Limited edition art for a good cause

I'm well aware of the fact that you all love the illustrations for Just Being Audrey by now. How could you not love Julia Denos's adorable drawings of a rosy-cheeked Audrey? Well, if you own the book but would like something more, maybe something worth framing or sending off to friends, Julia has just opened a shop with limited edition prints, both of illustrations from the book and never before seen drawings, plus a darling set of greeting cards. The prints are $50-150, while the note cards are more affordable at $25, but with all of these, proceeds go to the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. Isn't that great? You get something you love, you support an artist, and children in need are helped as well. Everybody wins.

Let's bring Mayerling back to life!

For those of you that don't know, in 1957 Audrey Hepburn and husband Mel Ferrer starred in a television adaptation of the popular story Mayerling, about a prince and his ill-fated love affair. It was part of the Producers' Showcase series, and as far as I know it was never officially released on home video to own.

This is where Dan comes in. He emailed me recently and has taken it upon himself to start up a petition to get Mayerling released! It's not just someone collecting signatures on the internet, either; he has spoken to people associated with the company holding the rights and the main reason why the film has never been released was because they honestly think there isn't enough interest in this piece. I know quite a few people who beg to disagree! I'm sure quite a lot of you do too, and this is where you can actively help. Dan has a petition to sign here, as well as a campaign on Facebook. Sign it, like the page, pass the links on, and get the word out! Let's show the people in charge that there is interest in Mayerling, get it dusted off and properly released for all to enjoy. Dan has posted a message with more details on the Audrey 1 forum, and if you've never even heard of Mayerling before, he's also been kind enough to post a clip on YouTube:

Keira still shadowing Audrey

I just happened to hear about this by accident, but apparently Keira Knightley has been performing in a West End production of The Children's Hour - taking on Audrey Hepburn's old role of Karen Wright. The show opened around the end of January and I'm not sure how much longer it will be around, but Keira has been getting mixed reviews. Mainly upbeat, though the Daily Mail says there's still room for improvement.

You may remember that Keira was in serious talks to star in a film remake of My Fair Lady before it fell through, and that the remake is still in development. This is twice now that Keira has wanted to recreate an Audrey Hepburn film role, and her first time actually doing it. Any thoughts on her choices in this regard?

Funny Face hat up for auction

Another big Hollywood memorabilia auction is coming up, and this time the bright yellow/orange/green hat Audrey wore while singing "How Long Has This Been Going On?" in Funny Face is going up on the block.

Julien's Auctions will be putting the hat up during a large two day auction May 7 and 8, but if you are in the L.A. area right now you can drop in their showroom in Beverly Hills and see the hat for yourself! Not touch, of course, for they have it securely behind glass, but you are welcome to look all you want and also see the other fantastic costumes and memorabilia they have available. Indiana Jones, Lucille Ball, tons of Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, even The Brady Bunch, Heroes, and Planet of the Apes!

I stopped in last Thursday to have a look around and photograph the hat to share with those of you who can't make the trip to see it in person, and everyone present was so helpful and kind and very giving there. A first rate staff! If you can make it out before the auction, the exhibit will be open to the public until May 6, and hours are from 10 am to 5 pm. The address is 9665 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills.

The hat is expected to fetch between $2000-3000, and comes with the costume sketch for Marion's gown and hat and a DVD copy of Funny Face.

Happy birthday, dear Audrey!

If you didn't already know, today is Audrey Hepburn's birthday! If she was still with us she would have been 82 years old today, but you know what? Audrey is still very much with us. Her influence is as strong as ever, she's as popular as ever, and everyone still wants to be her.

To celebrate the fairest lady's birthday, WatchMojo put together a video tutorial on how to get Audrey's Breakfast at Tiffany's look in makeup:



So if you would like to celebrate Audrey's birthday but don't quite know what to do, why not give yourself a little makeover and pop in one of her films? To make it extra Audrey, indulge with a piece of chocolate, Audrey's favourite treat. Remember a lovely person by making yourself feel beautiful.

Special thanks to Stephanie for sharing this link with us.

The Audrey Hepburn Collection by Bob Willoughby exhibit in London

If you love looking at pictures of Audrey Hepburn - and really, who doesn't? - then you most certainly have seen photographs of her that were taken by Bob Willoughby. You may not know his name, but rest assured, you know his work and love it.

