Mary McFadden, 1938 – 2024

Fashion designer Mary McFadden, 85, died on Sept. 13. McFadden’s clothes were noted for their hand-painting, beading, jewels and pleating; she picked up many of these embellishments on her worldwide travels. Married 11 times (“each person was a different experience”), she started her career as public relations director at Christian Dior and as an editor for Vogue Paris. McFadden started her own label in 1976 (and shuttered it two years ago). Besides clothing, she also designed (or at least put her name to) eyeglasses, shoes, home furnishings, and sleepwear. Earlier this year, McFadden told Women’s Wear Daily, “I didn’t have any ‘competition.’ The competition was to stay in business, to be profitable and to be successful.”