Born 1932 in White Plains, New York, American fashion model Joan Romano did her first job for Vogue magazine with Karen Radkai as the photographer in 1953. She modelled until 1959 working with many photographers: Horst P. Horst, Irving Penn, Dick Rutledge, Clifford Coffin, Cecil Beaton, Schiavone and Leombruno Bodi, featuring predominantly in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Charm magazine.
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| Joan Romano in the 1950s |
Joan met Bob Taft (also a successful model) on a shoot in 1953 and a few years later Bob piloted a plane to fly them to Santa Barbara to be married. Bob set up the Taft Damon Modeling Agency, which Joan soon joined.
At the end of Joan’s modeling career, Sports Illustrated featured Joan and Bob together on a trip to Europe, photographed by their friend Louise Dahl-Wolfe. They moved from NYC to a remote stone house in Croton-on-Hudson, NY in 1960 when Joan decided not to model any longer but to stay at home to raise her two children and run the PTA. Bob sold the modeling agency and became a fashion photographer. They moved to London in 1972 where Joan ran a successful grooming course for Barclays Bank staff in the ’70s, which received a huge amount of press.
Joan Romano was known for her great sense of humor, her positive attitude to life and of course, for her beauty. She died in 2015 at the age of 83. Take a look at these beautiful photos to see portraits of young Joan Romano in the 1950s.
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| Joan Romano in Cerulean EMBA mink jacket by Maximilian, photo by Virginia Thoren, Vogue, February 15, 1954 |
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| Joan Romano in Topaze EMBA mink stole by Ritter Bros., dress by Christian Dior, jewelry by Cartier, photo by Virginia Thoren, Vogue, February 15, 1954 |
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| Joan Romano is wearing a printed linen turban and a full red fleece coat by Originala over a navy dress with a large collar in white pique by Larry Aldrich, photo by Richard Rutledge, 1954 |
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| Joan Romano in a yellow wool coat by Swansdown, cloche by John Frederics Charmer, gloves by Kislav, bag by J. Mas, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, 1955 |
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| Joan Romano in bright red wide wale corduroy slacks and colorful sheer wool jacket, photo by Sharland, Ladies' Home Journal, October 1955 |
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| Joan Romano in emerald brocade sheath with matching full length coat, bound in satin by Rosecrest in Cohama's fabrics, with Superb gloves and Albert Weiss pin, photo by Leombruno-Bodi, 1955 |
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| Joan Romano in Orlon wool-jersey design by Pierre Balmain, DuPont ad, Harper's Bazaar, September 1955 |
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| Joan Romano in easy suit with shorter jacket, lambskin gloves, hat, scarf, bag, all at Bonwit Teller, photo by Karen Radkai, Vogue, February 1956 |
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| Joan Romano in simple sheath with slit sides of a vibrant Japanese print on cotton by Tina Leser, shoes by I.Miller, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, January 1956 |
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| Joan Romano is wearing yellow and white print dress from Vogue Pattern, straw hat is by John Frederics, photo by Clifford Coffin, 1956 |
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| Joan Romano wearing Galanos silk evening dress in brown speckled pattern and wearing black satin hair bow and diamond earrings by Eisenberg, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, 1956 |
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| Joan Romano, photo by Horst P. Horst for a "Modess...because" ad, 1956 |
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| Joan Romano in Forstmann's Ermina wool coat with large beaver collar by Louis Goldstein, 1957 |
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| Joan Romano in Spring suit of Arnel by Handmacher, Vogue, March 1, 1957 |
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| Joan Romano in velvet theatre costume by Estévez, American Rayon Institute Inc. ad, Vogue, October 1, 1957 |
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| Joan Romano is wearing a side swirled silk surah hat with navy polka-dots by Sally Victor, navy wool suit with dyed navy fox collar by George Carmel, jewelry by David Webb, photo by Clifford Coffin, February 15, 1957 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess....because ad, 1957 |
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| Joan Romano in gown by Scaasi, Cadillac ad, Vogue, February 1, 1958 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess... because ad, Vogue, April 1, 1958 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess...because ad, Harper's Bazaar, August 1958 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess...because ad, photo by Cecil Beaton, Vogue, February 1, 1958 |
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| Joan Romano, photo by Cecil Beaton, circa 1958 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess....because ad, Vogue, February 1, 1959 |
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| Joan Romano, Modess...because ad, Vogue, September 15, 1959 |