Is it true that she’s still sticking to her story and that’s what makes her the longest-working model in history, even at 86 years old? Carmen Dell’Orefice was discovered on a crosstown bus on 57th Street in New York City, some 73 years ago when she was just 13 years old.
I cannot take my eyes off her for more than 20 years when I am in her company today. She is strikingly beautiful, that’s how she is. She is also one of the sweetest people on the planet. She is not a diva with a nine-foot-five-inch body. Although I have to admit that her bones are a bit more brittle these days. Her career began in the early 1950s with Harper’s Bazaar, and she has been following it with ongoing campaigns for Vanity Fair lingerie and Vogue. In September 1957, when she was already nearing retirement age for most models, Carmen brought Richard Avedon to Paris to shoot the collections. He was besotted with Suzy Parker, who was a close friend of mine and a year younger at the time. “Richard wanted to bring Carmen to Paris to shoot the collections for the September 1957 issue,” says Carmen. “He was besotted with Suzy Parker, who was a close friend of mine and a year younger.” Carmen says, “Diana twisted his arm.”
Fortunately, everything went smoothly and both models appeared beautifully in the feature. “We captured shots on the streets of Paris, including a famous one of me floating midair under an umbrella, and at the Folies-Bergère,” she recalls. Reflecting on the experience, she lamented, “He never said a word, but I could tell he was unhappy with me. He seemed to be fixated on every little flaw, even my hair length. Avedon eventually agreed, but insisted on having Suzy as a backup in case Carmen didn’t meet his expectations.”
With ease at the studio when he would play music, especially Porter Cole and others,” recalls Carmen. She says that working with Lillian Bassman was a completely different story altogether. Carmen posed for Lillian Bassman, a pioneering female photographer, and says that she was very quiet and slow, with a furtive eroticism, when she was shooting. She would half-close her eyes in the tightly cropped black-and-white photographs that had a lacing effect. “I didn’t mean to have signals to interpret,” Carmen says, referring to the photographer’s gestures and dancing around.
In April 1957, he took a photo of Carmen in a bistro in Paris, holding his camera in his hands as if he would soon be up in the sky, weather permitting. The truth is that he was far more interested in gliding. Gleb was not reliable at all and rather a bad boy. There were other photographers at Bazaar who told stories like Gleb did, such as Carmen and Derujinsky, who were eccentric.
In order to fulfill Mel’s fantasy, I was required to ascend a ladder alongside an assistant until I was able to position myself on the chair. The seams on the back of my clothing had been unfastened to accommodate this maneuver. The bike seat, connected to a pipe situated halfway up the wall, penetrated the smooth gray paper and was securely attached to a wall behind it. I relied solely on my strong thighs and the muscles in Cleopatra’s Clutch to maintain my balance. Carmen, featured in Melvin Sokolsky’s floating shot in the October 1960 edition, provides an explanation.
Recently, Carmen Petersen, the subject of an upcoming documentary titled “The Legend of Carmen Dell’Orefice,” went on an assignment in Beijing for four days. During this time, she underwent multiple surgeries, including one in the operating room for her hip. Tim Petersen, a photographer, and David Hall, a fashion illustrator, convinced her to let them follow her and document her fascinating life. Carmen’s life is like a magical ride on a rollercoaster, with glamorous events like galas and red carpet premieres, as well as everyday moments in drag queen shows, first-class suites, and couture fashion hospitals. She is known for her omnipresence and has become a true power star. Five years ago, Tim Petersen convinced her to let him photograph her, and he has been following her ever since. Now, he has convinced her to let him and David Hall create a documentary about her.
“If only. ‘Remember those wonderful days? I only wish I knew then what I know about you now,’ He paused for a few seconds, then out came these words. Pull up a chair. By all means, I replied. Dick came onto the set and asked, ‘Do you mind if I sit next to you?’ It was a huge production with all of this unnecessary busyness. Many years later, I was to be part of a TV commercial he was directing. “Fortunately, it has a nice ending,” she says. But even with all of the highs in Carmen’s life and career, it’s her onetime strained relationship with Avedon that sticks with her.”Output: “If only. ‘Recall those marvelous days? I solely desire I knew back then what I apprehend about you now,’ He paused for a few seconds, then out came these words. Take a seat. Without a doubt, I replied. Dick appeared on the set and asked, ‘Do you object if I sit next to you?’ It was an extensive production with all of this needless hustle and bustle. Many years later, I was to be a part of a TV commercial he was directing. “Thankfully, it has a pleasant conclusion,” she states. However, despite
This article originally appeared in the April 2018 edition of Harper’s Bazaar.