La Doña Style

Often Imitated Never Duplicated

Cartier Exotic Collection tribute to María Félix

Daria Werbowy, LaDoña tribute for V magazine

Doubtlessly the most famous Mexican movie star, María Félix created a larger-than-life character: herself. La Doña, as the star was known after the character of her 1943 movie Doña Bárbara, starred in 47 movies, most of them forgettable except for her presence in them. More a star than an actress, she constructed an image of a tough woman, a sort of one-liner she-male that went beyond the traditional role of Latin American women. Her marriage to Agustín Lara the most popular Latin composer from the 30s to the 60s, was a great event itself. Her fame went beyond Mexico to Latin America, Spain, France and Italy. She always refused to learn English, so she never acted in any English language movie. That's the main reason why her fame was related almost exclusively to Latin countries. After her last film, she was linked to a number of film projects, but never came back to the screen. Her last performance was on a Mexican historic soap opera, in 1970.

Rumor has it that the eccentric Mexican actress entered Cartier's Rue de la Paix boutique with a small fishbowl containing a pet baby crocodile. She then had the design team create custom interlocking jeweled versions of the creature in the same size. Later, they did the same with an exotic snake. Needless to say, Felix was quite passionate about her jewels (and her reptiles), and she went on to become one of Cartier's most loyal customers.

"I believe I can consider the fact that having had portraits made of myself is manifesting a form of certain narcissism, but I cannot help it"

"Money is important in life. It does not give you happiness, we all know, but it sure calms the nerves."

"Look, young lady, I have been very busy living my life and I've not had time to count it." (upon being asked her age by a journalist)

images via: mf, cartier, vmag