He caught Audrey just as her star was starting to rise, and stayed with her throughout her career. More than a photographer, Willoughby was lucky enough to be a friend to Audrey as well. They visited each other frequently, and their children grew up together. This intimacy shows in their work together, and now Proud Galleries in London is exhibiting Bob's photographs of Audrey for all to enjoy. Best of all, it's free!

Starting May 12, the exhibit runs until June 26 at Proud's Chelsea gallery, address 161 King’s Road, London. Public hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 10-7, and Thursdays and Saturdays from 10-8. You can find additional information at the Proud Galleries website here. If you can make it, this exhibit is a must-see!

Special thanks to Sophie for sharing all this information, and for her kindness and generosity.

check your email!

Finally, after much deliberation (and some sweet agony), my lovely assistant and I have chosen the three lucky people to win a free copy of Just Being Audrey. So check your email!

If you weren't selected in this contest ... please don't take it personally, or think anything badly about your entry. They were all good, and they were all taken to heart and thought over carefully. It was extremely difficult to just choose three out of so many quality entries, and if I had the funds, I would definitely have sent every single one of you a book. Rest assured, if I ever win the lottery, I will split the funds between you lovely people and UNICEF. :)

But fear not, because there will always be more contests! Thank you again to every single person who entered and shared such wonderful memories and thoughts, and please know that all of you touched our hearts with your letters. Audrey has the best fans.

Special thanks again and again to Kath for all of her help during this contest.

apologies for the delay

Hello, I just wanted to check in with you all and assure you that no, I have not forgotten the contest! I know I had said that the three winners would be announced shortly but I really hadn't expected so many astounding entries. To be completely honest with you, I needed an assistant to help me narrow down the results and we're still having trouble getting it down to just three! Your entries were so touching and wonderful, all of them, that it is agony to try and cut it down. If I had the funds, rest assured that all of you would be getting a book! As it is, we are aiming to have the final three chosen in the coming week. I know you hate waiting, but know that it's because your entries were all so wonderful and that we are taking every single letter to heart.

contest now closed

Just a quick note to say that the contest has now closed, and thank each and every one of you who entered! I haven't read all of the letters yet, but based on what I have read, this won't be an easy decision. So many entries were just fantastic, I really really wish I could afford to send every single one of you a book!

Winners will be announced shortly. Thanks again for entering!

Just Being Audrey giveaway contest!

You've waited long enough, now here it is: I will be giving away three (3) copies of the gorgeous children's picture book Just Being Audrey. Highly acclaimed and already deeply loved, this book is short and sweet and beautifully written. Designed for children but accessible to all, the book gives a lovely summary of Audrey's life, from la petite ballerina in Holland to the trendsetting Hollywood icon to the UNICEF ambassador, all illustrated with divine full color (and often full page) drawings.

All you have to do is send me an email at admin[at]fabaudrey.com (replace the [at] with @, or just click on the link to automatically open your email browser), title the email "contest," and tell me your name, what your favourite piece of Audrey Hepburn memorabilia is and why. I don't expect anything big, this isn't a school essay, and you don't have to impress anyone here. Just something Audrey-related that you especially love or are sentimental about. It could even be a copy of your favourite film of hers and how it makes you feel. Don't feel pressured, just write a little something from the heart. I will pick three - if I can! - and those three will be shipped a free copy of Just Being Audrey. That's it. :)

The rules: this contest is open to anyone anywhere in the world, as long as you can receive packages from the U.S. Your book will be shipped directly from amazon.com. You do not need to give me any personal information other than your name unless I contact you saying that you have won and I will need an address to ship to. Please do not take it personally if you weren't selected in this contest, there will be more! I am already quite sure it will be hard to choose just three entries, but I am a student and can't afford to buy everyone books at this time. :)

The contest will run from now, Saturday March 19, 2011 at 1 pm PST, until next Saturday March 26, 2011 at 1 pm PST. After the contest has closed I will read all of the entries and face the difficult task of choosing three. Within one week I will contact the three winners and email them with congratulations and ask for a shipping address. I'm afraid that only the recipients of the books will be notified, though I thank you all in advance for participating and sharing your feelings on Audrey. If you have any questions that I haven't answered, please feel free to comment below. Bonne chance!

Special thanks to Kath for having the idea for the contest in the first place. :)

Just Being Audrey arrives!

