PAMELA DIGBY CHURCHILL HARRIMAN - MISTRESS TO PRINCE ALI SALMAN AGA KHAN

This month we continue our focus on Pamela Digby Churchill Harriman which began last month.  Digby was her maiden name. Churchill was her first married name which she kept; the name of her son by Randolph Churchill was named Winston after his grandfather. Harriman was her surname for her last, third marriage. Called The Courtesan of the 20th Century, this month we begin on her 20 year career as a Kept Woman.  Pamela proves to us that you can make the most of yourself and even become an important player in politics.  You can go from a not so terrific start to a very terrific finish.

In June of 1947, Pamela was in Paris when she met a man who some called an International Playboy, Aga Khan. (Prince Ali Salman Aga Khan had as a mistress the model Bettina when he died. Bettina Graziani, born Simon Micheline Bodine, was our Mistress of the Month for June 2015.) Aga was popular in English society. His mother was Italian and he was born in Italy. He was educated in England.
He had many conquests that included the wives of his friends.  He traveled constantly and seemed to have endless energy.  He was generous when it came to travel and accommodations to his friends though not with money or presents.  

In July of 1947 Aga and Pamela were known to be lovers.  The rumors were strong that he loved to give pleasure to women while holding back himself, that he liked to drive them crazy with passion for him. Pamela had the energy to keep up with this man. He afforded her travel on his private plane. She visited his house on the Riviera.  (See Mistresses of the Riviera, month of August 2018.)

Maybe Pamela Churchill was only a part of his harem, but her relationship with Aga Khan allowed her to mix with International society, where she continued to learn to be a social sophisticate and catered to powerful and monied men, while keeping herself open to the idea of an eventual husband.

Their relationship didn't work out. But Pamela stuck around after things cooled between them. It became a classic Pamela Churchill move.  She didn't take his big hint that it was over.  He even left her at one of his houses and didn't come back.  But also classic of Pamela was that they remained good friends.  And because she waited where she could meet more men, she did.  Gianni Agnelli.


C 2009 Mistress Manifesto Blogspot  All Rights Reserved
Primary reference for these posts is Sally Bedell Smith's book Reflected Glory.

MODELS of INFLUENCE by NIGEL BARKER : MISTRESS MANIFESTO BOOK REVIEW

MODELS OF INFLUENCE - 50 WOMEN WHO RESET THE COURSE OF FASHION by NIGEL BARKER.  (Can you identify the models on the cover photo?)  There are do many good pictures of the models in the book, but it's a wonder the editors could even choose which photos to feature!  Author Nigel Barker features a series of mini bios capturing the essence of each model and her contribution to the evolution of fashion, or perhaps that's fashion photography!

This book names fifty models who as the subtitle says, "reset the course of fashion," and you may be surprised when you read it that you know so many names and faces.  Is beauty a requirement?  Well, no!  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Presence - something that captivates others - is more important!

Some of these woman are of personal fascination to me, so I'll name them! 

DORIAN LEIGH started modeling at the old age of 27 and had already lived a "full" life, married with children unhappily, and some say her whole life was tormented.  She was able to emote so many emotions silently.  She was modeling from about 1944 on and worked nonstop, never shunning lingerie in those days way before Victoria's Secret, when to do so was considered slumming.

BETTINA GRAZIANI, who was our Mistress of the Month in June of 2015, also makes the list and I'm going to do a little "update" on her start page excerpting from this book!  JERRY HALL, who was out Mistress of the Month in April 2011, also makes this list; did you know she was discovered when wearing a hot pink crocheted bikini?

DOVIMA; you must have seen the classic photo of her in a sleek evening gown and long while gloves with the two elephants.

CARMEN DELL 'OREFICE is a woman with almost prenatural beauty because she managed to keep it though into her natural gray hair.  She admits that she worked more in her old age than she did in her 1950's modeling days, and considers herself "still a work in progress," when modeling at age 82!

LINDA EVANGELISTA, who according to this book never wanted to do anything else but model and never has, "no skin care lines, no acting, no television shows, no tell-all books..." (page 27 of 125 on the e-book.)

STEPHANIE SEYMOUR, who went to Europe and where "two auspicious relationships mixing business and pleasure would change the course of her life.  First in Paris, at just 16 years old she started seeing Elite's owner John Casablancas who was tw3ice her age and married... (page 82 of 175 of the e-book.)

CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, who has done over 1000 magazine covers, with a bit of a resemblance to Bridget Bardot.

KATE MOSS, who is credited for "taking the snobbishness out of fashion," and is known for keeping her own counsel - despite her high living.

I could go on, because this book does include some of the latest, youngest models who are making their careers hot right now...


C 2018 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot  All Rights Reserved

DECLARATION FOR MISTRESSES : Discretion

"Part of my discretion, is being careful what I say about others."

We can take some inspiration from Camilla - Duchess of Cornwall, in that she is thought of as a truly nice person, who never has an unkind word about anyone, which is what also has been said about Bettina, the supermodel who was the mistress of Ali Khan, who has also been a Mistress of the Month here at MISTRESS MANIFESTO BlogSpot.

Have you ever thought about how minding what you say about others is a part of discretion?

How many times have you repeated something about someone that turned out to not only be untrue, but hurt them not only personally, but in their relationships and their career? Gossips often have few interests other than spreading information about others to enhance their own low stature.

Please don't!

C 2016 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot

BETTINA : PARIS PHOTO MONTH FETE

The original title of this post was  SWITZERLAND  CIRCA 1957 - BETTINA IA SOCIETY WEDDING IN THE KHAN FAMILYS "EARLY ON THE SCENE" In this film Bettina is identified as Aly Khan's fiancée. Bettina is "early on the scene." The film expired and I can't find a replacement at this time. Never the less, I thought I'd keep this post up by featuring this newer video of PARIS PHOTO MONTH FETES 50's MODEL BETTINA.
It;s from 2014 and Bettina attended.

AMARIGE - CLASSIC PERFUME BOTTLE by HUBERT DE GIVENCHY

From Sephora (though this same image is all over!)

 

Here is what Sephora has to say about this perfume which has Neroli, Rosewood, Violet Leaves, Citrus Notes, Gardenia, Mimosa, Melon, Peach, Plum, Cashmereon Wood, Tonka Bean, and Vanilla scents.  Hey what is Cashmereon Wood?

 

"Amarige expresses the emotion of love at first sight. A romantic scent of grace, warmth, and fantasy for a spirited, confident, spontaneous woman. The Amarige bottle was inspired by a blouse once created by Hubert de Givenchy for his muse and style model, Bettina Graziella. A wide collar of gold—part-frosted, part-clear, part-opaline, part-flame—unveils the enchantment of the fragrance."

 

What beautiful wording!

SIMONE MICHELINE BODINE - "BETTINA" - THE FIRST SUPERMODEL and MISTRESS OF ALY KHAN - A JET SET ERA MISTRESS

UPDATE February 2018
 
MODELS OF INFLUENCE - 50 WOMEN WHO RESET THE COURSE OF FASHION by NIGEL BARKER.  (Can you identify the models on the cover photo?)  There are do many good pictures of the models in the book, but it's a wonder the editors could even choose which photos to feature!  Author Nigel Barker features a series of mini bios capturing the essence of each model and her contribution to the evolution of fashion, or perhaps that's fashion photography!

Here's what the book MODELS of INFLUENCE by Nigel Barker has to say about Bettina, which I read as an e-book, some of which I'll quote and some of which I'll paraphrase. 
"Gamine - with a freshness that broke through the aristocratic mold, Bettina Graziana had rock solid connection to the most influential designers of the age..."  She was photographed in dramatic black and white photos and became part of an in house team of fit and runway models but she started out modeling hats.  Despite the clothes she had to model, she was able to project a "spirited and natural" expression - mischievousness - a love of life.  By 1955 she was a society figure.  After the death of Aly Khan, she returned to Paris was couture director for designer Emanuel Ungaro.  (pages 36-38 of the e-book)

ORIGINAL POST from JUNE 3rd 2015:


SIMONE MICHELINE BODIN,  who used the modeling name Bettina, was one of the first supermodels.

When you think of hauteur, of high cheekbones, of elegant smoking, of millinery, the resurgence of which we have seen with the "fascinator" and all other outrageous hats worn by the Duchess of Cambridge and other aristocrats and their guests at the royal horse shows and weddings in Europe these days, while we all wonder "How do they keep those things on?," you begin to think of the models of Bettina's era, the late 1940's to early 1950's. 

