Frederick Eberstadt, who chronicled New York’s social scene for WWD and others, died July 29. He was 97.
His family confirmed his death, citing the cause as old age. He is survived by his two children, Nicholas Eberstadt and Fernanda Eberstadt. He was married to journalist, author and socialite Isabel Eberstadt until her death in 2006.
A fashion photographer with a second act as a psychotherapist, Eberstadt also worked for Richard Avedon early in his career.
His daughter recalled the time Marilyn Monroe came to set in a raincoat and headscarf — which rendered her unrecognizable. “A drab, mousy lady in a headscarf and a dingy raincoat stood outside the door, carrying a shopping bag with what he assumed was a delivery,” Fernanda Eberstadt said in an email.
“He grabbed the bag and told her next time to use the back elevator. Avedon came up behind him and said, ‘Oh Marilyn, so good to see you!’ After an hour of hairdressers and makeup, the iconic Marilyn emerged — and beamed her full power for three hours of shooting. For my mother, this was a story about a certain kind of star’s gift for self-transfiguration — as well as a dig at his own reflexive snobbery,” she continued.
