SCANDAL IN VENEZIA

photography courtesy of Karen L. Marshall

photography courtesy of Karen L. Marshall

photography courtesy of Karen L. Marshall

photography courtesy of Karen L. Marshall

photography courtesy of Karen L. Marshall

The first line of Miss Lambert's bio says a lot:

Eleanor Lambert was one of the outstanding publicists in America in fashion, interior design, and other areas of the arts, philanthropy and contemporary taste.

Even though this blog is called EMPRESS of FASHION, Miss Lambert's reach extended far beyond fashion. In fact, she began her career representing artists and opera stars who at that time were the biggest celebrities of their day. In 1930, Eleanor Lambert was involved in the opening and founding of the Whitney Museum of Art. As Press Director, one of her suggestions was for the Whitney to sponsor the American Pavilion at the Venice Biennale to take place in 1934. The cost of shipping 101 works of art to Venice was generously underwritten by the Hearst Corporation.

But things in Europe did not go exactly as planned, in May 1934, Miss Lambert was in Venice trying to have Polish painter Tade Styka's portrait of Marion Davies, William Randolf Hearst’s mistress, removed from the Venice Biennale’s American Pavilion sponsored by the Whitney. Seymour Berkson, the general manager of Hearst’s International News Syndicate, was in charge of Hearst operations in Europe and was under orders to make sure that the picture stayed. Miss Lambert and the Whitney demanded that the picture be removed. Miss Lambert liked things her way -- she could be very tough and extremely persistent, but Seymour Berkson also liked things his way and he could be just as tough and and just as persistent...

to be continued...

A very special thank you to Karen L. Marshall, from the non-profit organization Save Venice for allowing the EMPRESS OF FASHION blog use of her photography. As you can see, her work is truly amazing. Miss Lambert thought so too and was a avid collector of Karen L. Marshall's photography during her life.

AT THE WHITE HOUSE

left to right: (back row) Jo Stafford, Eleanor Lambert, Angela Lansbury, Helen Sioussat, Eddie Bracken, Paul Henreid, Zachary Scott, Alexis Smith, Cesar Romero and Lucy Monroe. left to right: (front row): Van Johnson, Ilene Woods, Diana Lynne, Margaret Truman, Margaret O'Brien, President Harry S. Truman, First Lady Bess Truman and Constance Moore.

photos courtesy of Harry S. Truman Presidential Museum & Library

Close up of Eleanor Lambert and Angela Lansbury

The caption of this photo from the President Truman archives described this photo as "Top Hollywood Stars and Truman family participate in Roosevelt Birthday Ball activities at the White House."

The Roosevelt Birthday Ball was annual fundraiser for the March of Dimes for many years. Miss Lambert created, oversaw and produced numerous events and fundraisers over the years for the March of Dimes. This photo includes the biggest stars in Hollywood of the time.

UNDERSTANDING TODAY

Eleanor Lambert and John Tiffany, photo by Patrick McMullan

If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.

-Pearl Buck

When my brother Thomas saw this picture, he told me that he really admired the fact that I moved to New York City and worked for "that lady with the turban." Later on, he told me he was impressed and inspired that I had done something I really wanted to do in my life - which was to work in fashion. I told him that one of the things I also really wanted to do was create a film project that would capture Eleanor Lambert, her life, and all of her accomplishments. He thought it was a great idea and said he hoped I would do it, I promised I would. This was the last conversation I had with Tom before he died on this day nine years ago.

Today, this project of telling the story of Eleanor Lambert has grown into a few big pieces. Not only is there the Empress of Fashion blog, but I am also in the process of producing a documentary and book on her incredible life. The response lately has been incredible!

I would just like to say THANK YOU to everyone who has logged on, sent emails, become fans of this blog, the FaceBook and the Twitter this first week! I hope you will continue to share this blog with your friends and come back in the days, weeks and months ahead as more will be shared and revealed...

MISS LAMBERT SAID IT BEST...

Eleanor Lambert, photo by Peter Fink, Paris

“You cannot separate people, their yearnings, their dreams,

and their inborn vanity from their interest in clothes.”

-Eleanor Lambert

Miss Lambert understood that fashion is not only an idea for the wealthy or the elite but it is something that captures the attention and the imagination of all people regardless of their situation in life.

THEY CAME FROM INDIANA... Part I HALSTON

A young Halston

"Halston of Bergdorf Goodman" with actress Anita Cobb 1965, photo by Ormond Gigli

photo of Halston in the 1970s by Andy Warhol

Harper's Bazaar editorial spread 1970s, photo by Bill King

Halston at his NYC townhouse, photo by Harry Benson

There are lots of successful people in the fashion business from all over the world, but it seems that there has been an inordinate amount of fashion talent from Indiana. Halston made his way to New York from Evansville, Indiana via Chicago.

Halston's first job in New York was working for the famous hat designer Lilly Dache, who happened to be a long-time client of Eleanor Lambert. Miss Lambert had an amazing eye for recognizing new talent... and soon she was promoting Halston too!

Halston won the first of numerous Coty Awards beginning in 1962. In the early 1960s he was the famous hat designer "Halston of Bergdorf Goodman" designing hats for Jackie Kennedy. In the 1970s, he reached the height of his fame and his designs helped to define the decade and American style. Bill Blass said it best:

"Halston was really the first American designer to make

an original statement,

particularly in a time when fashion

was so derivative of European designs,

it sounds corny,

but he was the quintessential American designer."

-Bill Blass

NEW YORK WAS HER CITY...

Photography by Karl Giant

I began this project because I have a passion for Eleanor Lambert. She had vision, tenacity and drive. She had an impeccable eye for talent. She loved new ideas and interesting people.

Her tireless work, not only in fashion, but in so many areas of our culture touches us daily. She created the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), organized fashion week, started the Coty Awards and The International Best Dressed List, she created the Costume Institute at the Met, the Costume Gala and of course she championed fashion designers, turning them into stars, superstars and some... legends. The list of her accomplishments goes on and on - keep logging on, because we are going to talk about all of it! But, it would be impossible to capture the essence of Miss Lambert without talking about the city as a central character in her life.

New York was her city, she knew it well and she loved it. It was her home for nearly 80 years. Forbes Magazine once said of Eleanor Lambert: "She treats New York like a small town." Indeed she did.

Miss Lambert spoke about her affection for New York just before her 100th birthday. ''Every idea gets a hearing in New York,'' said Miss Lambert, ''And if no one agrees with you, then you better get another idea.''

MAINBOCHER

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day.

Before she became the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson stayed with Eleanor Lambert in New York City and together they assembled Wallis' wedding trousseau. The Duchess ended up wearing a pale blue Mainbocher dress on her wedding day.

Mainbocher (pronounced "MaineBocker") is one of only two Americans who have shown couture in Paris under their own name (the other is Ralph Rucci). Mainbocher established his house in 1929, he successfully operated in Paris (1929-1939) and then in New York (1940-1971). I bet you'll never guess who did public relations for him?