Each year, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine hosts their Spirit of Achievement Luncheon to benefit lifesaving medical research. This year, Liz Lange joined the ranks of outstanding women in the arts, media, business, and government such as Barbara Boxer, Glenn Close, Marlene Dietrich, Lena Horne, Diane Sawyer, Eunice Shriver and many others. Before the ceremony, Liz took a few moments to chat with me about receiving such a prestigious accomplishment, the intellectual property of fashion, and what’s next for her.
When you were told you were being honored, what when through your mind?
I was totally surprised and honored that they wanted to honor me. Especially when I saw some of the women whose company I’d be in, my fellow honorees today and women of the past from Eleanor Roosevelt to Meryl Streep, Nora Ephron, Katie Couric. I was very flattered. Very.
You made a maternity line that made women feel beautiful during pregnancy. How did that come about?
You know it was the mid to late 90s, my friends were getting pregnant and complaining that they had nothing to wear. I saw them wearing these over-sized clothes and I had this idea that women would look better and feel better in more fitted clothing that looked like their regular clothes. It was was done with a lot of resistance A lot of people told me it wasn’t a good idea. I persevered and it took off beyond my wildest expectations.
Fashion now intermingles now with almost every industry. How do you feel about it now gaining an intellectual respect?
Right. It’s very true. In fact I went to Brown University and majored in Comparative Literature and thought I could never be designer. But it’s completely not true. Fashion is a real business just like any business and I love seeing it get the respect it deserves. It makes me very pleased.
What’s next for you on your bucket list of success?
You know, as an entrepreneur I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I’m thrilled that I just celebrated 10 years with TARGET as their maternity design partner. Recently launched a new line with the Home Shopping Network, that’s not maternity, that I sell on-air, for HSN and Shopping Channel Canada. I have a shopping site with my sister called Shopafrolic. And, umm, I don’t know what I’ll do next. I have two children, so I’m really busy.
Sonja Morgan and Romana Singer attend the 59th Annual Spirit of Achievement Award Luncheon