Branding Queens in Images

All of the illustrations were created by artist Ida Hay specifically for Branding Queens.

Queen of Champagne – Barbe Nicole Clicquot

Barbe Nicole Clicquot
Madame Clicquot’s favorite color was unknown, but we know she loved Pinot Noir wine, so this was the inspiration for this color.
Portrait of Madame Clicquot
Oil on canvas painted by Léon Cogniet (1794-1880) and dated 1861. Reims, Maison Veuve Clicquot
Credits: Veuve Clicquot
Portrait of Madame Clicquot and her great-grand-daughter Anne de Mortemart. Oil on canvas painted by Léon Cogniet (1794-1880) and dated 1859. Château de Brissac (Maine-et-Loire, France)
Portrait of Madame Clicquot and her
great-grand-daughter Anne de Mortemart.
Oil on canvas painted by Léon Cogniet (1794-1880) and dated 1859. Château de Brissac (Maine-et-Loire, France)
Credits : Collection Château de Brissac

Queen of Clean – Anna Bissell

Branding Queens Anna Bissell
There was no reference to Mrs. Bissell’s favorite color, so we used a dark blue portraited in the brand’s early days.
Photo of Mrs. Bissell – date unknown.
Credits: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

Queen of Black Beauty – Madam C.J. Walker

The color chosen was a goldenrod yellow because that was the color of Madam Walker’s original product containers.

Queen of Cosmetics – Elizabeth Arden

Elizabeth Arden was known to like pink, but we saw her rich in gold.

Queen of Haute Couture – Coco Chanel

“Red is the colour of life, of blood, I love red,” stated Coco Chanel.

Queen of Baking – Margaret Rudkin

Pepperidge Farm’s colors range from red to yellow.
Margaret Rudkin – Downingtown, Pa [1956]
Credits: The Campbell Archives

Queen of Aviation – Olive Ann Beech

Olive Ann Beech_ Branding Queens
Mrs. Beech surrounded herself in her favorite color, known as the “Beech blue” color.
Olive Ann Beech
Olive Ann Beech is standing at her office desk
Credits: Mary Lynn Oliver

Olive Ann Beech inside a plane
Olive Ann inside her personal airplane known as “The Free Enterprise.” Credits: Mary Lynn Oliver
Olive Ann Beech on the steps of her plane
Olive Ann Beech standing on the steps of a Queen Air aircraft
Credits: Mary Lynn Oliver

Queen of PR – Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder loved bold and bright colors that attracted attention, like red.

Queen of Barbie – Ruth Handler

Barbie pink is synonymous with one of Ruth Handler’s most outstanding achievements.
Ruth and her husband with their famous Barbie doll
Credits: Mattel Archives

Queen of Washington – Katharine Graham

Mrs. Graham was a very private person, so we selected a bright red that she often wore.

Queen of Pink – Mary Kay Ash

No surprise, Mrs. Ash surrounded herself with the color pink.
Mary Kay Ash in her office
Credits: © Mary Kay Inc., Printed with permission from Mary Kay Inc., Addison, Texas, U.S.A.
Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash, beside her famous pink Cadillac
Credits: © Mary Kay Inc., Printed with permission from Mary Kay Inc., Addison, Texas, U.S.A.

Queen of England – Queen Elizabeth II

Vogue analyzed what colors Queen Elizbeth wore most often, and the winner was blue.

Queen of Mail Order – Lillian Vernon

A portrait of Lillian Vernon by artist Enid Cutler in the National Portrait Gallery inspired this blue.

Queen of Separates – Liz Claiborne

Liz Claiborne’s favorite color was sunshine yellow. So in 1965, her husband surprised her with a brand new Ford Mustang convertible custom painted in a “Taxicab Yellow.”

Queen of Domestic Arts – Martha Stewart

Martha Steward was notorious for her pastel colors like this one.

Queen of Green – Anita Roddick

Green was Anita Roddick’s theme and brand.
Dame Anita Roddick filling product bottles.
Credits: The Roddick Foundation and The Body Shop
PR shot of Dame Anita Roddick.
Credits: Joel Anderson and The Roddick Foundation

Queen of Media Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey’s favorite color is green—psychological green, which is analogous to listening to your instincts.

Queen of Cookies – Debbi Fields

Debbi Fields is synonymous with the brand’s bright stopping red logo and features.

Queen of Preppy Chic – Tory Burch

Tory Burch proclaims, “I love blue in all its shades and textures. I wear navy like others wear black, and I love the blue in flowers—cornflowers, delphiniums.”

Queen of Undergarments – Sara Blakely

Sara Blakely says she always wears red lipstick because “It’s bold and unapologetic and reminds me to be fearless.” She also has a lucky red backpack.