I've received quite a response from you readers, so now I must have a contest giving away a few copies of this book or you'll never forgive me. :) The book was just released today though, so be patient as I get things in order!

I also wanted to tell you that if you are on Facebook, the Just Being Audrey page is giving away an autographed copy of the book. All you have to do is leave a comment on the status asking what your favourite Audrey film is and you are entered to win! Their contest runs until Friday, so if you're interested, go here. Once their contest has ended and the winner announced I think I will start up my contest. I think giving away 3 copies ought to be good.

Oh, and just to clarify: my contests are always open world-wide, not just to US residents. If you can receive packages then you can enter.

Just Being Audrey

Hello everyone! I hope you are all happy and well in this new year. My apologies for falling behind on the news a bit, it's been busy, but I have a peace offering.

Next week the sweetest children's book is coming out, Just Being Audrey. I'm sure some of you have already heard about it, but if not, just look at how darling it is. I love the illustrations so much, don't you? If you do, click here to go to the illustrator's blog and see a few more pictures from the book, which she was kind enough to share from her advance copy of the book.

The book is 32 pages and illustrated quite a lot, and is ideally for the 4-8 year old age range, but of course that won't stop any of us, will it? I think it would make a lovely little coffee table book to have laying out, and your guests could learn about Audrey in 10 minutes flat. If you do know any children, even better, as the pictures will captivate them and the text is simple enough to get Audrey's life story across to anyone, whether they like reading or not.

I think, to make up for my spotty updates, I should give away a couple of copies of this book. It's just so cute and I want to share the cuteness, and I do feel bad for not being around more often lately. Would you be okay with a contest to win a copy?

Edit: Just found a beautiful trailer for the book with loads more illustrations. I'm completely in love.

Charade on Blu-Ray

Just a quick note to let everyone know that one of Audrey's best films, Charade, will be released on Blu-Ray tomorrow through Criterion. Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Paris, suspense, romance, comedy, what more could you ask for? And Criterion treats their films so well, so you can trust me when I say the Criterion edition of anything is worth it. (The commentary track with director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone is so great, and the print has been restored.) If you want to investigate a little more, here's Charade's page on Criterion's website, and Amazon has the price knocked down from $39.95 to $29.49, even cheaper than the regular edition. Not bad!

No comment on Emma Thompson's ignorance

I found this late last night and wanted to sleep on my anger before sharing with you. As I've discussed with you before, Emma Thompson has penned the screenplay for the new adaptation of My Fair Lady, which has been in pre-production for a couple of years now. Nothing is moving forward, and while out promoting her new Nanny McPhee film I suppose Emma wanted to remind everyone that she has a film waiting to be made, and the best way to get attention would be to slag on Audrey. Yes, Emma Thompson trash talks Audrey Hepburn.

The Daily Mail has the story, though really, I think the title tells you more than you want to know: 'Audrey Hepburn was twee, mumsy and really couldn't act': Emma Thompson's scathing appraisal of My Fair Lady star. The link will take you to the article, and that's all I'm going to say on this for now. I did actually write quite a fact-filled rant schooling Emma Thompson on how wrong she is on all this, but I'll spare you - unless you'd really like me to share.

pictures of the Fernanda Gattinoni exhibit

The recent exhibit on Italian designer Fernanda Gattinoni had its last day in Paris yesterday, but if you couldn't make the exhibit, no worries. Lovely reader Castor was kind enough to visit and take loads of pictures, which she said I could share with all of you. She was also kind enough to translate the text pertaining to Audrey, which I will copy and paste for you. So, without further ado, Castor's pictures for everyone to enjoy:

silk gauze dress trimmed with embroidery and small pink and blue appliqué horses

silk gauze dress in ivory trimmed with silver embroidery and small blue velvet appliqué horses

an autographed publicity still for Fernanda, signed Audrey Ferrer

ivory satin organza dress dotted with tiny rhinestones

In 1955, Maria De Matteis, the costume maker from King Vidor’s War & Peace (1956) asked Fernanda Gattinoni to make Audrey Hepburn’s costumes.

Fernanda Gattinoni liked so much the costumes with a fluid and vertical form she made for the movie that at practically the same time, she was inspired by the protagonist of War & Peace to dedicate the collection Natascia to the empire style.

Audrey Hepburn was the first customer of the collection and ordered no less than five dresses and one coat. From that time, she became one of the most assiduous customers of the house. Nevertheless, even if a trusting relationship existed between the two women, they never really became friends.

