Audrey Hepburn- ambassador of fashion- GentleWoman series

Audrey Hepburn – the most iconic figure in the world of fashion and cinema. A woman whose elegance made history in the pages of world fashion. Her style is not just her clothes but her personality. Elegance was a way of being for Hepburn. She carried herself casually but exquisitely, and this is what made her figure etched in everyone’s memory.

What is fashion?

Fashion influences our lifestyle. Fashion, on the other hand, is influenced by cultural changes, such as progressive modernization including technological innovations in all areas of human activity and art reflecting new artistic concepts. All these factors provide designers with innovative ideas and concepts that find their final dimension in clothing. They, in turn, are the determinants of current trends. Trends would only be concepts if it weren’t for the personalities that make them a reality. Fashion, a new style, must have its relay. A person who is known to the general public and who can thus promote a new image, a role model. Thus become a style icon of its time. An example to others, an inspiration to the public. This applies mainly to the world of women’s fashion. Gentlemen, they attach importance to unchanging patterns of behavior and dress. Partly being snobs, they are eager to conform to the impeccable manners and dress of Agent 007. Women are more liberated. They seek to express themselves, rather than moral norms imposed from above. It is in their expression of being a woman that the success of new fashion trends lies. It is they, and not men, who boldly take on fashion challenges, thus changing reality, while also becoming forerunners of moral change. Changes that directly affect the rigid masculine image of a gentleman.

Audrey Hepburn - fashion ambassador — Photo: Audrey Hepburn – fashion icon

Spectacular simplicity

I think most of us remember New York City at dawn, 5th Avenue, the cab stops in front of Tiffany‘s store. Audrey Hepburn gets out, dressed in a black dress, the epitome of spectacular simplicity. This outfit, which became legendary, was the work of Hubert de Givenchy , who designed the satin dress for the actress. Complementing the creation was a necklace Tiffany with multiple rows of pearls and a brooch in her hair. Blake Edwards’ film is today a reference point for timeless fashion trends.

The worlds of cinema and fashion are inextricably linked. This does not mean that every actress can become a role model. Not every fashion designer will create costumes for every actress. This “something” is needed. Beauty, class, magnetic appeal, natural beauty and yet impeccable manner. In other words, Gentle Women. All this was represented by Audrey Hepburn.

Who was Audrey Hepburn?

Audrey Kathleen Hepburn-Ruston, known as Audrey Hepburn, was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels as the daughter of wealthy Dutch baroness Ella Van Heemstra and Irish pensioner Joseph Hepburn-Ruston. The British actress, who made her Broadway debut in 1940, became a muse of American cinema and a fashion icon. The sober and elegant style of this beautiful brunette, who has become a monument to American cinema, will remain forever enshrined in the history of world fashion. She had to wait until 1953 to get her first major film role, in the movie “Roman Holiday,” for which she was crowned with an Oscar for Best Actress. Since then, her acting career has really taken off. Everyone succumbed to his charms. The Givenchy fashion designer is no exception to the rule and has made her the face of his brand. Audrey Hepburn became a model. In 1954, the artist said “I do” to Mel Ferrer, with whom she had a son named Sean, in 1960. The relationship lasted fourteen years. The announcement of their breakup coincides with the end of the actress’ career. In 1969, she remarried Andrea Dotti, an Italian psychologist. In 1970, the couple welcomed their second child, Luca, into the world. Everything beautiful comes to an end someday. They parted ways in 1982. Audrey Hepburn moved to Switzerland with actor Robert Wolders. She fell ill with cancer and died on January 20, 1993, after many years of struggle.

A class by itself

Audrey Hepburn is considered one of the most fascinating and elegant women in the world. Just wearing even the most exquisite clothes, ahead of current fashion trends, is not enough. It is necessary to have a “personality,” a “class in itself,” a behavior, a way of expressing one’s personality. Audrey met all these requirements. A combination of uncommon individuality dressed in avant-garde creations. A magical blend that has marked a way of being for many women for centuries. She was fascinated by classical dance and at the age of just eleven decided to become a dancer. She entered the conservatory and became a student of Vinya Marova, who immediately noticed the girl’s extraordinary talent. In Audrey’s time there was no social media and yet she became an icon and even an influencer in today’s understanding of the word. What she did, every performance or interview, every character she played, was the essence of femininity. A little black dress and a pearl necklace are not enough. Her success was not determined by her closet, but by her attitude. More than externally, it is necessary to “copy” her interior and work on it: it was her “soul “that made her mesmerizing with every gesture and the style was only a supplement

