Dorian Leigh
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Featured:  Illustration: Portrait fantaisiste du marquis de Sade (1866) by H. Biberstein |
Dorian Leigh (born Dorian Elizabeth Leigh Parker; April 23 1917 – July 7 2008) was an American fashion model who is considered by some to be the world's first supermodel.
She worked from the late 1940s to the 1960s, at a time when modeling for photographs was considered the most prestigious segment of the profession. Photographic models were paid more than those who worked fashion shows and considered themselves above such work. While in demand as a cover girl, Leigh also became the signature model for the cosmetic line, Fire and Ice, for Revlon. It is believed that she was an inspiration for the Audrey Hepburn character in the film musical, Funny Face as well the character Holly Golightly in Truman Capote's novel Breakfast at Tiffany's.
After ending her career as a model, Leigh opened her own modeling agency in Paris, but, due to the illegal activities of her fourth husband, the agency had to be closed down. Leigh then became a chef and caterer in Paris, New York and Italy. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she lived in Pound Ridge, New York, where she made pâtés for delicatessens and specialty food shops, according to a profile in The New York Times by Enid Nemy.
In 1980, Leigh published an autobiography, The Girl Who Had Everything (Doubleday). She also had poems published in The New Yorker.
