Alexis von Rosenberg, Baron de Redé
Oskar Dieter Alex von Rosenberg-Redé | |
|---|---|
| Born | Oskar Dieter Alex von Rosenberg-Redé 4 February 1922 Zurich, Switzerland |
| Died | 8 July 2004 (aged 82) |
| Other names | Alexis, Baron de Redé |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, aristocrat, connoisseur, collector, socialite |
| Years active | 1940s–2004 |
| Known for | Restoration of Hôtel Lambert; prominent Parisian socialite; banking career; art collecting |
Oskar Dieter Alex von Rosenberg-Redé, 3rd Baron von Rosenberg-Redé (4 February 1922 – 8 July 2004), also referred to as Alexis, Baron de Redé, was a distinguished French banker, aristocrat, connoisseur, collector, and prominent figure in social circles. In 2003, he received the title of commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in recognition of his meticulous restoration of the Hôtel Lambert, where he famously hosted elaborate costume balls. His vast collection encompassed eighteenth-century French furnishings, artworks, and rare books, with several high-profile auctions at Sotheby's fetching multi-million euro sums. Furthermore, he was active in horse racing, securing victory in the Prix de Diane in 1972 and finishing runner-up in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Early life and education
Born on 4 February 1922 in Zurich, Switzerland, Oskar Dieter Alex von Rosenberg-Redé was the youngest among three siblings of Oskar Adolf von Rosenberg (1878–1939), an Austro-Hungarian banker. His father, partly of Hungarian heritage and adopted by a banker named Rosenberg, was ennobled with the baronial title within Hungarian nobility in 1916. Redé’s mother, Edith von Kaulla (1890–1931), descended from a German Jewish family ennobled for their banking enterprise, co-owners of the Royal Württemberg Court Bank. He had two siblings: Hubert von Rosenberg-Redé, who inherited the barony, and Marion von Rosenberg-Redé, who had a disability.
The family practiced Protestantism while residing in a spacious 16-room suite at Zurich’s Dolder Grand Hotel, supported by a large household staff. Following financial hardships during World War II, they relocated to a more modest suite. Their mother passed away from leukemia when Redé was nine years old. Both he and his brother attended Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland for their education.
After his father’s bankruptcy and subsequent suicide at their estate in Kaumberg, Austria in 1939, Redé survived on an insurance payout of $200 per month. He relocated to New York City, briefly pursued American citizenship, and took employment with an antique dealer in California to provide for his sister. During this time, he mingled with notable personalities such as Elsie de Wolfe and Salvador Dalí. Returning to New York in 1941, Redé inherited the barony following his brother’s suicide in 1942, becoming the final Baron von Rosenberg-Redé and commonly known as Baron de Redé within French society.
Introduction to Parisian elite
At nineteen years old, Redé caught the eye of Arturo López Willshaw, a wealthy Chilean businessman famed for his extravagant social gatherings and married status. Their romantic relationship began in 1941, and by 1946, encouraged by López Willshaw, Redé relocated to Paris alongside Lady Mendl, an esteemed interior decorator. Despite López Willshaw’s wife’s distant attitude toward Redé, the three frequently socialized and traveled together between their residence in Neuilly, various European and American hotels, a yacht, and an apartment in California. Together they orchestrated opulent costume balls.
Aesthetic influence and hosting
A devoted aesthete, Redé undertook the restoration of the seventeenth-century Hôtel Lambert starting in 1949 and emerged as a leading personality within Parisian high society by the early 1950s. His lunches and dinners at Hôtel Lambert became synonymous with elegance and refined decor. Often hailed as "Europe’s finest host," his soirées attracted prominent designers and artists alike. For instance, Nina Ricci crafted costumes for the 1951 Bal oriental hosted by Carlos de Beistegui; Yves Saint Laurent received early acclaim through Redé’s 1956 Bal des Têtes.
In 1964, Redé earned recognition from the National Society of Interior Designers for his promotion of exemplary design standards. His December 1969 Oriental Ball at Hôtel Lambert marked a highlight event featuring 400 distinguished guests and garnered attention from Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. This occasion solidified Redé’s reputation as one of the foremost hosts in international aristocratic circles.
