Elizabeth Arden
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225163112
2008-07-12T06:03:11Z
69.86.69.104
{{Infobox Person
| image = Elizabeth Arden NYWTS.jpg
| image_size = 150px |
| name = Elizabeth Arden
| caption = Elizabeth Arden (1939)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1878|12|31}}
| birth_place = [[Woodbridge, Ontario]], [[Canada]]
| death_date = {{death date|1966|10|19}}
| death_place = [[New York City]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| occupation = Businessman:<br>Cosmetics<br>Racehorse owner/breeder
}}
'''Elizabeth Arden''' ([[December 31]], [[1878]] - [[October 19]], [[1966]]) was a [[Canada|Canadian]] businesswoman who built a [[cosmetics]] empire in the [[United States]].
==Biography==
Arden was born '''Florence Nightingale Graham''' in [[Woodbridge, Ontario|Woodbridge]], [[Ontario]], where she lived until she was twenty-four years old. In [[1909]] Florence Nightingale Graham dropped out of nursing school in [[Toronto]]<ref>page 262, Frommer's Guide to Toronto 2004, by Hilary Davidson, ISBN 0-7645-4060-2</ref>.
She then joined her elder brother in [[New York City]], working briefly as a [[bookkeeper]] for the [[Bristol-Myers Squibb|E.R. Squibb Pharmaceuticals Company]]. While there, she spent hours in their lab, learning about skincare. She then worked - again briefly - for Eleanor Adair, an early beauty culturist, as a "treatment girl."
Still in 1909, Arden formed a partnership with Elizabeth Hubbard, another culturist. When the partnership dissolved, she [[coined]] the business name "Elizabeth Arden" from her former partner and from [[Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson|Tennyson]]'s poem "[[Enoch Arden]]".
In 1912, Arden travelled to [[France]] to learn beauty and facial [[massage]] techniques used in the [[Paris]] [[beauty salon]]s. She returned with a collection of [[Rouge (cosmetics)|rouge]]s and tinted powders she had created. In an era when it was only acceptable for stage performers to wear [[makeup]], Arden introduced modern eye makeup to North America. She also introduced the concept of the "makeover" in her salons.
Arden collaborated with A. Fabian Swanson, a chemist, to create a "fluffy" face cream. The success of the cream, called Venetian Cream Amoretta, and corresponding lotion, named ''Arden Skin Tonic'', led to a long-lasting business relationship. This revolutionized [[cosmetics]], bringing a scientific approach to formulations. other innovations included creating foundations that matched a person's skin tone; creating the idea of the "Total Look" in which [[lip]], [[cheek]], and [[fingernail]] colors matched or coordinated; and the first to make a cosmetics commercial shown in [[Film|movie]] houses.
During [[World War II]], Arden recognized the changing needs of the [[United States|American]] woman entering the work force. She showed women how to apply makeup and dress appropriately for careers outside the home. She created a lipstick called Montezuma Red, for the women in the [[armed forces]] that would match the red on their uniforms.
Although most of her commercial success was in cosmetics, she also pioneered restorative [[music]]al exercises based on [[yoga]]. She started a fashion business in [[1943]] with notable designers like Charles James and [[Oscar de la Renta]] on staff.
She began expanding her international operations in 1915, and started opening salons across the world, France and many other places. By the end of 1930s, it was said that "There are only three American names that are known in every single corner of the globe: [[Singer Corporation|Singer]] [[sewing machine]]s, [[Coca Cola]], and Elizabeth Arden." A fact proved by [[Heinrich Harrer]] in his book [[Seven Years in Tibet]], where he stated that it's possible to buy Arden's products -- even in Tibet.
From the 1930's through the 1960's, Elizabeth Arden was considered the most exclusive cosmetic brand, with celebrated patrons including [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], [[Queen Elizabeth II]], [[Marilyn Monroe]], [[Jacqueline Kennedy]], [[Marlene Dietrich]], [[Joan Crawford]], [[Wallis Simpson]] and [[Mamie Eisenhower]].
[[Image:Elizabeth Arden grave.jpg|thumb|The grave of Elizabeth Arden in [[Sleepy Hollow Cemetery]]]]She would use the name Maine Chance for her exclusive resort and health spa on Long Pond in [[Mount Vernon, Maine|Mount Vernon]], [[Maine]], catering to her wealthy clientele. At one time, the resort and its operating farm produced much of the food for the spa and was a significant employer in the town.
==Personal life==
In 1915 she married Thomas J. Lewis, a banker, thus becoming an American citizen. Arden's drive for success cost her [[marriage]] to Lewis. They divorced in [[1934]]. A second marriage to a [[Russia]]n [[prince]] only lasted 13 months.
