
"Today we have lost one of the great legends and style icons of our time, the 'Prince of Chintz' Mario Buatta," she captioned a picture of them together. "We were the closest of friends for over 30 years....I miss you already."
Patricia recently shared a look at her former apartment in New York City that Buatta designed that is now worth a whopping $19 million.
