This week's Icon is the marvellous Audrey Hepburn.
How can you not be pulled in by her pixie charm, one of the Hollywood greats, a true style icon if there was ever one. Forever elegant, poised and exceptional this actress is still inspiring new generation.
Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston, aka Audrey Hepburn was born in 1929 in Belguim. She grew up in England, before moving to the Netherlands with her family. It was there that she got her first taste of film, appearing in her first film 'Nederland in Lessen'. She was a ballet dancer in Nazi - occupied Holland, dancing to earn money for the resistance she had to stop however as she suffered terribly from malnutrition and loss of muscle tone. Moving to London she filled her spare time working as a model, and with those looks why wouldn't she.
She continued to act on stage as a member of the chorus, slowing making her way to the lead roles. In 1951 she won a Theatre World Award for her part in the Broadway production of 'Gigi'. In the space of just two years she had filmed Roman Holiday and was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. This was the moment and performance that really bought her to the world stage. She was later nominated for the same award for her performance in the film Sabrina.
She continued to act on stage as well as in films, wining a Tony Award for another Broadway performance. For her role in The Nun's Story she was nominated for an Oscar, and won the New York Film Critics Award and a BAFTA for Best Actress.
The film that really marked her as a fashion icon was her performance as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's wearing what most people will say is the most famous LBD of them all. After the film was released even sales of the trench coat went up after she showed the world how modern and chic it could look.
The film Funny Face had designer Hubert de Givenchy designing the costumes, this sparked a real life friendship between the actress and designer. It was reported that she told reporters in 1956 that "His are the only clothes in which I am myself". Almost seems true of some of my other Wednesday Icon's Isabella Blow for example and Alexander McQueen. Hepburn of course became Givenchy's muse.
This wonderful women committed and devoted her time later in her life to charitable causes and was appointed the United Nations Children's Fund's official spokeswoman. After her death she was posthumously awarded a humanitarian award for her work with UNICEF.
Audrey Hepburn died in January 1993.
With her infamous bat-wing brows, big smile, pixie looks and shining eyes it's no surprise that we all fell in love with her and continue to. Her almost boyish slender figure, black cigarette pants with schoolboy pullovers, headscarves worn with oversized sunglasses. Her almost Parisian style still influences us today.
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