Elsie de Wolfe, American actress, author, and interior decorator (b. 1865)
Elsie de Wolfe (December 20, c. 1859 – July 12, 1950), also known as Lady Mendl after her marriage in 1926, was an American actress who became a very prominent interior designer and author. Born in New York City, de Wolfe was acutely sensitive to her surroundings from her earliest years and became one of the first female interior decorators, replacing dark and ornate Victorian decor with lighter, simpler styles and uncluttered room layouts. Her marriage to English diplomat Sir Charles Mendl was seen as a marriage of convenience, although she was proud to be called Lady Mendl. Her lifelong companion was Elisabeth Marbury, with whom she lived in New York and Paris. De Wolfe was a prominent social figure, and she entertained in the most distinguished circles.