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Madeleine Albright celebrates females, fashion at book party
By: Tara Palmeri
10/05/09 8:41 AM EDT
The first female secretary of state celebrated the diplomatic power of femininity and fashion with a book party and fashion show at Neiman Marcus in Friendship Heights.
Madeleine Albright’s new book, “Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box,” shares the story of the lapel pins that came to represent some of the most defining moments of her career.
“I’m proud to be a woman,” Albright said Saturday night. “Somebody said the thing that distinguishes us from other mammals is that we accessorize.”
Albright first used the pin as a sign of diplomacy after Saddam Hussein’s government-run media vilified the secretary as an “unparalleled serpent” for her criticism of Iraq’s failure to comply with United Nations weapons inspectors. At a following meeting with Iraqi officials, Albright wore a serpent pin with the underlying message: “Don’t tread on me.”
From that point forward, Albright used the power of accessories to reflect her sentiments when dealing with friends and adversaries.
Before the book signing, Albright shared stories of some of her most memorable pins — which were featured on models adorned in the St. John fall line.
Although the Q&A was intended to discuss her “personal diplomatic arsenal,” the conversation quickly became a policy debate and even got a bit heated when one attendee used his platform to advocate his beliefs on Iran.
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