Ira von Fürstenberg (1940–2024), princess, socialite, and actress
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3 min readIra von Fürstenberg was an Italian princess and mid-century style icon who had a film career in the 1960s and ‘70s.
- Died: February 18, 2024 (Who else died on February 18?)
- Details of death: Died at her home in Rome at the age of 83.
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Ira von Fürstenberg’s legacy
Born Virginia Carolina Theresa Pancrazia Galdina Prinzessin zu Fürstenberg, she was a princess by birth, a member of the House of Fürstenberg. She began modeling in her early teens, and she wasn’t much older than that when she received a marriage proposal by a prince, via telegram. Spain’s Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1924–2003) wooed von Fürstenberg, who was less than half his age, after allegedly seeing her in a vision upon surviving a plane crash.
Von Fürstenberg said yes, and the two were married when she was just 15 in 1955. Considered Italy’s “wedding of the century,” the celebration was widely publicized, but the marriage was relatively short-lived. By 1961, the couple had divorced and von Fürstenberg had remarried, this time to Brazilian playboy-industrialist Francisco “Baby” Pignatari (1916–1977). An even shorter marriage they were divorced by 1964 it was also von Fürstenberg’s last; she remained unmarried from her mid-20s through her death.
Within a few years, von Fürstenberg had launched her film career, beginning with the Dino De Laurentiis (1919–2010) spy spoof “Matchless.” She continued appearing in films for a decade and a half, largely in Europe, with highlights including “I Killed Rasputin,” “Dead Run,” and “The Vatican Affair.”
Later, von Fürstenberg parlayed her status as a fashion icon into a position with Valentino, leading the perfume division. Her friendship with Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019) helped him launch his own fashion career. She also designed jewelry and objets d’art. A regular in gossip columns and stylish magazines for much of her life, von Fürstenberg was known for tantalizing tidbits like the fact that Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) once asked her to pose nude (she declined) and the solid-gold taps on the bathtub in her Paris home.
Notable quote
“For me, style is about wearing the right thing at the right moment, which can be difficult. Many people overdress or dress down. It’s difficult to find that middle way.” from a 2023 interview for Financial Times
Tributes to Ira von Fürstenberg
Full obituary: The Washington Post
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