They were all "class acts."   Even when they came from nowhere and nothing or had difficult personal lives.

Bettina went to Paris as a young woman hoping to get into fashion design, but instead she worked hard as a model and muse for several fashion designers and photographers.  She also helped organize shows and did the equivalent of PR and marketing too. Just about everyone she worked with became famous, if not rich, from their creativity.

She was red haired, freckled, and she wore barely-there makeup.  In 1952 fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy named his debut collection after her.  Of all the designers she worked for he seemed to be the one who loved her the most - as a muse and friend - and was most dedicated to her - for life.  He even named his first perfume Amarige for her.

Bettina married a society figure and photographer of the jet set named Gilbert Gaziani, called "Benno," briefly, but became entwined with a married man, screenwriter Peter Viertel, who left his pregnant wife to be with her.  Bettina may have been Viertel's mistress but come on, dump your wife when she is pregnant?   Bettina soon dumped Viertel, because she had met a better man.  Aly.

Bettina became an icon, even though she is said to have turned down a contract to act for 20th Century Fox studio.

BETTINA

AKA Bettina Graziani

born Simone Micheline Bodin

(1925  - 2015)

Image from Google Images - Fashion Addict

Bettina knew how to arrive.  She also knew when it was time to leave.

In 1955, at about age 29, having met Prince Ali Salman Aga Khan, a dedicated sportsman, horseman and horse owner, even sometime jockey, and playboy, she retired from modeling and was his mistress.  Kahn, born in 1911, was 15 years her senior, and a son of Aga Khan III, the head of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī Muslims.  His bad boy reputation meant that he would be passed over as the next head of the sect when his father died. In 1300 years that had never happened.

How bad was he?

When Bettina met her Prince, he as already twice divorced and the father of three children, and he had a thing for women who were not Muslims.  His own mother was Italian though, and he lived in a larger world, a not Muslim world, that encompassed Western culture.  A socialite who partied around the world seducing women, a member of the Jet Set, Aly's first marriage to the Honorable Joan Barbara Guiness (aka Barbara Yarde-Buller) took place only days after her divorce, and lasted from 1936-1949.  He ended that marriage to be with Hollywood movie star Rita Hayworth, but their marriage in 1949 only lasted till 1953 and by 1951 Rita was already threatening to divorce him.  He is known to have been a womanizer who sought out and conquered women of the aristocracy and claimed that he thought marriage would cure him of his compulsions.

On May 12th 1960, Aly Khan died soon after a car accident near Paris. He was driving and collided with another vehicle and everyone else including the driver of the other car, survived.  Now his fiancée after five years of mistressing, and pregnant with his child, which may have been Aly's reason for considering a third marriage, Bettina later miscarried.

After reading Bettina's obituary in the New York Times and an article saluting her from Vanity Fair, both published after her death this year, I found another article in the Sports Illustrated Vault from 1960 which said this:

"The death of Prince Aly Khan last week deprived horse racing of its foremost international figure; it also deprived our times of a man of quality.

In the fields Aly Khan chose for his own he had no peers. His horses were the best, his modern paintings were the best, his manners were the best and his women were the best. Then suddenly last Thursday night, on the gentle curve of a suburban Paris street while on his way to be guest of honor at a small dinner party.

 Aly's life of excellence ended

He had spent the day at Longchamp race track—"Don't play my horse today, I don't feel lucky," he told a friend—and then had gone home to dress for the evening in a blue tuxedo. Ready to leave his house at 10:15, he paused to telephone French industrialist Gerard Bonnet, his dinner host, to say he would be a little late. At his side as he took the wheel of his Lancia sports car was Bettina (real name: Simone Bodin), once the most elegant fashion model of France and Aly's mistress for years. A highly intelligent woman, Bettina was accepted by Paris society and by Aly's family as well."

In his pre-marital will, his fortune went mostly to his three children but Bettina was remembered with a $280,000 bequest.  A lot of money in those days for the likes of you or me but chump change considering his vast wealth.

Besides looks and talent and inspiration, as well as a volatile private life, what else was Bettina known for?  It is said that she never was one to speak negatively about anyone.  No mean spirited gossip for her.  What a gal!  (And isn't there so much else to talk about?)

She lived to the age of 89, and, true friend to the end, had dined out with Herbert recently.

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