Calendar Girl is about Ruth Finley, fashion industry and fashion history legend, on the eve of her retirement at 95 and her handing over of her lifelong work on the Fashion Calendar.
This is the story of a woman who in the 1940s carved out a place for herself in a man's world and developed a reputation characterized by tenacity, perseverance, fairness, humanity, diplomacy, and decency.
She influenced the inner workings of New York fashion, she celebrated and was celebrated by both the industry's powerhouses and rising stars, and she survived its many incarnations.
Her story is told by industry insiders, her sons, and friends, who bear witness to her long career as publisher, entrepreneur, and patron saint and fairy godmother to fashion designers.
The Cast
RUTH FINLEY
Publisher, Fashion Calendar
"The reason we kept this color was so people could find it on their messy desks, and could find this easily. They called it the Pink Bible."
Peter Arnold
CEO, Cushine et Ochs, Former Executive Director, CFDA
Jeffrey Banks
Fashion Designer
David Benjamin
Independent Archivist
Mickey Boardman
Editorial Director, Paper Magazine
Thom Browne
Fashion Designer
Nancy Chilton
Communications Officer, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Bill Cunningham
Street-Style and Evening Hours Photographer, The New York Times
François Damide
CEO, Crafting Beauty
Jim Green
Son of Ruth Finley
Joe Green
Son of Ruth Finley
Mary Hackley
Editor, Fashion Calendar
Stan Herman
Fashion Designer, Former President, CFDA
Carolina Herrera
Fashion Designer
Betsey Johnson
Fashion Designer
Harold Koda
Former Curator-In-Charge, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Steven Kolb
President and CEO, CFDA
Larry Lein
Son of Ruth Finley
Nanette Lepore
Fashion Designer
Marylou Luther
Creative Director, Fashion Group International; Former Fashion Editor, Los Angeles Times
Fern Mallis
Former Executive Director, CFDA
Julie MannioN
Co-Chairman, KCD
Nicole Miller
Fashion Designer
James Mischka
Fashion Designer
Marie Panariello
Former Director of Sales, Tadashi Shoji
Judy Rice
President, Judith Rice & Associates
Ralph Rucci
Fashion Designer
Ellin Saltzman
Former Fashion Director, Saks Fifth Avenue
Alan Sealove
President, Victoria Royal
Tadashi Shoji
Fashion Designer
Joe Siegel
Boyfriend of Ruth Finley
Audrey Smaltz
Fashion Show Producer, CEO; The Ground Crew, Former Model
Valerie Steele
Director and Chief Curator, The Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology
Karen Trivette
Head of Special Collections and College Archives, FIT
Edie Weiner
Trend Forecaster, President and CEO, The Future Hunters
Eric Wilson
Editor In Chief, Tatler Hong Kong
Also Featuring
Mark Badgley
Dennis Basso
Andrew Bolton
Joyce F. Brown
Debra Brumfield
Henrietta Chesnie
Izzy Cohan
Jeffrey Costello
Nick Green
Tommy Hilfiger
Sylvia Lee
Joanna Mastroianni
Robert Tagliapietra
Yeolee Teng
Kathleen Turner
Diane Von Furstenberg
Special Thanks
Martha DelPizzo, Adam Fried, Andy Graham, Steffi Graham, Amanda Green, Ariana Green, Bonnie Green, Carol Green, Ellie Green, Jeff Green, Nathaniel Green, Rebekah Green, Sam Kardon, Alex Lein, Daniel Lein, Jayne Lein, Monika Tilley, and Gary Wassner
“I always believed in looking at the happy side. And too many people don't know how to do that.”
RUTH FINLEY
