Glitter in the Sky: Chelita Secunda

The Lady Who Started It All – Glam Rock's Sparkling Stylist

Chelita Secunda (née Salvatori), born January 1, 1945, in London, England, was a glamorous journalist, fashion stylist, and PR maven whose bold vision ignited the glam rock era. As the wife of T. Rex manager Tony Secunda and a key collaborator with Marc Bolan, she transformed raw rock talent into a glittering spectacle, famously applying the first flecks of glitter to Bolan's cheeks and curating his iconic wardrobe. Dubbed "the lady that started it all," Chelita's flair for the dramatic bridged swinging Sixties London with the flamboyant Seventies, leaving a shimmering legacy in music and style before her tragic passing.

Early Life

Born into a wealthy white Trinidadian family in London; her mother, Connie, instilled a sense of exotic elegance and social savvy.

Grew up amid post-war London's cultural ferment, rubbing shoulders with the elite from a young age.

By her teens, Chelita was immersed in the fashion and media worlds, honing her eye for trends and her knack for promotion as an aspiring journalist.

Career and Influence in Glam Rock

Emerged as a Sixties "It girl," mingling with icons like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones while building a career in PR and styling.

In 1970, employed by June Child (Marc Bolan's wife) as publicist for T. Rex, where she quickly became Bolan's personal assistant and stylist during the band's explosive transition from folkish Tyrannosaurus Rex to glam superstars.

Took Bolan on a whirlwind shopping spree through women's boutiques, outfitting him in feather boas, embroidered jackets, and satin shirts that defined his elfin, androgynous allure—pivotal for hits like "Ride a White Swan."

Famously, as producer Tony Visconti recalled, "Chelita saw that Marc was very pretty. It was her idea to take Marc round town... She threw glitter on his cheeks" for T. Rex's March 1971 Top of the Pops performance of "Hot Love," a spontaneous act that birthed the glitter aesthetic and influenced David Bowie, Slade, and the entire glam movement.

Made a cameo appearance in Bolan's 1972 film Born to Boogie, directed by Ringo Starr, capturing her vibrant presence in the rock elite's inner circle.

Her styling extended beyond T. Rex, shaping the visual language of glam rock with its mix of high fashion, theatricality, and rebellion.

Personal Life and Later Years

Married Tony Secunda, T. Rex's manager from 1970–1971, with whom she had one daughter; the marriage later dissolved amid the era's turbulent rock lifestyle.

Briefly dated T. Rex percussionist Mickey Finn during the band's heyday, further embedding her in the group's bohemian world.

After parting ways with the Secundas, Chelita continued in fashion and journalism but grappled with the excesses of the scene, including long-term struggles with drug addiction.

Passed away on March 7, 2000, at age 55, from a heart attack in Marrakech, Morocco, a poignant end to a life of sparkle and shadow.

Legacy

Chelita's single swipe of glitter on Bolan's face in 1971 is credited with kickstarting a style revolution that pulsed through glam rock and beyond, proving that image could be as potent as sound.

Her story highlights the unsung women who fueled the movement's fire, blending PR savvy with artistic daring to elevate T. Rex from underground darlings to chart conquerors.

At what would be 80 in 2025, Chelita endures as a symbol of glam's audacious heart—exotic, innovative, and eternally effervescent, her influence still sparkling in every sequined stage outfit.

Sources Used:

Bolan World (mistymist.wordpress.com/discography/get-it-on/chelita-secunda/)

IMDb Biography (imdb.com/name/nm0781211/bio/)

Marc-Bolan.net (marc-bolan.net/biography/biography-5.html)

FamousFix (famousfix.com/topic/chelita-secunda)

Irish Independent (independent.ie/entertainment/music/the-children-of-marc-bolans-glam-rock-revolution/40882720.html)

The Guardian (theguardian.com/fashion/2020/jun/22/glitter-and-curls-marc-bolan-and-the-birth-of-glam-rock-style)

Far Out Magazine (faroutmagazine.co.uk/marc-bolan-glitter-chelita-secunda/) [Note: Derived from search results for Visconti quote]