Business and later years
Following the death of Arturo Lopez-Willshaw in 1962, Redé, as his partner and financial overseer, inherited half of Lopez-Willshaw’s estate. Subsequently, he collaborated with Prince Rupert Loewenstein to oversee Leopold Joseph & Sons bank, where he held the position of deputy chairman and managed investments for clients such as the Rolling Stones. Redé was also instrumental in founding Artemis, an investment fund dedicated to acquiring fine art. He remained deeply engaged in art collecting, with a particular passion for works from the 17th and 18th centuries, and partnered with Marie-Hélène de Rothschild to organize numerous prestigious gatherings at the Rothschild Château de Ferrières.
In 1971, Redé earned a spot on The New York Times list of best-dressed individuals and was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame the following year. During 1972, he commissioned a portrait from Anthony Christian and enjoyed significant achievements in horse racing, including winning the Prix de Diane and securing second place in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
By 1975, Redé persuaded Baron Guy and Marie-Hélène de Rothschild to acquire the Hôtel Lambert, where he maintained private living quarters. This residence became the Rothschilds’ Parisian home, and the trio fostered a close friendship, frequently vacationing together. After Marie-Hélène’s passing in 1996, Redé spent considerable time with Charlotte Aillaud. His restoration efforts on the Hôtel Lambert were honored in 2003 when he was appointed a commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He continued hosting social events at the residence until 2004.
Personal life
Redé characterized himself as largely indifferent to romantic affection or sexual relationships, recalling only one unfulfilled love during his school years. From 1941 until Arturo Lopez-Willshaw’s death in 1962, Redé maintained a relationship with the married businessman. This partnership began with Redé seeking protection and financial stability, which enabled him to support his disabled sister. After moving to Paris, Lopez-Willshaw unofficially resided with Redé at the Hôtel Lambert while keeping a formal address elsewhere.
Redé’s financial resources and social prominence were primarily derived from this association, leading to his reputation as a kept man. In 1953, Christian Mégret authored Danaé, a roman à clef inspired by their lives together that included insights into their social milieu. Although initially causing some discord among those portrayed, Redé eventually reconciled with all parties involved.
He retained his apartment at Hôtel Lambert throughout his lifetime and continued to host notable social occasions there. Redé passed away suddenly at age 82 due to heart complications at a friend’s residence. A mass was conducted near his home, and he was buried alongside Lopez-Willshaw at Père Lachaise Cemetery. Sotheby’s auctioned his estate—particularly items from his Hôtel Lambert apartment—for £5.2 million. His memoirs, titled Alexis: The Memoirs of the Baron de Redé, edited and ghostwritten by Hugo Vickers, were released posthumously in 2005.
References
- Sir Cecil Beaton, The Glass of Fashion (London) 1954
- Ned Rorem, The Paris Diary and the New York Diary
- Sir Henry Channon, 'Chips', the. Diaries of Sir Henry Channon (London, 1967)
- Nicolay-Mazery, Christiane de and Naudin, Jean-Bernard, Private Houses of Paris: The "Hôtel particulier", (New York) 2000
- Vickers, Hugo, ed. Alexis: the Memoirs of the Baron de Redé (London 2005)
- Foulkes, Nicholas, BALS: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century, Assouline, New York, 2011 ()
- Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Adelslexikon Band XII, Seite 32, Band 125 der Gesamtreihe, C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 2001
- Wolf Karge: Heiligendamm. Erstes deutsches Seebad. Gegründet 1793. Demmler-Verlag, Schwerin 1993, and
- André Kostolany: Das ist die Börse (Kapitel „Der kleine König"). Das Original aus dem Jahre 1961. Neuauflage, Verlag Börsenmedien, Kulmbach 1999, and
External links
- Image of the Baron de Redé
- Portrait of the Baron de Redé
- New York Social Diary website
- Collection of photographs featuring the Baron de Rede alongside Aimee de Heeren
- Alexis von Rosenberg, Baron de Redé biography
- The New York Times article on the refined heritage of Baron de Redé
- Bal Oriental scrapbook, 1969 from The Irene Lewisohn Costume Reference Library at The Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
