Since hearing about the passing of one of my style icons, I’ve been racking my brain on trying to find the most immaculate collection of words to say to represent who she was and what an influence she has on me. Then I stumbled upon a July 2009 article from Vanity Fair that embodied EXACT who Lena was.

A perfectionist. The word SETTLE was never in her vocabulary. Never afraid to tell you want she wants and all the while remaining a class act with beauty and grace for days.

Lena Horne became a star with her performance in the 1943 film Stormy Weather, one of the few Hollywood musicals of that era to feature mostly African-American performers. But because of her race, the Brooklyn-born singer and actress was never considered for the dramatic roles she craved. Instead, she was usually featured in single numbers, wearing elegant gowns, often standing in front of a pillar. In the mid-1950s, approaching 40 but still beautiful and sultry, a frustrated Horne left Hollywood to focus on singing—a move that would transform her into one of the most successful and beloved performers of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Rest In Perfection and thank you

Excerpt from Vanity Fair.