Who was Betty Halbreich? Legendary personal shopper to the celebrities passes away at 96

Well-known American personal shopper and author Betty Halbreich, 96, unexpectedly passed away on August 24, 2024. She died of natural causes and her career dates back to the 70s when she was employed at different places such as Seventh Avenue and was the Director of Solutions at Bergdorf Goodman.

Betty's children Kathy and John also confirmed the news of her demise in a statement, as per Women's Wear Daily. They started by saying:

"Our mom led a compelling life, much of which was spent at her favorite place in the world, at her Bergdorf Goodman desk – her room with a view, tossing zingers while offering those BG tea sandwiches to whomever graced her office."

The duo even called Betty Halbreich "a realist and a romantic" person and they would always miss the humor and passion she had for her work. Kathy and John mentioned that no one had to be a billionaire to take their mother's advice and continued:

"From the young lawyer taking a case to court for the first time to decking someone out for an incredible gala evening, she was immensely proud to dress women and help them chase their dreams."

Bergdorf Goodman also shared a tribute post on Facebook on August 25, with a black-and-white photo, writing that Betty Halbreich's friendship was her biggest power and added:

"Betty began her legendary tenure at Bergdorf Goodman in September of 1976. She shaped our modern personal shopping service and over the years, built an extraordinary reputation for her honest, decisive, and endlessly witty approach to style."

Halbriech's close friends and colleagues additionally recalled her flawless work on different social media platforms.

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Betty Halbreich had a long list of clients that included popular faces from the entertainment industry

The Chicago, Illinois native arrived in New York City in 1974 and was first employed at Seventh Avenue. However, she had to deal with some problems in her married life, following which she was taken to a psychiatric hospital. She then joined the Geoffrey Beene boutique and slowly started working as a stylist on TV shows like Gossip Girl.

She was an author of books such as Secrets of a Fashion Therapist and a new memoir titled No One Has Seen It All is scheduled to be released in April next year. She was residing in Park Avenue, New York at an apartment for a long time.

Betty Halbreich addressed a few more details about her early life in an interview with W magazine in December 2019 and said:

"All my life I've loved clothes. I remember dressing up in my grandmother's negligees on Sunday afternoons when we visited. All the old ladies were having coffee and schnecken cake, and I was in her closet. My grandmother loved peignoirs, and I had the best time. Not looking at myself. Just putting them on."

She also revealed that she listens to the radio at night to understand everything about the weather conditions outside alongside the events happening around the world. She added that she does not leave her house until her "bed is made and everything is put in order."

While she was working at Bergdorf Goodman, Betty Halbreich had the opportunity to serve some popular faces from the world of entertainment, including Meryl Streep.

Apart from TV shows, she also had a documentary feature titled Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's in her credits, which was released back in 2013. The main premise focused on the popularity of Bergdorf Goodman and all those who have visited appeared in the project, including Vera Wang, David Hoey, and Karl Lagerfeld.

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Betty Halbreich is survived by her children Kathy and John. She was married to the owner of Uwana Wash Frocks, Sonny Halbreich, who passed away in 2004. The duo exchanged vows in 1947 but their divorce was never finalized.