Mona von Bismarck was the 20th-century socialite that the fashion world dubbed “The Best Dressed Woman in the World”—but there was more than chiffon in the folds of her gowns.
1. She Was The “Kentucky Countess”
Mona von Bismarck, the “Kentucky Countess”, lived a lavish life full of haute couture gowns, imperial Roman villas and jewels as big as watermelons. It was also full of scandalous divorces, personal betrayals, inexplicable tragedies and secrets so dark that they followed her to the grave. Then she got a taste of her own medicine.
2. She Had Humble Roots
Mona Travis Strader was born in 1897 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Robert Sims Strader and his wife, Bird O'Shockeny. No matter how far she went in life, she never truly forgot her native Kentuckian roots. Her father was little more than a humble horse breeder and trainer at Churchill Downs. But it put her in the right circles.
3. Her Grandparents Raised Her
No one knows much about Mona’s earlier years, before she started gracing the society pages in head-to-toe couture. We do know that her parents got divorced when she was just five years old and that her grandparents raised her in Lexington, Kentucky. She clearly wanted a far more glamorous life than what her grandparents could provide.
Library of Congress, Picryl
4. She Married Into Money
Mona knew one easy way to lift herself up out of poverty. In 1917, when she was just 20 years old, she married into money for the first—but not the last—time. She likely met her first husband, Henry J Schlesinger, through her father, who was working as a horse trainer at Fairland Farm—which Schlesinger owned. All Mona cared about was the money. 
Rijksmuseum, Picryl
5. Her First Marriage Is A Mystery
Mona’s first marriage to the iron and coke (a coal-based fuel) businessman, Schlesinger, is shrouded in scandal and mystery. Much of their romance took place in the days before the tabloids became obsessed with the svelte socialite and her supreme sense of style. What little we do know, however, doesn’t paint Mona in the most flattering of lights.
6. Her Son Was Not Her Favorite Fashion Accessory
At some point in her marriage to Schlesinger, Mona became pregnant with a baby boy. By all accounts, Robert Henry Schlesinger was born with all ten fingers and all ten toes. Given that he would go on to marry into the attractive Baker family, he probably even had Mona’s startling good looks, grace and chic sense of style.
But he wasn’t exactly the kind of fashion accessory that Mona cared for.
7. Her Divorce Caused A Scandal
By 1920, Mona’s marriage to Schlesinger was beginning to fall apart. Once again, the details of their marriage and ultimate divorce managed to escape the society pages. However, there was one curious detail that leaked out.
It was about the custody of their child, poor little Robert Henry Schlesinger. It didn’t seem like anyone wanted him.
Digital museum, Picryl
8. She “Sold” Her Son
One version of the divorce saga implies that, while Mona was happy to be rid of her husband, she was reluctant to give up her son. According to this interpretation of events, all Schlesinger had to do to break Mona’s maternal instincts was dangle a shopping-spree inducing $500,000 check in front of her face.
The other version of the story is even less flattering for the “Kentucky Countess”.
9. She Never Wanted To Have Another Child
Over the course of her life, Mona von Bismarck would have a total of five marriages—but just one son to show for it all. In light of that little fact, it’s entirely possible that Mona didn’t have a maternal bone in her body at all. In fact, it makes the other version of the story of her divorce from Schlesinger even more likely.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Picryl
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10. She Paid To Get Rid Of Her Son
While some high-society reports claimed that Mona dropped her son like a hot potato once Schlesinger waved a check in her face, other reports made an even more disturbing claim. Allegedly, Mona was so eager to end her marriage and get rid of her least favorite accessory (her son) that she was the one who paid Schlesinger $500,000 to take custody.
New York Public Library ,Get Archive
11. She Road The Alimony Pony
It’s unlikely that Mona was that eager to get rid of her only son. A newspaper report from the time confirmed that the court ordered Schlesinger to pay Mona $30,000 in alimony every year. From the sounds of it, she used that cold, hard cash to buy herself an upgraded husband. One with more money—and something money couldn’t buy.
12. She Moved On Quickly
Whether Mona was the one doing the paying or the one getting paid, one thing is clear. She moved on from Schlesinger and their little family almost as quickly as she could pull off an outfit change. Or spend a fortune in a boutique. And she had a plan.
She made sure that her next husband would be the ultimate fashion accessory to have on her arm.
13. She Bought Something Money Couldn’t Buy
After finalizing her divorce from Schlesinger in 1920 at the still-tender age of 23, Mona found a new man. By 1921, she had married James Irving Bush, a former varsity football team captain and wealthy banker. It’s almost a certainty that Bush wasn't as wealthy as Schlesinger, but he had something that Mona valued even more than money.
