Elizabeth Taylor—The Business of Glamour

 

As word spread this week of Elizabeth Taylor’s death at age 79, the fashion and style world displayed an outpouring of lamentations generally reserved for royalty. Indeed, one of the most iconic figures in style and entertainment from the last century, Miss Taylor was a legend of unrivaled stature. Her elegant past as a Hollywood starlet, her influential role in modern fashion, and her compassionate use of celebrity to further social causes—all of this and more will be remembered for years to come by generations of fans and followers.

Miss Taylor stands out among the superstar entertainers of the 20^th Century for many reasons. Not only was she a stunning beauty with talent to match, but her business acumen and charitable work proved that she was a unique woman of unusual depth and character.

After starring in some of the most beloved films of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, (National Velvet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cleopatra) Miss Taylor went on to distinguish herself as one of the trendsetters and tastemakers in worldwide fashion. Notorious for opulent diamonds, historic pearls, and larger-than-life outfits, she set the stage for generations of aspiring superstars.

In the 80’s Elizabeth Taylor stepped into the fashion world as an entrepreneur, releasing a line of fragrances, starting with Passion in 1987, and followed by White Diamonds in 1991, which went on to become the highest-selling celebrity perfume of all time. Her line of perfumes is still a top seller nearly 25 years later, with White Diamonds seeing $70 million in sales last year.

As an activist and philanthropist Miss Taylor raised the standard for celebrity involvement. One of the first celebrities to champion the cause of AIDS awareness, she founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and amfAR. Recent reports have stated that the actress willed the bulk of her estate, estimated to be at least $600 million, to these charities.

Unlike many celebrities who become super-famous at a young age, Miss Taylor was able to make wise investments and sound business decisions over the decades. Besides fragrances, the actress diversified her branding to include a line of costume jewelry for Avon, a line that continues to be Avon’s most sought after jewelry. Despite her glamorous reputation, Miss Taylor was considered a “savvy, steely-eyed business woman” according to ABC News. She is expected to be listed along with Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson on Forbe’s annual Top-Earning Dead Celebrities rankings.

We here at BMS would like to salute Elizabeth Taylor for leading a truly glamorous life and for proving that style and business can be a successful combination. We hope her commitment to charity and humanity will be an example for everyone else involved in fashion, glamour and style.

To make a donation to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation follow this link:

http://www.elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org/how-you-can-help

JW Yates

New York City, New York

March 25^th, 2011

 

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