Each month or so, Vintage Voice features a praiseworthy, fashion lovin' Babe du Jour. In 1895 Consuelo Vanderbilt, then one of the richest heiresses in America, was forced into a loveless marriage with the 8th Duke of Marlborough by her social-climbing vulture of a mom. Though the Duke (a singularly phlegmatic man, ineptly nicknamed "Sunny") didn't much care for Americans, their $2.5 million dowry was ok by him. The Duchess later poured millions more into the restoration of Blenheim, a decrepit heap at the time of her marriage; it is still one of the great showplaces of Britain today. She was an early and ardent feminist, and devoted her time and money to worthy causes. In 1907 she was separated from her husband; they were divorced in 1921. A very happy second marriage followed, to famous French aviator Jacques Balsan. Consuelo Vanderbilt was one of the great beauties of her age; her elegance and glamor are celebrated in almost every contemporary mention of her name. She was a compassionate and intelligent woman whose memoir, The Glitter and the Gold, provides an absorbing, if somewhat sober, portrait of the Gilded Age. |
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