==Thoroughbred horse racing==
Arden used the name [[Maine Chance Farm]] for her [[Thoroughbred]] [[horse racing]] and breeding operation in [[Lexington, Kentucky]]. In 1931 she had bought her first horse at the Fasig-Tipton sales at the [[Saratoga Race Course]] and in the nineteen forties and fifties she built Maine Chance Farm into a major force in American Thoroughbred horse racing. In 1945, Star Pilot and [[Beaugay Handicap|Beaugay]] were the [[Eclipse Award]] [[colt (horse)|colt]] and [[filly]] champions, and her stable was the leading money-winner in the United States. In 1947 her colt [[Jet Pilot]], trained and ridden by future [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame|Hall of Famers]] [[Tom Smith (trainer)|Tom Smith]] and [[Eric Guerin]] won the [[Kentucky Derby]]. Putting her on the cover of the May 6, 1946 issue of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine. In 1948, she also acquired the great [[filly]] [[Busher (horse)|Busher]] as a broodmare from a spectacular auction conducted by [[Louis B. Mayer]]. Busher was not only inducted into the [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]], she ranked #40 in [[Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century]]. In 1954, her filly "Fascinator," won the [[Kentucky Oaks]]. For her contribution to the racing industry, Elizabeth Arden Graham was posthumously inducted into the [[Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame]] in 2003.
==Elizabeth Arden today==
[[Image:Elizabeth Arden Graham footstone.jpg|thumb|The footstone of Elizabeth Arden]]In recognition of her contribution to the cosmetic industry, she was awarded the [[Légion d'Honneur]] by the French government in 1962. She died in [[New York City]] in 1966 and was interred in the [[Sleepy Hollow Cemetery]] in [[Sleepy Hollow, New York]] under the name Elizabeth N. Graham. Her estate was worth $30 to $40 million (US) and she had over a hundred salons worldwide.
Elizabeth Arden's cosmetics company continues to trade today, and was bought from [[Unilever]] in 2003 by FFI, a [[New York]] company. They changed their name to Elizabeth Arden, and are listed on the NASDAQ (RDEN). The past 'face' of Elizabeth Arden was [[Swedish people|Swedish]] [[supermodel]] [[Vendela Kirsebom]] during the late-1980s to the mid-1990s. The current 'face' of Elizabeth Arden is [[Catherine Zeta Jones]].
The company continues to offer color coordinated make-up sets, as well as an extensive line of skin care products and treatments.
Since Arden's death, some of the company's focus has shifted to the development of a number of fragrance lines. The company's signature fragrance is called "Red Door" named after their day spas which are called "Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salons". Other fragrance within their own line are "Fifth Avenue", "Green Tea", "Provocative Woman" and their newest, "Mediteranian". The company also holds the license to the [[Hilary Duff]] fragrances "[[With Love... Hilary Duff]]" and "[[Wrapped With Love...]]", and the [[Britney Spears]] fragrances "[[Curious (fragrance)|Curious]]", "[[Fantasy (fragrance)|Fantasy]]", "[[Curious: In Control]]", "[[Midnight Fantasy]]", and "[[Believe (fragrance)|Believe]]" ; [[Elizabeth Taylor]]'s "White Diamonds," "Passion," "Forever Elizabeth," and "Gardenia"; [[Mariah Carey]]'s "[[M by Mariah Carey]]". In 2006 Elizabeth Arden acquired the fragrance portfolio from Riviera Concepts. The newly acquired brands include [[Alfred Sung]], the [[Hummer]] fragrance franchise, [[Cynthia Rowley]], Lulu Guinness, [[Bob Mackie]], and [[Badgley Mischka]].
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/arden.htm FBI dossier on Elizabeth Arden]
* [http://www.sleepyhollowcemetery.org Sleepy Hollow Cemetery]
* [http://shop.elizabetharden.com Elizabeth Arden, Inc. Homepage]
* [http://corporate.elizabetharden.com Elizabeth Arden, Inc. Corporate Information]
{{Cosmetics}}
{{Unilever}}
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME = Arden, Elizabeth
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Florence Nightingale Graham
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = businesswoman
|DATE OF BIRTH = [[December 31]], [[1878]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Woodbridge, Ontario|Woodbridge]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]
|DATE OF DEATH = [[October 19]], [[1966]]
|PLACE OF DEATH = [[New York City]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arden, Elizabeth}}
[[Category:1878 births]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:American businesspeople]]
[[Category:American racehorse owners and breeders]]
[[Category:Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Canadian immigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]]
[[Category:Eli Lilly and Company]]
[[Category:People from Vaughan, Ontario]]
[[Category:Unilever brands]]
[[Category:Skin care]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
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[[ja:エリザベス・アーデン]]
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[[ru:Элизабет Арден]]
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