In her lifetime Diana Vreeland published two autobiographical books, Allure and D.V. Allure (1980) was the first. It emerged from conversations between Diana and the writer and archivist of Andy Warhol’s tapes, Christopher Hemphill. Hemphill recorded Diana over a number of months in 1978, and then produced an edited manuscript, the “Allure Manuscript,” referred to in the notes below. This was largely set aside when Allure developed in a different direction as a photo-autobiography.
The Allure Manuscript did, however, form the basis of Diana’s second autobiographical book, D.V. (1984). George Plimpton recorded further conversations with Diana (Diana Vreeland Tapes below) and edited them together with the Allure Manuscript to create D.V. While writing this book I have drawn on both the Allure Manuscript and D.V. Sometimes the differences are slight but interesting. I have also used material from the Allure Manuscript that George Plimpton subsequently omitted.
Diana rarely “wrote” as commonly understood. She simply talked, or dictated from scribbled notes to secretaries, editors, and copywriters.
When remarks are not attributed in the notes, it should be assumed that they have been made directly to me.
Abbreviations Used in the Notes
DV: Diana Vreeland.
DVP: Diana Vreeland Papers, The New York Public Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division.
DK: Dodie Kazanjian.
DKP: Dodie Kazanjian Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
HDFA: Hoffman and Dalziel Family Albums.
Tomkins, II.A.108: Calvin Tomkins Papers, Series II, The Museum of Modern Art Archives, New York.
PCB: Papers of Sir Cecil Beaton, St. John’s College Library.
RAF: The Richard Avedon Foundation.