Susan Bottomly

Susan Dunn Whittier Bottomly (born October 1, 1948), also known as International Velvet, is a former American model and actress. She is best known for her association with Pop artist Andy Warhol and the Factory scene of the 1960s.

After beginning her career as a fashion model and appearing on the cover of Mademoiselle in 1965, Bottomly moved to New York the following year and became one of Warhol's "superstars," adopting the name International Velvet. She appeared in several of Warhol's underground films, including Chelsea Girls (1966), Paraphernalia (1966), Since (1966), Superboy (1966), and **** (Four Stars) (1967). During the 1970s, she continued working as a model, appearing frequently in European editions of Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, and Elle. In the 1980s, she operated the Uno modeling agency in Salt Lake City.

Life and career The image of Bottomly by David McCabe that was used for the cover of Mademoiselle in December 1965.

Early life and education Susan Bottomly came from an old New England family. Her father John S. Bottomly was a former assistant attorney general of Massachusetts who prosecuted the Boston Strangler.

Bottomly was a willful child who went to boarding schools. She was thrown out of school four times.

At the age of sixteen, Bottomly began modeling with Ford Modeling Agency.

In 1966, Bottomly graduated from Hannah More Academy boarding school in Reisterstown, Maryland. As a debutante, Bottomly represented Wellesley at the Bachelor's Ball held at the Statler Hilton in Boston in June 1966.

Andy Warhol and the Factory In 1966, Bottomly met poet and filmmaker Gerard Malanga at a party for poet Rene Ricard in Boston. A tall, long-necked brunette with graceful physicality, she impressed the artist deeply. She worked diligently on her personal cosmetics regimen, a process which Warhol observed with fascination: "Watching someone like Susan Bottomly, who had such perfect, full, fine features, doing all this on her face was like watching a beautiful statue painting itself." Her time as a Factory star illuminated her beauty, and seemed to draw people to her with a kind of ethereal grace and allure. Warhol admitted, "There were other girls who were just as beautiful as Susan Bottomly was, but her way of moving made her extra beautiful. People constantly wanted to know, 'Who is she?'"

During this time, Warhol was the manager of the Velvet Underground, an avante garde rock band. Bottomly appeared in the film The Velvet Underground: Tarot Cards, a 60-minute sound film depicting member of the Velvet Underground having their tarot cards read. Bottomly became involved with Velvet Underground members Lou Reed and John Cale, causing more conflict in the group, which was already disintegrating.

By the fall of 1966, Bottomly was dating David Croland. Croland designed her large statement earrings, which she became known for. Bottomly and Croland accompanied Warhol to parties and gallery openings, bringing attention to their bold style. Bottomly was chosen as one of New York's three fashion trendsetters by Women's Wear Daily. Bottomly attended the 1967 Cannes Film Festival with Warhol to screen Chelsea Girls, but the film was not shown. "The festival authorities explained that the film was too long, there were technical problems, there was no time."

After Bottomly met French matinee star Christian Marquand, she and Croland split up in 1968. Late that year, Bottomly left the Factory as Warhol superstar Viva was gaining popularity. "I remember having a few twangs about the fact that Viva was becoming more important than I was. On the other hand I knew it was time for me to move on, so it wasn’t a big deal to me," she recalled. She continued modeling in the 1970s, appearing most often in European magazines such as Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, and Elle France. She appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine in August 1975 and October 1976.

After her divorce, she operated Uno modeling agency in Salt Lake City, Utah in the 1980s.