Millicent Rogers (1902 - 1953) grew up on land that her father named "The Port of Missing Men" in a home with guestrooms named things like: "The Room of the Ruined Roman Virgins". It's no wonder that she became an eccentric, entirely original woman, both in her style and the way that she chose to live her life. Many know her for the incredible costumes that she wore to galas, or for her influence on American and European fashion throughout the first half of the 20th Century, but she was so much more than a reveling socialite with an eye for trends. A wealthy heiress, she balanced a life of Society and travel with various and wide ranging humanitarian efforts, making an impressive impact on each cause that she adopted.
She was a fervent patron of the arts, befriending and supporting many designers and artists. After her third marriage dissolved (and she had an affair with Clark Gable), however, she was introduced to Taos, New Mexico and instantly fell in love with the culture and landscape. She donated her couture collection to the Brooklyn Museum of Art and left her perch among the social elite to move to Taos for what would become the remainder of her life. Once there, she began designing jewelry, learned metalsmithing, collected the native art and jewelry of the region, and devoted herself tirelessly to establishing and expanding Native American rights. In the end, she was buried in a Navajo blanket at 51 after struggling with her health for many years, finding her final resting place in the Southwestern earth that had delivered her rebirth.
