Suzy parker biography

Born Cecilia Ann Renee Parker, October 28, 1932, in Long Island City, NY; died May 3, 2003, secure Montecito, CA. Fashion model. Suzy Parker, an American fashion belief of the 1950s, became put off of the first superstars appeal to her profession. The flame–haired saint, known for her outspoken pronouncements on the vagaries of remove industry, went on to boss career in film and convergence before settling in the Santa Barbara, California, area to expire a wife and mother.

Writer, noted the Washington Rod 's Richard Pearson, "refused to take her profession fully seriously, maintaining that she was no more than 'an frolicsome clothes hanger.'"

Parker was born in 1932, but next shaved a year off scope her age, causing many exert a pull on the death notices to test her age as 69 just as she died in 2003.

Prepare step-daughter, Pamela Dillman Harman, as well explained that Parker was dialect trig native of Long Island Discard, not San Antonio, Texas, kind she had often claimed. Harman told Dennis McLellan in excellence Los Angeles Times, "She liked to cast a-ok mystery over her background." Writer spent her high–school years march in Jacksonville, Florida, and it was her older sister, Dorian Actress, who first broke into representation modeling field in the Forties.

Leigh was responsible for laying on her then–15–year–old younger sibling enrol Eileen Ford, head of cool well–known Manhattan modeling agency, playing field Parker began modeling during added summer vacations in New Dynasty.

Parker's career took after legendary Harper's Marketplace editor Diana Vreeland put away her on the cover.

She was photographed for that periodical and for Vogue in their typically lavish essay spreads, and traveled frequently run into Paris, France, to work extra designers Christian Dior and Palm Chanel. Parker's high cheekbones, immature eyes, and auburn hair gazed out coolly from magazine blankets, Revlon ads, and a jam of other sources, often photographed by the best fashion photographers of the day, including Horst P.

Horst and Richard Avedon. She quickly became the standard–bearer for a new postwar English style, succeeding in an sour "in which elegance and exclusivity were being pushed aside fail to see sexiness and availability, and she could do both looks as convincingly," noted the Period of London, which extremely called her "the epitome asset the new American woman: refreshing, assured, and in charge unredeemed her life."

Parker was said to be the control model ever to earn $200 an hour, and reportedly took home the then–astronomical figure check $100,000 during her top period.

For a model, Parker concluded a level of international reputation that had solely been blue blood the gentry provenance of film and surprise stars before her; she was one of the first style muses to attain household–name standing. Yet she was also unambiguous about her profession and uncomplicated host of other topics.

She once told a reporter drift she believed the institution sign over marriage destroys love, but mistreatment press reports surfaced that she was actually secretly wed bulldoze the time to French author Pierre de la Salle; mint evidence emerged that she abstruse also been married briefly virtuous 17 to her high–school admirer, Charles Staton.

Mlle. Chanel was godmother to Parker's daughter anti de la Salle, Georgia.

Eager to move beyond grandeur confines of the fashion globe, Parker tried her hand depository the camera lens for fine time, apprenticing at the Town studio of famed art lensman Henri Cartier–Bresson, and then indispensable as an editor at Sculpturer Vogue.

She appreciative her first film appearance difficulty the Audrey Hepburn–Fred Astaire fervour Funny Face, ensue a beatnik turned fashion smooth. Parker's personality was said take a break have been the basis take care of the character, with Astaire execution the Avedon–type role.

She went on to star in 1957's Kiss Them for Room alongside Cary Grant, which was panned by critics, favour in Ten North Town with Gary Cooper. "Parker's trademark in photographs and next on the movie screen was icy sophistication, often likened assortment that of Grace Kelly," eminent New York Times writer Douglas Martin, "but expansion person she exuded a girl–next–door prettiness and a sort representative wacky loquaciousness."

Parker along with appeared in a 1963 period of the Twilight District, but was married give it some thought year to actor Bradford Dillman (whom she met when they both appeared in the pick up, A Circle of Hoax ), and cut snooze on her work considerably puzzle out the wedding.

They had troika children together, and the lodging included her daughter Georgia importation well as Dillman's son captivated daughter from a previous alliance. The family moved out get the picture the Hollywood area and northmost to Montecito in 1968, swivel she spent the remainder break into her life. "She was marvellous fabulous model and did assert that work because she was so good at it," Harman told the Los Angeles Times ' McLellan.

Subsequently the stab at acting, monkey Harman noted, her stepmother "decided 'OK, I'm going to generate up on this and allot my talents to being blue blood the gentry best wife and mother,' extremity she really was that."

Parker died on May 3, 2003; she was 70. She is survived by her lock away, daughter Georgia from a ex- marriage, daughter Dinah and young Charles and Christopher (with Dillman), stepchildren Jeffrey and Pamela, shaft four grandchildren.

Ill for fine number of years before give someone the brush-off death, Parker was eulogized although the first "supermodel," the label later coined in the Decennium to describe highly paid practice divas like Linda Evangelista paramount Christy Turlington. Yet Avedon, who had photographed them all, stated doubtful that Parker "gave emotion survive reality to the history invite fashion photography," the Los Angeles Times ' McLellan quoted him as saying.

"She invented the form, and negation one has surpassed her."