It’s taken me a while to put my thoughts around my dear colleague, friend, and mentor Annie Brumbaugh. Annie, or AB her close friends and associates knew her, played a big role in my life. There’ll never be another one like her. I hope you’ll take a few moments to join me in remembering a dear and inspiring colleague. Annie will always mean so much to me.
My dear friend and colleague, Annie Brumbaugh and me. I will cherish her memory all the rest of my days.
Annie’s life is quite an interesting story. She’s done all the things I’ve never accomplished. Yet, as colleagues, we grew to see one another as equals and to be totally in awe of how the other found success and joy in our work. She lived in London, Paris, and Marrakesh, Morocco. Annie studied fashion design in London, and used her innate talents and learned skills to the best of her ability throughout the rest of her life. She owned an atelier in Marrakesh. Upon returning to New York City, she worked for a couture designer.
Always on the cutting edge of new concepts, Annie started an independent consulting business as a wardrobe designer in 1984. Annie’s innate talents and skills imbued her with a real gift in seeing just what would suit each of her client’s styles.
Here we are again, sitting together as we always did at the New York Fashion Conference. For me, this will never be the same without AB.
Early on in my career as an image consultant, I took professional development classes that Annie offered. I wanted to learn how the master made a success of her business. Annie was generous with information, detailed with ideas, and made it easy for all of us who learned from her to think critically about what might work best for each of us. This sense of maintaining independence was a very special quality of Annie’s, and one that spoke authentically to me, and has been a hallmark of my own practice.
When it came to critical thinking, you’d never really see Annie’s wheels turning inside. But, she would throw the right answer out there. That answer would be based on instinctive and critical thinking. She used to tell me that we shared that gift. But, I believe that she helped me to bring it out. She taught me that intuition and instinct are as important as other learned skills.
What Annie did may have seemed simple and easy to some of us in our field of expertise. But, it’s what she brought to her work that was the gift her clients adored and admired most about her. Annie had unquestionably good taste.
Checking out stores, like the Manhattan outpost of Dover Street Market, and sitting for hours over coffee and cake, made for some lovely bonding time between AB and me. I only wish we could have enjoyed more time together. But, I’m grateful for the moments we shared…
A couple of years ago, Annie and I spent a day alone together in New York on the heels of an annual confab we attended together for many years. We also went to visit our mutually dear friend and colleague, Debra Lindquist, in Denver, Colorado. At some point during these days together, Annie really wanted to get a true fix on just how I take a client through my process to help tell their stories visually and to help them to transform.
Her eyes glazed over when she heard all of the steps that I take to stand in service to each client. She said, “Wow. I could never do all of that.” Only then did I realize that I equalled Annie’s level of professionalism. She said, “All I do is set up a dressing room at Saks, or wherever. The client shows up and we look at stuff, make decisions, and then I take off.” That was Annie. Not for one minute do I believe that was it. We always think that what we do is so simple and easy. But it’s how Annie did everything that she did that made it look easy.
I will love and cherish my friend, colleague, and mentor forever. And, I rededicate my life’s work in her honor. I will always help my clients tell the stories of their lives with clothes.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps successful Silicon Valley technology entrepreneurs and executives discover their personal brands and design their personal styles. Get Joseph’s free report that helps you know “6 Secrets to Success in Silicon Valley.” Get details about Joseph’s proven program that transforms your life through personal brand and style development.
