Eileen Ford died on Wednesday at age 92.
Photo courtesy of INFphoto.com
Arielle Baran, a spokeswoman for Derris & Co., confirmed Ford’s passing. The Ford Model Agency made Ford and her husband, Gerald Ford, multimillionaires. The agency welcomed leading talent in the industry, and Ford called for the highest level of professionalism from her models.
According to the http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-eileen-ford-dies-80766978-story.html>LA Times, Ford Models released a statement about Ford, “She founded Ford Models 68 years ago and due to her unwavering passion, curiosity and drive, grew Ford into one of the world’s most prestigious agencies. We are incredibly proud and grateful for her revolutionary spirit and the values she instilled in Ford Models.”
She founded the Ford Agency in 1946, after being a model. She published several books including Eileen Ford's A More Beautiful You in 21 Days, Eileen Ford's Beauty Now and Forever: Secrets of Beauty After 35. She also wrote a newspaper column, Eileen Ford's Model Beauty, according to the Associated Press.
In the 1970s, the Ford agency included Christie Brinkley, Jane Fonda, Ali MacGraw, Candice Bergen, Beverly Johnson, and Suzy Parker, and a young Brooke Shields.
The Ford Agency began a Supermodel of the World contest in 1980. By the 1990s, the agency made $40 million a year. Ford’s daughter, Katie, took over as CEO in 1995.