J. Willis Sayre, Picryl
14. She Married The “Handsomest Man” Around
Mona had married Schlesinger for his money—then walked off with a sizable chunk of it. With her own pockets lined with cash, she decided to buy herself a new kind of husband. This one was arm-candy.
According to the society pages of the best newspapers and magazines at the time, Mona’s new husband was “the handsomest man in America”.
15. She Rarely Went Out With Her Husband
With her new beau in-tow, Mona quickly became a high-society figure like none other. She settled in Paris, becoming a central figure in the fashion, arts and cultural circles. However, news reports indicate that she frequently adorned her arm with a Givenchy clutch instead of her husband. In fact, people rarely saw them together.
Larry Bessel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
16. She Filed For Divorce Number Two
By 1925, Mona began appearing at society events from New York to Paris without her second husband, Bush. Speculation began to swirl that the two were headed for splitsville but both Mona and Bush kept their lips shut tight about it. Nevertheless, it came as no surprise when they finalized their divorce later that year.
State Library of Queensland, Picryl
17. She Opened Up A Dress Shop
With two divorces before the age of 30, Mona turned her attention away from men and towards her real passion: fashion. Just one year after her divorce from Bush, Mona returned to New York and opened up a dress shop with her friend and fellow society figure, Laura Merriam Curtis. But just when Mona thought she had left men behind, one came calling.
Heritage Images, Getty Images
18. She Found An Older Man
In 1926, Mona stunned the world with an unexpected announcement. She was, yet again, engaged to be wed. This time, however, the “Kentucky Countess” had bagged herself a whale. Her new husband was Harrison Williams. He was a widower and, at 53, he was 24 years older than she was. However, his age was not the number she was focused on.
Library of Congress, Picryl
19. She Married The Richest Man In Town
Mona always had a way of marrying “up”—and it didn’t get much higher than Williams. According to contemporary estimates, Williams, who had made a fortune in utilities, was the wealthiest man in America. At the very least, he was among the first billionaires in the world. Exactly how Mona managed to bag the billionaire became a topic of some controversy. 
Nationaal Archief, Picryl
20. She Would Do Anything For Money
Throughout their marriage, both Mona and Williams shared little about the origins of their romance with anyone—and for good reason. Decades after their marriage ended, in 1984, The New York Times shared the true story of how Mona managed to beguile Williams. The story suggests that she would do anything for money. Even betray a friend. 
Library of Congress, Picryl
21. Her Friend Saw The Man First
According to The New York Times, at the time that Mona met Williams, he was engaged to another woman. But not just any woman. Allegedly, Williams had proposed to Mona’s business partner and dear friend, Laura Merriam Curtis. Unlike the couture gowns Mona loved to wear, her friendship with Curtis was clearly not priceless.
cottonbro studio, Pexels
22. She Canceled The Biggest Wedding Of The Century
Curtis was in seventh heaven, planning her marriage to the reportedly wealthiest man in America. It was almost certainly going to be the biggest wedding of the century—unless Mona had something to say about it. Brimming with excitement, Curtis traveled to Paris to pick out the right dress for her big day. A day that would never come.
23. She Betrayed Her Friend
While she traveled to Paris full of naïve excitement, Curtis asked Mona to look after her husband-to-be, Williams. And that’s when Mona, ever the surreptitious, social-climbing socialite, hatched her plan. Mona “did such a fine job of carrying out her assigned task” that Williams forgot all about Curtis before she had even picked out a wedding dress. 
Unknown Author, Picryl
24. She Sailed Away From Scandal
As usual, Mona moved quickly. Later that same year, in 1926, she turned Williams into husband number three. Perhaps in an effort to avoid Curtis and the certain scandal that would follow her backstabbing betrayal, Mona and Williams embarked on a year-long honeymoon. The honeymoon was, in and of itself, scandalous enough.
25. She Had A Warrior
For a whole year, Mona and Williams embarked on a whirlwind, worldwide honeymoon. Sailing aboard Willams’ megayacht, Warrior, “the largest and most expensive pleasure boat in the world”, the two graced every port of interest from New York to Macau. By the time they were ready to settle down, they simply couldn’t decide on one place to call home.
twiga269, Flickr
26. She Bought History, Brick By Brick
For someone who lived as luxuriously as Mona, having one love nest simply wouldn’t do. After their eyebrow-raising, year-long honeymoon, Mona and Williams purchased several historic properties all over the world to call home. While some of the properties she purchased boasted architectural and artistic significance with each brick, others were more ignominious.
