Mildred Albert facts for kids

Mildred Elizabeth Albert (born Levine; January 14, 1905 – August 26, 1991) was a very important person in the world of fashion. She was known as the "Mighty Atom" and Boston's "First Lady of Fashion." Mildred produced thousands of fashion shows. She also directed a modeling agency and was a radio and TV personality. She even wrote a column about society events.

Mildred started her own finishing school called Academie Moderne in 1936. Later, in 1944, she helped start the Hart Model Agency. Even after selling these businesses in 1981, she stayed active in fashion. She covered fashion shows and helped with charity events. This led to her being called the "official grande dame" of Boston.

Early Life and Family

Mildred Elizabeth Levine was the youngest of four children. She was born in Russia to Thomas and Elizabeth Levine. Her family was Jewish. They moved to the United States when Mildred was just three months old. They settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Her father worked in construction and real estate.

Mildred graduated from the Sargent School of Physical Education in 1926. In 1928, she married James Albert. He was a lawyer who went to Harvard. They had two daughters and one son. They lived in Beacon Hill and had a summer home in Beverly Farms. Her husband gave her the nickname "Mighty Atom." This was because of her initials (M. A.) and her energetic personality.

Mildred Albert's Career in Fashion

After college, Mildred taught gym at Somerville High School. After she got married, she started teaching dance, art, and literature. She also taught good posture at Massachusetts General Hospital. She gave private lessons on how to be graceful and polite.

Starting a Finishing School

In 1936, Mildred started her own school, the Academie Moderne. It was a "finishing school" located in her Beacon Hill home. The school taught students things like how to be graceful, walk properly, and speak clearly. They also went on cultural trips to museums and ballet shows. The school later moved to 35 Commonwealth Avenue.

Creating a Modeling Agency

In 1944, Mildred Albert helped start the Hart Model Agency and Promotions, Inc. This agency trained women to become models. It also operated out of Mildred's home. Both the Academie Moderne and the Hart Modeling Agency stayed at 35 Commonwealth Avenue until the 1980s.

As a leader at the modeling agency, Mildred began to create new kinds of fashion shows. These included shows around swimming pools, during luncheons, and even the first cocktail fashion shows. She became well-known in the industry. She hosted weekend luncheons and fashion shows that attracted many people. She also invited famous designers to parties at her home. This helped bring top designers to Boston.

Producing Major Fashion Events

Mildred produced thousands of fashion shows during her career. Some of her biggest events included a show for the 100th anniversary of the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers. She also put on the Million Dollar Back Bay Fashion Show. At the 1964 New York World's Fair, she wrote, produced, and talked about fashion shows three times a day. She also reported on the first White House fashion show in 1968.

In the 1970s, she helped coordinate the Miss Massachusetts beauty pageants. She also used her name and support to put on fashion shows for charities. These included the March of Dimes and UNICEF.

Every month, Mildred visited design studios and shows in New York City. Twice a year, she traveled to Europe. There, she interviewed top designers and reported on the latest fashion trends. She also spoke to women's clubs and other groups. She became known as Boston's "First Lady of Fashion."

In 1981, Mildred sold her finishing school and modeling agency. But she continued to be active in the Boston fashion world, even into her 80s. In 1985, she started a Saturday-afternoon luncheon and fashion show at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston. She ran this event until a few months before she passed away. Many people celebrated her 82nd birthday. Famous designers like Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta sent recorded messages.

Radio and Television Work

Mildred Albert also became a radio and television personality. In the late 1930s, she hosted a weekly radio show called "Youthful Loveliness" on WEEI. In the 1960s and 1970s, she hosted "Fashion As I See It" on WCRB.

In the 1950s, she gave talks on "Gracious Living" for CBS New England. She also started appearing on TV shows about fashion and beauty. In the 1980s, she joined CBS' Good Day program. She reported on fashion shows and interviewed leading designers. These interviews took place in cities like Paris, London, Rome, and New York. Some designers she interviewed included Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Ralph Lauren. From 1981 to 1991, she wrote a society column for Tab newspapers. This column highlighted fashion shows and charity events.

Awards and Recognition

Mildred received the 1975 Fashion Show Consultant of the Year Award from the March of Dimes. In 1983, State of Israel Bonds honored her with their 35th Anniversary Award. Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis honored her with a special announcement on October 29, 1986. Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn declared April 19, 1990, as "Mildred Albert Day." He also named her Boston's "official grand dame."

Death and Lasting Impact

Mildred Albert passed away in Boston on August 26, 1991, at the age of 86. Her funeral was held at Temple Israel. She was buried at Sharon Memorial Park in Sharon, Massachusetts.

Her important papers, called the Mildred Levine Albert Papers, 1910–1991, are kept at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College. These papers help people learn more about her life and work.