In the Company of Originals

The story of Carla Wallach’s life is one of endless travel, glamorous social life, and creative entrepreneurial endeavors. Carla lived with and was influenced by three dynamic “originals” – her mother, father and husband—who marched to their own drummer. She, as expected, has the genes and their spirit for adventure.

Carla’s mother arrived in Paris from the provinces to study at the Sorbonne, fell in love and married a Swedish nobleman the same age as her own father. She was French bourgeoisie, Catholic and naïve; he, a Swedish aristocrat, Protestant, world traveler, diplomat and international businessman. Their daughter lived a turbulent childhood on two continents until, at a young age, she married and settled down in New York City.

She became a fashion copywriter and then co-founded the first advertising agency in the city to specialize only in women’s accounts. She wrote articles on women’s issues in national magazines, published four books on gardening and landscape design, wrote articles for The New York Times, and lectured. Carla used her social and organizational skills to become a much sought-after fundraiser for many organizations including the Red Cross, the French-American Children’s Fund, and the Renaissance Ball of the Bruce Museum.