Artist and socialite, born in New York City, USA. As an heiress she was involved in a widely publicized poor little rich girl custody suit at age 10. She achieved notoriety for her four marriages, but considerable respect for her work as a painter, stage and film actress, author, and (after the late 1960s) designer of housewares and fashion.
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (born February 20, 1924) is an American artist, actress, and socialite most noted as a spokeswoman for designer blue jeans.
Early life and heiress status
Vanderbilt is the only child of railroad heir Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880-1925) and his second wife, Gloria Laura Mercedes Morgan (1904-1965).
She became heiress to a four million dollar trust fund upon her father's death of alcohol poisoning when she was just 15 months old. The rights to control this trust fund while Vanderbilt was a minor belonged to her mother, also named Gloria. They were accompanied by a nanny named Dodo who would play a tumultuous part in young Gloria's life, and Gloria's twin sister Thelma, who was the girlfriend of The Prince of Wales during this time . As a result of the frequent spending, her finances were scrutinized by young Gloria's aunt Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Testimony was heard depicting the mother as an unfit parent, much of which was conjecture and hearsay, but as the widow Vanderbilt was mostly concerned about her use of the trust and not the particular care of her daughter, the court battle was easily lost and Little Gloria became the ward of her Aunt Gertrude.
Marriages, relationships and children
Gloria was raised amidst luxury at her aunt Gertrude's mansion, surrounded by cousins her age who lived in houses circling the vast estate.
Gloria went to the best schools and was raised to be a lady by a large staff and no one else. When Gloria came of age and took control of her trust fund, she cut her mother off entirely, eventually gradually helping out in bits and pieces.
Without a single day of preparation for her inheritance Gloria decided to prove her independence by buying a mink coat and running off to Hollywood where she married agent Pasquale DiCicco ("Pat" DiCicco) in 1941;
Her second marriage, to conductor Leopold Stokowski on April 21, 1945, produced two sons, Leopold Stanislaus Stokowski, born in 1950, and Christopher Stokowski, born in 1952;
Professional career and later life
Vanderbilt studied art at the Art Students League of New York.
During the 1970s, she licensed the use of her name on a line of fashion eyeglasses, perfume and clothing.
Vanderbilt also appeared in a series of television ads promoting her products. Her designer label has flourished, with the Gloria Vanderbilt "swan" logo eventually appearing on dresses and perfume as well.
Author of:
Once upon a Time: A True Story A Mother's Story, which recounts the story of her son Carter's death It Seemed Important at the Time: A Romance MemoirSubject of:
Trio: Oona Chaplin, Carol Matthau, Gloria Vanderbilt: Portrait of an Intimate Friendship by Aram Saroyan Little Gloria... Happy at Last by Barbara Goldsmith That Vanderbilt Woman by Philip Van RensselaerFashion Designers:
House of MainbocherWebsite:
/ Gloria Vanderbilt on the web
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