Ellin Mackay and Irving Berlin. Photo: Library of Congress
By Michael Burke, Contributor
Irving Berlin and Ellin Mackay put aside their differences in culture, background, and age to form one of the best-known, enduring and loving relationships in New York social history. At the same time, the stories of the Berlin and Mackay families, which both started with brave immigrants taking a chance in America, are not so different as they first appear.
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Their whirlwind romance caused a media feeding frenzy on both coasts and extended as far as Europe, keeping the paparazzi in flashbulbs for over a year. Their semi-clandestine affair was aided by several unlikely sources, from the bride’s estranged mother to the Prince of Wales. They evaded the ever-present press by eloping to New York’s City Hall on January 4, 1926, not using his chauffeured Minerva limousine, which was constantly followed, but by taking the subway – a first for the young heiress
“Don’t outshine me, bitch.”
Isn’t that how all really good cocktail party conversations begin? The shot is heard in the opening montage of the premiere episode of
The artillery in this case is a Louis Vuitton High Jewelry diamond-and-pink-sapphire necklace, though it’s more like a collar, and big enough to be called a bib. Christine Chiu arrives at the home of rival Anna Shay in her own one-of-a-kind diamond necklace a piece of high jewelry. What does the term mean, exactly? Let Christine tell it: “In the world of high jewelry, not everyone is invited. You have to really earn your way there. Unfortunately for Anna, she needs to realize she’s not the only one in the game anymore.” Diamonds as the great equalizer? Maybe.