Sally Kirkland (editor) facts for kids

Sally Kirkland was a very important person in the world of fashion. She worked as a manager at a store called Lord & Taylor. She was also a fashion editor for famous magazines like Vogue and Life. She helped shape how people saw fashion for many years. She lived from 1912 to 1989.

Early Life and Education

Sally Kirkland was born as Sarah Phinney. She was born in a small town called El Reno, which is in Oklahoma. Her father was Robert Truman Phinney, and her mother was Ruth Ida Naill. She had one brother named Robert Phinney, Jr.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Sally lived in Washington DC with her parents. She went to college at Vassar College and finished her studies in 1934. In 1938, she married Frederic McMichael Kirkland in New York City. They had one child, who is the actress Sally Kirkland.

Fashion Career

After graduating from college, Sally Kirkland started her career in fashion. She first worked at a store called Lord & Taylor. This store was known for its great American clothes.

Working at Vogue

In 1939, Sally Kirkland joined Vogue magazine. She started as an assistant editor. By 1946, she had become the main fashion editor for the magazine.

Working at Life

Sally Kirkland then moved to Life magazine. She had worked as a reporter in the Pacific during World War II. From 1947 to 1969, she was the fashion editor for Life. She made the magazine very important in the world of international fashion.

She was known for new ideas in fashion photography. She was the first to use many models in one picture. Sometimes, a dozen models would be shown across two pages. Other magazines soon copied her style. She even stopped traffic in Paris to get a perfect fashion photo! She helped make Irish designer Sybil Connolly famous. Sally Kirkland also featured stars like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Faye Dunaway, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Life magazine. She showed them as fashion leaders.

Sally Kirkland was part of a strong team of women at Life magazine. She was given a lot of freedom to do her work. After leaving the magazine, she wrote a book about designer Claire McCardell. She also wrote articles for a trade journal. She was also the first person to hire an African American, Gordon Parks, at Life magazine.

Awards and Recognition

Sally Kirkland received several awards for her work in fashion.

In 1954, she received a special prize in Rome, Italy. Italian fashion designers gave her this award. They recognized her for helping to promote Italian fashion in the United States. This event took place at the famous Castel Sant'Angelo.

Also in 1954, the Italian Government gave her the "Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity". She received this award in Florence at Palazzo Pitti. It was for her reports on Italian clothing. She was very happy about this honor.

In 1955, Sally Kirkland received the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award. She shared this award with Grace Kelly and Vera Maxwell. This award recognized her important contributions to the fashion world.

Later Life

Sally Kirkland passed away in 1989 at the age of 77. She died in New York City.