Diana Vreeland

Diana Vreeland, born as Diana Dalziel, on July 29, 1903 in Paris, France, was a noted columnist and editor in the field of fashion.

Vreeland's family emigrated to the United States at the outbreak of World War I, and moved to 15 East 77th Street in New York, where they became prominent figures in society.

On March 1, 1924, she married Thomas Reed Vreeland, a banker with whom she would have two sons.

After their honeymoon, the newlyweds moved to Albany, New York and raised their two sons staying there until 1929. They then moved to 17 Hanover Terrace, Regent's Park, London, previously the home of Wilkie Collins and Edmund Gosse. During her time in London, she danced with the Tiller Girls. Like Syrie Maugham and Elsie de Wolfe, other society women that ran their own boutiques, Diana operated a lingerie business near Berkeley Square whose clients included Wallis Simpson and Mona Williams. While living in London, she lived a luxurious life. She enjoyed playing tennis with Gertrude Lawrence in Regent's Park every morning.

She often visited Paris, where she would buy her clothes, mostly from Chanel, whom she had met in 1926. She was one of fifteen American women presented to King George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Palace on May 18, 1933.

Her publishing career began in 1936 as columnist for Harper's Bazaar. Over the next 25 years she worked closely with Louise Dahl-Wolfe and became Fashion Editor for the magazine. Diana Vreeland advised Jacqueline Kennedy in matters of style when Mrs. Kennedy was first lady. She joined Vogue in 1963, where she was editor-in-chief until 1971, when she was fired. During her tenure at the magazine she discovered Edie Sedgwick.

In 1937, her husband's job brought them back to New York, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. He died in 1967.

She became consultant to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1971. Artist Greer Lankton created a life size portrait doll of Vreeland that is on display at the museum.