The Swans

With all the hype about the film Black Swan, thoughts turn to the other swans of yore: Truman Capote's famous "Swans," the bevy of beautiful socials who constituted Capote's circle of international hostesses and confidantes of the 1950's and 60's. Known for their long, graceful necks--hence the "swan" metaphor--these icons of femininity represented the ultimate in looks, style, elegance and the tenor of the times.


Mexican-born Gloria Guinness...




The beautiful CZ Guest, whose hair Capote once described as "champagne," shown here with Woolworth heir Jimmy Donahue...




Babe Paley...


Here with husband, CBS titan Bill Paley...


Marella Agnelli, wife of Fiat founder Gianni...




Slim Keith, once married to Howard Hawks and Leland Hayward, the inspiration for Lauren Bacall's style in her classic film roles with Bogie

All were invited to Capote's famous Black and White Ball. These were the days when men of power reigned, having chosen decorative and immensely capable consorts whose role was to advance and enhance the personal, professional and private social lives of their men. Today it seems almost quaint for a woman with as much skill and personal eclat as a Babe Paley, for example, to obsess over perfection to such a degree as to cut the then-serrated edges off postage stamps to give mailed correspondence a more elegant touch. Their existences, while seemingly spectacular, had the predictable sadnesses, tragedies and stresses that life lived at such a Zeussian altitude often produces.

These Swans live on in the vast trove of photographic archives chronicling their global comings-and-goings. A book about all of them would seem a nice idea.

ABL