Dorian Leigh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dorian Leigh | |
 Dorian Leigh for Jacques Heim |
|
| Birth name | Dorian Elizabeth Leigh Parker |
| Date of birth | November 4, 1919 |
| Place of birth | San Antonio, Texas |
| Spouse(s) | Marshall Hawkins (divorced) Admiral Roger Mehle (divorced) Serge Bordat (divorced) Iddo Ben-Gurion (divorced) |
Dorian Leigh, (born Dorian Elizabeth Leigh Parker, April 23, 1919) is considered by some to be world's first supermodel, although others believe that title belongs to Lisa Fonssagrives.[1]
She worked in the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, in a time when modeling for photographs was considered the most prestigious segment of the profession (photographic models were paid more than those who worked fashion shows and considered themselves above such work). While in demand as a cover girl, Dorian Leigh also became the signature model of Fire and Ice for Revlon. It is believed that she is the inspiration for Funny Face.
In 1980, Dorian published an autobiography "The girl who had everything". [2]. She was married four times and is the mother of five children;
- Marshall Hawkins (divorced): Two children, Thomas and Marsha Hawkins
- Roger Mehle, later Admiral Roger Mehle (divorce): a daughter, Young Eve Mehle (later du Bois, later married Mike Paciello, an Episcopal priest)
- Serge Bordat (divorced): one daughter, Miranda (by another man)
- Iddo Ben-Gurion (divorced)
Leigh also had a son, Kim, by Alfonso de Portago, a Spanish marquess and race car driver. Kim de Portago killed himself by jumping out of a window in 1977. According to Leigh, she wrote her autobiography for him; "I really wrote it for Kim, who will never read it. But perhaps other Kim's and their parents may learn from my unhappy experiences."
In her professional life, Leigh modeled from the mid 40s to the mid 60s. She opened her own agency in Paris, but, due to the illegal activities of her husband, Iddo, the agency had to be closed down. Instead, Dorian took up her long love of cooking and became a chef in Paris, New York and Italy.
In 2003, obituaries for her younger sister, and fellow model, Suzy Parker indicated that Dorian Leigh, in her 80s, was living in Paris.
Wikipedia stories for her sister Suzy Parker indicate they were from Long Island and New Jersey, but in actuality their family was from San Antonio, Texas. Along with her sisters, Georgiabell, Florian, and Suzy, the family moved to Pomona Park, Florida when they were children.
Dorian Leigh brought sister Suzy Parker into the limelight when Suzy was a teenager.
[edit] References
- ^ Gross, Michael: "Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women", 2003, Harper Paperbacks, ISBN 0060541636
- ^ "The girl who had everything", 1980, A Ginger Book, ISBN 978-0553142648
[edit] External links
- A Belgian tribute page
- Chapter of "Fire and Ice" telling of Revlon's founder's dealing with Dorian Leigh (preceding chapter tells of the "Fire and Ice" campaign itself, in which Leigh starred and from which the book was titled)