Holyoke Public Library, Picryl
27. She Owned Houses Everywhere
The first property that Mona purchased with Williams’ money was the historic neo-Georgian Willard D. Straight House in Manhattan. She also splurged on an estate in Long Island and bought “Blythedunes” in Palm Beach. It was the property she purchased overseas, however, that really had everyone shocked—even if a little jealous.
ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
28. She Lived Like A Roman Emperor
Of all her jewels, dresses and designer outfits, Mona’s prized possession was, in the end, a Roman villa on the island of Capri, Il Fortino. The villa had previously belonged to the Roman emperors Augustus and, controversially, Tiberius. And it had a dark history.
Allegedly, Mona’s new home had been the site of Tiberius’ descent into madness and debauchery. She would spend a fortune erasing the horrible memories from that place.
Elliott Brown, Flickr
29. She Indulged All Of Her Desires
Ever since her first marriage and divorce, Mona had always had money—but not Harrison Williams kind of money. With one of the largest fortunes in the world at her disposal, Mona indulged her already extravagant, albeit impeccable, tastes. She splurged on designers, decorators, jewelers and artists of all kinds. She basically became their muse.
Coco Before Chanel (2009), Warner Bros.
30. She Was An “Outstanding” Beauty
One of Mona’s many good friends was the famed photographer Cecil Beaton. With her sylphlike figure and elegant demeanor, Mona quickly became Beaton’s favorite subject to photograph. He went so far as to call her “one of the few outstanding beauties of the thirties” and said that she “represented the epitome of all that taste and luxury can bring to flower”.
Lafayette Ltd, Wikimedia Commons
31. She Was The “Best Dressed Woman In The World”
Beaton was not alone in his breathless praise for the indubitably voguish Mona Schlesinger-Bush-Williams. In 1933, the “Kentucky Countess” became the first American to receive a particularly flattering honor. Coco Chanel, Edward Molyneux and more of the world’s top couturiers named Mona “The Best Dressed Woman in the World”.
Coco Before Chanel (2009), Warner Bros.
32. She Made It To Broadway
As the years (and outfits) rolled by, Mona’s love for fashion and impeccable wardrobe became a cultural staple. Legendary Broadway composer and songwriter Cole Porter, even dedicated a line to Mona in 1936’s Ridin’ High: “What do I care if Mrs. Harrison Williams is the best dressed woman in town?” Apparently, everyone cared.
33. She Was Dalí’s Muse
In the early 1940s, Mona bravely commissioned the surrealist painter Salvador Dalí to paint her portrait. Even though Dalí was, at the time, the most famous and celebrated artist, Mona’s decision to have him paint her portrait was, perhaps, misguided. He had a knack for burying brutal truths in his surrealist paintings—and he wasn’t about to spare Mona.
34. Her Portrait Was An Insult
The portrait that Dalí produced for Mona was practically satirical and left her speechless and, uncharacteristically, miserly. Apparently, the surrealist artist had found it necessary to paint the famously “Best Dressed Woman in the World” entirely undressed. Instead of finding Dalí’s portrait funny or poignant, Mona found it insulting.
35. She Refused To Pay
While Mona had developed something of a reputation for her habit of marrying men with money, she was still a respectable society figure. When Dalí showed her the portrait that he had painted of her in her birthday suit, her reaction was brutal.
She refused to pay him a single dime until he fixed it. Unfortunately, she did not tell him how to fix it.
36. Her Portrait Hid A Secret
Instead of painting Mona in a resplendent gown like in one of her myriad photographs, Dalí fixed the portrait by painting “The Best Dressed Woman in the World” in rags. In the painting, the tattered clothes hang drearily around her (almost too slim) figure. In case that wasn’t insulting enough, Dalí left a reference to one of Mona’s biggest scandals and secrets in the painting.
Keystone, Getty Images
37. Her Past Came Back To Haunt Her
In Dalí’s portrait of Mona, her hands are curiously curled up around her chest as though she was carrying something. But her hands are empty. Art critics have since decoded the curious gesture. They believe that it’s a reference to the son that Mona “sold” in her first divorce in exchange for a hefty payday.
Of course, that wasn’t even close to the payday she was about to get.
38. She Inherited A Bottomless Fortune
In 1953, Mona suffered what would have been a tragedy for most people. In her case, it was practically a cause for celebration. After nearly 30 years of marriage, Mona’s beloved husband, Williams, passed away. Of course, he left her the only thing she had ever really wanted anyway—a bottomless fortune to go on lavish shopping sprees.
Library of Congress, Picryl
39. She Married Her Secretary
Mona spent two years doing something she hadn’t done in a long time: going solo. Then, in 1955, she found what might actually have been the first true love of her life—apart from couture gowns, of course. To everyone’s surprise, Mona married her secretary, Albrecht Edzard “Eddie” von Bismarck-Schönhausen.
