Luciana Pignatelli
Luciana Pignatelli (13 January 1935 – 13 October 2008)[1][2][3] was an Italian socialite who was a social arbiter, spokesmodel for Camay soap, and a jewelry designer.[1]
Contents
Background
Born Luciana Malgeri, she was the daughter of journalist Francesco Malgeri and his wife, Nelida Lenci, previously Countess Crespi. She had a half-brother, Count Rodolfo Crespi,[1][4] husband of Vogue editor Consuelo Crespi.
Marriages
On 20 June 1954, Luciana Malgeri married Prince Don Nicolò Maria Pignatelli Aragon Cortès, 17th Prince of Noia (born 22 May 1923), a Gulf Oil executive. He is a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, 19th Duke of Terranova, 17th Prince of Castelvetrano, Prince of Maida, Prince of Valle, Duke of Bellosguardo, Duke of Girifalco, Duke of Orta, 19th Marquess of Cerchiara, 19th Marquess of Avola, Marquess of Favara, Marquess of Caronia, Marquess of Borghetto, Count of Celano, Baron of Casteltermini, Baron of Menfi, and Patrician of Naples.[5] The marriage was annulled in 1968. The couple had two children: Princess Donna Fabrizia (born 30 January 1956), married to Stephen Fiamma; and Prince Don Diego (born 21 May 1958), a managing director of Warburg Dillon Read in Italy, who married Cristina Prandoni Porta.[4]
In 1970, Luciana Pignatelli married Burt Simms Avedon, then the president of Eve of Roma, who is a cousin of the photographer Richard Avedon. By this marriage she had three stepdaughters. They divorced circa 1980.[4]
Books
As Princess Luciana Pignatelli, she was the author of The Beautiful People's Beauty Book (McCall, 1970), which was described as "a straightforward approach to narcissism".[6]
As Luciana Avedon, she was the author of The Beautiful People's Diet Book (Bantam, 1973) and Luciana Avedon's Body Book (Henry Holt, 1976).
All three books were co-written with Jeanne Molli.
Television
In the 1970s, as Luciana Pignatelli, she became the spokesperson for the soap Camay, appearing in national and international television commercials. Her performances were called "strangely somnambulistic" by cultural critic Camille Paglia.[7]
Corporate career
Pignatelli was the European fashion coordinator of Eve of Roma, a cosmetics company.[4]
Honors
She was named to the International Best-Dressed List in 1966.[8]
Death
In 2008 Pignatelli Avedon ended her life with an overdose of medication and alcohol.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mary Tannen, "Why We Love Fashion? It's a Challenge—An Unfinished Woman", The New York Times, 23 February 2003
- ↑ "Mirror, Mirror", Time, 15 March 1971
- ↑ http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/news/2008_3.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Burt Avedon is Fiancé of Luciana Pignatelli", The New York Times, 3 April 1970
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ [3]
- ↑ "Best-Dressed Women of the Year Named", The New York Times, 14 January 1966
- ↑ Mention of Pignatelli's death
