Pick yourself up – dust yourself off

And start all over again – today I feature the legendary Carmen Dell’Orefice.

At 13, she was spotted by the wife of a photographer, getting off a bus in her native New York City; the following year, she sat for Salvador Dalí – who gave her a painting in addition to the $7 she officially earned for modeling for him – before going on to work with the most celebrated photographers of the 20th century, including Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson and Richard Avedon. A victim of Bernie Madoff, who defrauded Carmen to the tune of several million dollars in his infamous Ponzi scheme. She is fabulous and wise and clearly nothing phases her – After Bernie lost all of her money she let the industry know that she was in a pickle and needed to work again – and she is in high demand. At 83 years young – she quotes, ‘Sure I might feel more secure with my little fortune at my disposal in my old age, but the loss of it doesn’t change who I am as I never changed my lifestyle,’ she reasons. ‘How many beds can I sleep in one night? How many roofs over my head do I need? I don’t need that much. So if you’re faced with times of adversity – Pick yourself up – dust yourself off and start all over again – keep your strength – focus on you and you will rise!