Inside our fête for Betty Halbreich, Bergdorf Goodman’s legendary personal shopper

Date October 16, 2014

A cold, rainy evening in October calls for a glass of wine and a good book. Well timed then, that FASHION magazine hosted a Q&A and book signing at Ben McNally bookstore in Toronto to celebrate Betty Halbreich, Bergdorf Goodman’s legendary personal shopper, and her book I’ll Drink To That: A Life In Style, With A Twist. Dressed in a black Libertine sweater with bursts of embellishment, slim black trousers and oceans of pearls around her neck, the 86-year-old New Yorker charmed the fashionable crowd with her straight talk and twinkling eyes. Our editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra covered a variety of topics during their 45-minute conversation, including Halbreich’s 40+ year career at Bergdorf’s (and yes, she still works there today); behind-the-scenes stories about her socialite and star clients (Joan Rivers was a personal friend); and the contents of her 12 lavender-scented closets (her collection of lust-worthy vintage labels includes Geoffrey Beene and Jean Muir). Even when speaking about the dark days after her marriage fell apart, she displayed elegance–and even a little dry wit. Following the talk a long line of fans formed, clutching their copies and Bottle Green concoctions, waiting for their moment with the woman of the hour. Like a great book, we didn’t want this special evening to end.