Naty Abascal
Natividad Abascal y Romero-Toro | |
|---|---|
| Born | Natividad Abascal y Romero-Toro April 2, 1943 Seville, Spain |
| Other names | Naty Abascal, Duchess of Feria |
| Occupation(s) | Socialite, fashion model, stylist, author |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Known for | International Best Dressed List since 1984; muse of Valentino; collaborations with Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera |
| Notable work | Cuestión de estilo (2000), Manual de estilo de Naty Abascal con Vicente Gallart (2013) |
Natividad Abascal y Romero-Toro (born 2 April 1943 in Seville, Spain), widely recognized as Naty Abascal and formerly titled Duchess of Feria, is a prominent Spanish socialite and ex-fashion model. She has been listed on the International Best Dressed List continuously since 1984.
Biography
Daughter of Domingo Abascal y Fernández, a prosperous lawyer and owner of an olive estate in Andalusia, and María Natividad Romero-Toro y Noriega—who was the granddaughter of Joaquín Romero y de Ochoa, 3rd Marquis of Romero-Toro—Naty Abascal was born alongside her twin sister into a large family of twelve children. Her modeling journey commenced when designer Elio Berhanyer invited both sisters to showcase his work at the 1964 International Exhibition held in New York. Shortly thereafter, photographer Richard Avedon featured them in Harper's Bazaar, which propelled her career forward and led to her relocation to New York City.
Early in her career, she collaborated with designer Oscar de la Renta, establishing a lasting friendship. In 1968, she encountered Valentino Garavani, who invited her to Capri for photographic sessions; their close relationship endures. By this period, she secured contracts with Ford Modeling Agency and later Wilhelmina Models.
In 1971, Abascal wed Murray Livingstone Smith, then vice president of an advertising firm; the couple separated four years later. During 1975, she made a brief appearance in Woody Allen’s film Bananas and posed for both Playboy magazine and Andy Warhol’s Interview. The previous year, she had starred in a provocative Alka-Seltzer commercial alongside Salvador Dalí.
After returning to Seville in 1975, she married Rafael Medina y Fernandez de Cordoba, Duke of Feria, in 1977. Together they had two sons: Rafael, who currently holds the dukedom, and Luis. In the early 1980s, she briefly resumed runway modeling for Carolina Herrera’s inaugural collection and was captured by photographers Norman Parkinson and Lord Snowdon.
Abascal is acknowledged as one of Valentino’s Spanish muses and continues to maintain strong connections with Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. She remains active as a stylist for Hola! magazine among other endeavors.
Notable published works
- Cuestión de estilo. Martínez Roca. Barcelona. 2000.
- Manual de estilo de Naty Abascal con Vicente Gallart. Grijalbo. Madrid. 2013.