What did he have to offer? Well, he had the one thing she did not.
40. She Got The One Thing She Didn’t Have
Mona had married for money (twice), and for looks. But she had never married for title. Until von Bismarck, that is. As it turns out, her fourth husband was a lot more than just a secretary. “Eddie” von Bismarck was a bona fide German Count and the grandson of the former German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.
She thought she had found her happily ever after.
Jacques Pilartz, Wikimedia Commons
41. She Lost Husband Number Four
Whether it was love or title that brought them together, fate tore Mona and Eddie apart in 1970. After another 15 years of wedded bliss, Eddie von Bismarck passed on. However, even at 73 years of age, Mona was still one of the most eligible and elegant bachelorettes on the market. Even if only for her fortune.
Percy Benzie Abery, Wikimedia Commons
42. She Was Not Heartless
It doesn’t seem that Mona ever really mourned the loss of her husbands or the dissolution of her marriages. But, to call her heartless would be wildly inaccurate. Mona had a big heart—for fashion designers, that is. So, when the world of fashion lost one of its biggest and most iconic names, Mona was simply inconsolable.
Coco Before Chanel (2009), Warner Bros.
43. She Mourned The Loss Of Her Favorite Atelier
According to the American fashion columnist, Diana Vreeland, Mona only ever really broke down when her favorite atelier shuttered its doors. When Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his shop in 1968, Mona’s reaction was devastating.
She allegedly locked herself in her bedroom at her villa in Capri for three days. It would take yet another marriage to get her out of her funk.
Lynn Gilbert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
44. She Bought Royal Titles
One year after losing Eddie, Mona claimed to have, at last, found her one true love. In 1971, she tied the knot with “Count” Umberto de Martini, her former fourth husband’s physician. He was, of course, not really a Count. Mona had purchased the title for him from Italy’s King Umberto II of Italy. He wasn’t at all what he seemed.
Tanner (Capt), Wikimedia Commons
45. Her Fifth Husband Was Not What He Seemed
With her first three marriages, Mona had always been the one marrying much older men. However, as she was getting on in years herself, most of the eligible bachelors were younger than she was. Like Umberto de Martini. He was a staggering 14 years younger than the wealthy and weathered “Kentucky Countess”.
That wasn’t the only way in which the tables had turned.
Australian National Maritime Museum, Picryl
46. Her Husband Had Been Keeping A Secret
Mona and de Martini’s marriage ended abruptly in 1979. While driving his sports car, de Martini crashed and perished. However, in the wreckage, it became apparent that de Martini had flipped the script on Mona. He had only married her for her money, just as she had married Schlesinger, Bush and Williams before. But there was more.
He had been keeping a dark secret from her the whole time.
Wikimedia Commons ,Picryl
47. Her Husband Had Only Married Her For Money
Once she began sorting out de Martini’s affairs after his fatal car accident, Mona learned something shocking. Not only had de Martini been using her for her extensive fortune, but he was, in fact, already married. With kids, no less. He had been siphoning off her “hard-earned” cash to support his secret family. It was more than she could take. 
Punsararavishan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
48. She Retired From The Social Scene
After her experience with her fifth husband and conman, de Martini, Mona retired from the social scene and gave up on the idea of marriage. After all, she was filthy rich. She split her remaining years between her apartment in Paris and her villa on the island of Capri, Il Fortino. However, that doesn’t mean that she gave up on fashion and luxury.
cottonbro studio, Pexels
49. She Was An Avid Gardener
Mona became an avid gardener in her later years. She imported “magnolia trees and roses from Kentucky” which she tended to in “linen Balenciaga shorts”. She even had fresh water imported daily from the Italian mainland to sustain her growing gardens. But, no matter how wealthy, famous and sophisticated she became, she never lost touch with her roots.
Şeyma Ferhan ,Pexels
50. She Never Forgot Kentucky
In her final years, Mona paid homage to her home state. She donated various letters, papers, photos, jewels, dresses and priceless works of art to various museums and galleries in Kentucky. More importantly than bringing the world to Kentucky, however, Mona brought Kentucky to the world. As one historian put it, “She always had that sense of hospitality. She carried a piece of Kentucky out into the world”.
51. She Was Buried In Couture
Mona eventually passed away in 1983 at the age of 86—and she made sure her death was just as lavish as her life. With five husbands and a bevy of real estate, she could have laid down to rest anywhere. In the end, she chose to call Long Island her final resting place, where she is buried alongside her favorite husbands number three and four, Harrison Williams and Eddie von Bismarck.
Of course, she was buried in a couture Givenchy gown.
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