Maxime de la Falaise (1922-2009)

Remembrance of things past – A beauty in her own right, Maxime de la Falaise passed away at home in Provence, France last Thursday, 30 April 2009. She was 86.

Ms. de la Falaise, an English beauty with dark hair and high cheekbones, was once a celebrated fashion model and muse for artists and designers of the mid-20th century such as Elsa Schiaparelli. Born to painter parents Sir Oswald Birley and Rhoda Vava Mary Lecky Pike, the family tree filled with successful artists, businesspeople, and academics, Maxime had it all combined and married to French count Alain de la Falaise only deepened her aristocratic air. She was for decades a trendsetter in London, Paris and New York society and worked with the world’s most eminent photographers and was a close associate of luminaries of fashion and art, including two most important figures: Yves Saint Laurent and Andy Warhol (she was considered The Factory’s mother). Famous photographer Cecil Beaton who often took her picture, was said to have called Ms. de la Falaise “the only truly chic Englishwoman of her generation”.

After moving to NYC, Ms. de la Falaise designed couture, sportswear, ready-to-wear and boutique clothes for various houses over the years; as well as furniture and rugs. She was later a consultant to Mr. Saint Laurent’s licensees in the United States, and later became a food columinist for <Vogue>, and published <Seven Centuries of English Cooking>. In 2004, The Independent of London called Ms. de la Falaise “one of the greatest living style icons.”

Maxime De la Falaise, the matriarch of a three-generation clan of international couture models died of natural causes, said her daughter Loulou, whose brother Alexis, friend Saint Laurent and now her mother passed away within the past few years. More news: Telegraph, NY Times, IHT