Cecil Beaton was one of the leading British photographers of the
twentieth century. Beaton's early studio portraits of debutantes and
celebrities often involved elaborate theatrical backdrops, and helped
define the image of the '
Bright young thing'. Beaton was also an acclaimed designer for film and the stage, including
My Fair Lady (1956), the musical based on
George Bernard Shaw's play
Pygmalion. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of
My Fair Lady (1965) and for
Gigi (1958).
Princess Virginia von Fürstenberg (
Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina Prinzessin zu Fürstenberg; born 18 April 1940), known professionally as
Ira von Fürstenberg, is a European
socialite, actress, jewelry designer and former public relations manager for the fashion designer
Valentino Garavani. She is a member by birth of the princely family of
Fürstenberg and a former member by marriage of the princely family of
Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
Her first husband, whom she married at
Venice,
Italy, on 17 September 1955, was
Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1924–2003), who founded the
Marbella Club,
a Spanish resort. At the time of the wedding, the bride was 15 and the
groom was 31. They were divorced in 1960, and the marriage was annulled
in 1969.