June 17, 2019
The model-turned-designer established a $100m empire that began with her signature jeans. But her personality was key to crafting that fortune
Gloria Vanderbilt: farewell fashions innovative heiress
Gloria Vanderbilt first ventured into the fashion world as a model. She was photographed by top names including Richard Avedon and Horst P Horst and appeared in Vogue as well as Harper’s Bazaar. It wasn’t until the 1970s, when Vanderbilt was in her 50s, that she established her design credentials, becoming an early pioneer of stretch jeans.
Vanderbilt worked with manufacturer Mohan Murjani to popularise jeans for women at a time when they were largely designed for men. She was among the first to use a famous family name in the marketing of a fashion line, emblazoning her signature across the back pocket of the famously fitted designs. The Amanda jeans which – as she put it – “really hug your derrière” cemented her place in fashion history, and proved innovative enough to spark a $100m (£79m) empire.

“The marketing of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans is one of the most dramatic American business success stories of the decade,” reported the New York Times in 1979. Yet her style legacy goes beyond the clothes she designed: as an heiress and socialite, Vanderbilt regularly featured in best-dressed lists. She expanded her product line to include other logoed items, as well as perfumes, sheets, shoes and accessories. Meanwhile, her friend Truman Capote is said to have based the character of Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s on her. The novella was famously made into a film starring another fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn.
Vanderbilt was admired by others within the industry, with fellow designer Roy Halston Frowick, AKA Halston, remarking that she had “become a professional in the most difficult, cutthroat business there is, and I say, ‘good show’.” Designer Diane von Fürstenberg, best known for popularising the wrap dress, also noted that Vanderbilt “tried to do many, many things for many, many years. The thing that you least associated her with – jeans – worked.”
Gloria Vanderbilt: farewell fashions innovative heiress
Like Lee Radziwill, who also died earlier this year, Vanderbilt might also be described as “the original influencer”, often appearing in person to promote the products bearing her name. From 1978 to 1984, she was reported to have earned more than $17m. However, by the time the Gloria Vanderbilt Apparel Corporation was sold to the Jones Apparel Group in 2002 for $100m, she had withdrawn all interest in the company.
“I’m not knocking inherited money,” she told the New York Times in 1985, “but the money I’ve made has a reality to me that inherited money doesn’t have.”
In a world where the denim industry has become king and worth an estimated £71bn, Vanderbilt’s passing will rightfully reflect on – and celebrate – the legacy she leaves behind.
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Double Mastectomy Procedure | E! News
March 13, 2024
kUaEV1Kd3S0
Travis Kelce Shares Details From His Trip to Singapore With Taylor Swift | E! News
March 13, 2024
3YXi-Dgf4eg
Kate Middleton VIRAL Photo: Agency Addresses Photoshop Claims | E! News
March 13, 2024
S4VkO0TpkCY
Da'Vine Joy Randolph Plays 'Smash or Pass' With Iconic Moments From Her Career
March 13, 2024
vkPdJEF2BX4
Jean Smart Wears a Hotel Bathrobe to Present an Award to Hannah Einbinder l Power of Comedy SxSW
March 12, 2024
Bw7uVEYQev4
Lenny Kravitz Walk of Fame Ceremony
March 12, 2024
MlWq8BcnwhE
Dak Prescott Extortion Plot & Steph Curry for President? | TMZ Sports Full Ep - 3/12/24
March 13, 2024
jHFsrjs7OFY
A Japanese space rocket blew up after takeoff Tuesday, turning the sky into a fireball of smoke.
March 13, 2024
YkfJ3Qg8B7c
#KimKardashian and #BiancaCensori hung out at #KanyeWest's listening party Tuesday night!
March 13, 2024
EfwLLq6bx9k
‘Pioneer Woman’ Ree Drummond denies using Ozempic to lose 60 pounds
March 13, 2024
Omfjk1AlZ3A
Chrissy Teigen reveals her ‘boob lift scars’ in daring dress at Jay-Z & Beyoncé’s Oscars 2024 party
March 13, 2024
VxZ2qXAlpmU
Zoë Kravitz pokes fun at dad Lenny Kravitz's style during Hollywood Walk of Fame speech
March 13, 2024
j3-lcFu_1sQ
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
SC Freiburg - Bayer Leverkusen
17
Mar
USA: Major League Soccer
Atlanta United - Orlando City
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
West Ham United - Aston Villa
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Rayo Vallecano - Real Betis
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Championship
Leeds - Millwall
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Las Palmas - Almeria
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Villarreal - Valencia
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Sevilla - Celta Vigo
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
09
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund
09
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Arsenal - Brentford
09
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Bologna - Inter Milan
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.