The medal itself, (which is a thing of beauty, I must say,) was well-suited to it’s deeply moved recipient. Quoting Fénelon and Yves Saint Laurent, Ms. Dupont honored the fascinating world of fashion that nested her career, the chaos and celebrities, the creativity and the madness, the artisans and the artifacts, an unlikely community brought together by the passionate pursuit of beauty.
Young girls needn’t be disheartened, though. Beatrice had her own brand of humble beginnings, sort of. She is known to have first taken a summer job in Provincetown for a bag and belt company. Her job consisted in polishing belt buckles. Not exactly roughing it, but small steps taken in the direction of her “enduring love affair with fashion”, and that’s the spirit here, children.