Audrey Hepburn - actress, model — Photo: Audrey Hepburn

An unusual symbol of femininity

“A woman’s beauty does not depend on her clothes, her appearance or the way she does her hair. A woman’s beauty must be seen through her eyes, because it is the gateway to her heart, the place where she resides that I adore.” She said. Audrey’s charm and elegance were the opposite of actresses of the same era, such as Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor. Monroe, for example, was considered the greatest sex symbol of his time thanks to his lavish forms. In comparison, Audrey was considered too tall and too skinny. However, she had a gift for attracting attention and seducing everyone, men and women alike, with her face, gaze, regal headgear, good manners and aristocratic education. She did not exude obvious sex appeal, yet she became a symbol of femininity. Audrey Hepburn wore clothes in a casually refined manner, unlike all other actresses. This was the essential point of his character. Freedom to be yourself, to express your femininity. Full of charm, elegance and originality.

Audrey Hepburn’s acting career

In 1953, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the film “Roman Holiday.” By 1966, she was performing with some of Hollywood’s greatest actors. She starred alongside Fred Astaire in the musical “Drôle de frimousse” in 1957, and later met Gary Cooper in “Ariane” in 1957, Anthony Perkins in “Vertes Demeures” in 1959. In 1961, she returned in “Diamonds on the Sofa,” after a year’s absence from the screen. With this role, she truly became a cinema icon, a success that was confirmed by “My Fait Lady” in 1964.

At the age of 38, she decided to take a break from her acting career to devote herself to her children. In 1976, however, she returned to cinematography and agreed to shoot under Richard Lester in Roses and Arrows. She last appeared in Steven Spielberg’s 1989 film
In 1999, the American Film Institute named her the third best actress of all time in 100 years.

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UNICEF Ambassador

Committed to humanitarian causes, Audrey Hepburn became a UNICEF ambassador in 1988. She traveled to Africa and Latin America and sought to raise awareness of the problem of disadvantaged children. She made her mark in the fashion world. A friend and muse of Hubert de Givenchy. It was to him that she owed her look, the emergence of a new style. The little black dress and pearl necklace, it was in it Her outfits on screen and in life were as emblematic of her time and the evolution of fashion in the second half of the 20th century. They have become timeless. Advertising photograms of “Diamants sur canapé,” released in 1961, found themselves punished on the walls of thousands of teenage girls’ rooms, as did many of the outfits worn by the star throughout her career – her little black diamond dress on the sofa or her simple turtleneck in “Drôle de frimousse” (1957) – are now the definition of cult attire.

The charm is in the details

This style, this elegance has always been part of his personality. “Fashion invaded my life when I got my first dress tailored by Hubert de Givenchy, it was extremely beautiful,” Audrey said. Her creations have become iconic. No shoe is associated with her as much as ballerinas; she wore tiaras; earrings; an oversized white shirt; nonchalant elegance, wearing a blouse and a long skirt curved at the waist. But it was in the details that the charm of her look lay: cheeky rolled-up sleeves, scarf, ice cream in hand, all happening on the winding streets of the Italian capital in the film “Roman Holiday.” Givenchy’s white lace dress, paired with a waist belt, launched a long series of extraordinary gala outfits over the next few years, making floral lace a must-have fabric for the most elegant actresses of future generations. The pants she wore varied from monochrome, blue and pink. Black turtleneck worn by the actress in the dance scene of “Drôle de frimousse” (1957). Bright red top, with jeans and sneakers. Thin, ribbed sweater worn over a shirt.

Fashion icon

Fashion icon, the irreplaceable Audrey Hepburn, model and movie star. Her recognizable look continues to inspire women around the world. her sense of style marked a new era in the fashion world. Audrey Hepburn did not follow the trends of her time, she created her own fashion. Allied with her friend Hubert de Givenchy. “Audrey knew perfectly how to dress and what to wear. The result was always remarkable, because her face and style became my style. “- Hubert de Givenchy. “Givenchy’s clothes are the only ones I feel myself in. She is more than a stylist, she is a personality creator.” – Audrey Hepburn