Monday 1 September 2014

Helena Rubinstein

Helena "Chaja" Rubinstein


On 25 December 1872, the women of the world were given a Christmas present – Helena Rubinstein was born.

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Shortly before she died, Helena Rubinstein gave her secretary some advice: “When I die,” she said, “buy stock. It will go up until they know what’s in my Will.”

She was, as always, right. Her stock did go up – until her Will was published.

Sitting in lotus-position isolated in her huge bed under satin sheets, wearing a $4 cotton nightdress, blue-black chignon unravelling down to the small of her back, she read the financial section of the newspaper every morning of her life – horn-rimmed spectacles sliding down to the tip of her nose. A giantess; less than 5 feet tall.


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“The Nail Man” put in a bid (how could he not?), but Colgate got it and “sold it like soap”, sending the business plummeting to the depths.


Sally Blake
Unfinished
Date unknown