Gloria Vanderbilt‘s birth completes 101 years on Feb. 20. The artist, author and socialite was born in New York City, as the only child of railroad heir Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt and Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt. She studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse and art at the Art Students League of New York. She worked as a model during her teen years and later entered the fashion business with a collection of scarves that feature her paintings. The line was transformed in the late 1970s into a denim brand, Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans.
Vanderbilt wrote three novels, including “Never Say Good-Bye: A Novel” and “Obsession: An Erotic Tale,” two books on art and home decor and four volumes of memoirs. She was married four times; her last husband was author Wyatt Emory Cooper, with whom she had two kids, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper and CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper.
Vanderbilt died at 95 years old in 2019. Here, WWD takes a look back at her life, career and style.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1966
Image Credit: WWD A couple in masks arriving at Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza Hotel in New York City
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1967
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Portrait of Gloria Vanderbilt.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1970
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt and guests attend Adolfo Sardini’s summer 1970 ready-to-wear collection debut at the St. Regis Hotel.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1972
Image Credit: Getty Images American author and actor Wyatt Emory Cooper and heiress Gloria Vanderbilt Cooper sit with their sons, Carter (1965 – 1988) and Anderson Cooper.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1972
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt (L) dances with Dr. Harold Bedell at an event during the Swan Ball weekend in Nashville, Tenn., in June 1972.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1975
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt poses for portraits at home in New York City on Sept. 3, 1975.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1976
Image Credit: WWD Portrait of Gloria Vanderbilt.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1979
Image Credit: WWD Gordon Parks (L) and Gloria Vanderbilt (R) at the “Woman to Woman” book release party in New York City on Feb. 8, 1979.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1981
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt (C) prepares for filming during production of “The Love Boat” at the 20th Century-Fox lot in Century City, Calif., on Feb. 3, 1981.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1982
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt and her kids, Anderson Cooper and Carter Vanderbilt Cooper.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1982
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt (C) signs autographs during a launch event for the fragrance “Vanderbilt” at the flagship location of the Macy’s retail chain in New York City on March 8, 1982.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1982
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt (seated) signs autographs during a launch event for the fragrance “Vanderbilt” at the flagship location of the Macy’s retail chain in New York City on March 8, 1982.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1982
Image Credit: WWD Gordon Parks and Gloria Vanderbilt attend a party at Mark Goodson’s New York City residence on April 16, 1982.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1983
Image Credit: WWD (L-R) Gloria Vanderbilt, Anderson Cooper, Carter Cooper, Bobby Short and a guest attend a party at Anne Slater’s New York City apartment on Dec. 12, 1983.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1983
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt and son Anderson Cooper attend a party at the Center for Inter-American Relations in New York City on June 13, 1983.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1985
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt attends the White House Reception for Charles and Diana in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, 1985.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1987
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt poses for portraits in her New York City home on March 11, 1987.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 1987
Image Credit: WWD Gloria Vanderbilt poses for portraits in her New York City home on March 11, 1987.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 2010
Image Credit: John Aquino Gloria Vanderbilt (L) and her son Anderson Cooper attend Ralph Lauren’s book party for “The World of Gloria Vanderbilt” at the Ralph Lauren flagship in New York.
-
Gloria Vanderbilt, 2016
Image Credit: Getty Images Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper in conversation at Barnes & Noble Union Square on April 7, 2016, in New York City.