“She was too perfect and I don’t like perfect people” claimed Fernanda Gattinoni later. Despite this, the great designer always recognized the incomparable elegancy of the actress: “She had an exceptional physique. Tall and thin, all the dresses she wore became essentials and luminous like a jewel.”

Again, a huge thank you to Castor for sharing all these wonderful pictures with us. If you like what you've seen, please leave a comment with your thanks!

Roman Holiday screening!

Just a quick note to let those of you in Southern California, in or around Apple Valley in particular, know that there will be a special screening of Roman Holiday on Monday, August 16 at 7pm at the Cinemark Jess Ranch. You can find more information about tickets on the theatre's website here, as well as the address, phone number, and all that good stuff.

If you are in the area and have the free time, please go! This was the film that introduced Audrey to the world and won her the Oscar, go see it as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. You won't regret it. And thank the darling Emily for sharing this information with all of us. Thank you!

Off the C(H)uff with Sam Wasson

I've just stumbled across an interview with Sam Wasson on Huffington Post, author of the new book Fifth Avenue, 5 AM. I know I've featured this book quite a few times already, and even an interview or two with the author, but I think this one in particular deserves some attention because it gives far more light into the book and why it was written than any other article I've read so far. It's a good read, fairly short but entertaining and packed with information, and it also features the Breakfast at Tiffany's trailer that yours truly posted on YouTube a few years ago. :)

I shall be getting a copy soon to review for you, but in the meantime, has anyone read it or at least flipped through it in the bookstore? What are your thoughts?

Audrey 100

There's a new picture book on Audrey coming out November 2, and it's called Audrey 100. The premise? The 100 greatest pictures of Audrey Hepburn, as compiled by her son Sean Ferrer. What this means? Rare or private pictures, seen for the first time! The book is co-authored by Ellen (Erwin) Fontana, the director of the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund, who was also behind what I consider the best book out there on Audrey, The Audrey Hepburn Treasures.

While information is still trickling out, I can tell you that the book is slated for a release date of November 2, that it comes in at just under 200 pages, that it comes with a 9x11 photograph for framing, and that full retail price is $40 (though you can get it for less if you know where to look, of course). And, like Treasures before it, sales will benefit the Children's Fund.

Excited yet? There's more. You can pre-order through Barnes & Noble or Amazon, and you can even take a lovely virtual tour of the book here.

Fernanda Gattinoni exhibit

Yet another costume exhibit! This one is set in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, next to the Eiffel Tower but distinctly Italian in feel. It's a showcase of Italian designer Fernanda Gattinoni's designs from the 1950s and 60s, and while it mainly focuses on her evening gowns for Italian starlets worn at film premieres and other galas, there is a separate section dedicated just to her designs for War and Peace, which Audrey Hepburn wore. While the film may be more than a big long, I do love watching it just to see how stunning Audrey looks, especially in that airy white ballgown with the Empire waist (left).

If you're interested and are in or around Paris, better move fast, because the exhibit only lasts until July 30th. Admission is free, nicely enough, and is open Monday through Friday from 10-1, then reopens for the hours of 3-6. For more information and photos of the exhibit (including the picture I've used), go to Focus On Style's blog here.

Thanks to Kendal for the link.

Audrey Hepburn: In Her Own Words

Many years ago, I visited the offices of The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund and saw a beautiful video about Audrey's work with UNICEF. It was introduced by Gregory Peck and I remember he read one of Audrey's favourite poems by Rabindranath Tagore. It's been a long time and I haven't ever been able to find a copy of the video, but luckily a film company found me.

Long Tail has the video, called "Audrey Hepburn: In Her Own Words" on DVD for the first time, and I'm so happy. The DVD is very affordable at $19.95 and also comes with a special episode of Views on World Poverty. I shall be getting a copy of this soon and will post a full review for you once I've seen it again, but trust me when I say that what little I remember was very, very good. I told people at the time that everyone should see this video, and now you finally have that chance. Here's a trailer for you to watch:



And you can find more information through Long Tail's website here.

I love Audrey's passion over her work for UNICEF, but I love even more that this video is finally available to the public for anyone and everyone to see. This side of her needs to be shown more so we don't forget that she was a humanitarian, and a good one at that.

Very special thanks to David, for everything he's done.