Image Credits: The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor at christies December 3-17, 2011. Read more about the auction at Christie’s.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Endless Star Power

Recently, Naomi Campbell, revealed that she has been wearing fashionable (but comfy) caftans previously owned by the famous British-American actress, businesswoman, and humanitarian, Elizabeth Taylor. From one fashion icon to another, Campbell’s simple quarantine outfit puts the spotlight back on a well-loved celebrity known for her violet eyes and captivating beauty.

From a young age, Elizabeth Taylor had always been in the spotlight. She then successfully grew into one of the most popular stars of the classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s and continued to be one of the most sought-after actresses well into the 1960s. The American Film Institute even named her as the seventh greatest female screen legend in 1999.

Later in life, her status as a renowned actress was further solidified when she passed away in 2011, with celebrity illustrator David Downton honoring her for ROUGE Magazine’s Winter 2011/12 issue.

The influential V Magazine devoted an entire Fall 2011 issue #73 with fashion’s biggest models honoring Taylor. Her icon status continued with the London’s Financial Times How To Spend It Magazine celebrating Elizabeth Taylor in a Lily Aldridge editorial in March 2018. (See articles widget at end of story.)

IMAGE credit: Elizabeth Taylor with her parents at the Stork Club in 1947. Via Wiki Commons.

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

Throughout the years, the name Elizabeth Taylor has become synonymous with volatile and strong-willed characters, including the historical Cleopatra, whom she portrayed in the 1963 film of the same name. The epic drama was the highest-grossing film during its time with over $57.7 million box-office earnings in the United States and Canada. The film also received nine nominations and won four awards at the 36th Academy Awards. The lavish film, its intricate production design and extravagant costumes, as well as Elizabeth Taylor’s effective acting, played a crucial role in introducing the Ancient Egyptian style that continues to influence multiple industries up to this day.

Image left: Cleopatra by Joseph L. Mankiewicz with elizabeth taylor, 1963 is available on Art.com as a print.

Image Credit: Elizabeth Taylor as ‘Cleopatra Studio Shot’. via IMDbTV.

Dr. Hazel Clark of Parsons School of Design explained that the film effectively revived the interest of the public over shimmery metallic fabrics, Grecian drapings, one-shouldered gowns and heavy, ornate bib necklaces. It also brought hieroglyphic, geographic and gold-heavy designs into mainstream America. Even online gaming has not been immune to this influence, with Foxy Bingo showcasing several Egyptian-themed games such as the Prism Eye, Legacy of Ra and Jewel Scarabs that are heavily influenced by Taylor’s classic film. The iconic looks Elizabeth Taylor exhibited in the film also continue to inspire makeup artists across the world, with Billy Porter donning a Cleopatra-inspired look for the 2019 Met Gala.

Image Credit: Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Aside from being an icon for style and fashion, the award-winning actress is also known for rallying various social causes and participating in charitable work. She was one of the first celebrities to participate in HIV/AIDS activism after being frustrated by the fact that there was not enough being done to combat the disease. Elizabeth Taylor even hosted the first AIDS fundraiser to benefit the AIDS Project Los Angeles in 1984 and later on founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991. The foundation, which continues to be supported by her estate even after her death and receives 25% of royalties from the use of her image and name, recently provided $1 million for HIV/AIDS programs.

Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Taylor Testifying before Congress on funding HIV/AIDS Research. Posted on Twitter Jun 20, 2019

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s Twitter account honored Taylor’s HIV/AIDS work during #PrideMonth. In 2019 Leader Pelosi shared a picture of the two women, tweeting: “29 years ago, I sat alongside Elizabeth Taylor to testify before Congress on the fight for funding to fight the AIDS epidemic. The LGBTQ community continues to be disproportionately impacted by AIDS. We cannot forget their fight is everybody’s fight.”

Pelosi’s words resonate deeply in our current global health COVID-19 crisis. Years after her death, Elizabeth Taylor continues to be one of the most iconic stars, celebrated not only for her eternal beauty and elegance but also for her kind and beautiful heart coupled with her fierce activism and embrace of science.