Gloria Vanderbilt

Great-great granddaughter to Cornelius, Gloria Vanderbilt is known for many things besides her family name . As an actress, artist, author, designer, socialite and heir, Vanderbilt has managed to build a legacy for herself as one of the most fascinating women of our time. As a child she was the subject of a bitter custody battle and in adulthood married four times.
Eventually she discovered her artist self and began to write poetry and paint. It was also during this time she partook in acting lessons and performed professionally for a short while. Working as a fine artist Vanderbilt finally turned her talent to commercial art and design in 1971 by creating a line of paper goods for Hallmark. A collection of scarves were taken from her work and Vanderbilt eventually licensed her name for a series of products including eyewear, clothing and perfume. Her swan logo and signature in script graced a successful line of tight fitting designer jeans in the 1970s and made her name mainstream. She was one of the first designers to make public appearances which gave her brand a face behind the name. Vanderbilt sold the rights to her name in 1978 and launched GV Ltd, her own fashion company.