Cleopatra Broumand (; born ) is an Iranian-born American fashion designer,

merchandiser A merchandiser is a type of arcade gaming device, which features a machine that contains a display of merchandise, which can be won by playing the game. In the trade, such games are described as " skill with prize" (SWP) games, and are a hybrid ...

, and entrepreneur in the apparel and food industries. Her businesses included Cleopatra Broumand Boutique, Inc., Cleopatra Coffee, and Cyrus International. She is also a chef and member of the

International Association of Culinary Professionals The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is a United States–based not-for-profit professional association whose members work in culinary education, communication, or the preparation of food and beverage. It was started in 19 ...

. After marriage she also used the names Cleopatra Birrenbach, and Cleopatra Broumand–Birrenbach.

Early life

Born in Tehran, Imperial State of Iran, and she is the youngest of six children. Her father, Khalil Broumand, was and antique jewelry dealer, turned businessman in the oil industry in

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. He returned to Iran after the

Bolshevik revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. It was led by Vladimir L ...

, and started a new life. Her mother Farangis, a graduate of American School in Iran, named her after watching

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...

play the Egyptian queen in a classic movie. At 8 years old, she announced to her mother her intentions of becoming a fashion designer. Insisting that she wanted to become the next

Christian Dior Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer and founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Dior, Christian Dior SE. His fashion house is known all around the world, having gained promi ...

,"Cleopatra" by Kandy Shuman,

Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...

, September 7, 1967. and young Broumand enrolled in design and sewing classes.طراحی لباس و ثبت مارک کلئوپاترا برومند (translated title
Clothing design and trademark registration of Cleopatra Broumand
with

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is an international broadcasting network funded by the federal government of the United States that by law has editorial independence from the government. It is the largest and oldest of the American internation ...

(VOA), translation from Persian to English with text, February 23, 2012. Her father, who had a penchant for things American, sent 15-year-old Cleopatra to live with her older brother who had earlier moved to

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. Starting anew in Indianapolis, Broumand attended

Pike High School Pike High School is a public high school on the northwest side of Indianapolis, Indiana. Athletics Conference History Varsity Sports * Baseball (boys) * Basketball (girls and boys) * Cross country (girls and boys) * Football (boys) * Golf (g ...

and at age 17. After her high school graduation, she moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to study design at the

Fashion Institute of Technology The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is a public college under the State University of New York, in New York City. It focuses on art, business, design, mass communication, and technology connected to the fashion industry. It was founded in ...

(FIT). Before graduating from FIT, 21- year old Broumand established her first fashion business, Cleopatra Broumand Boutique, Inc., designing and manufacturing ready-to-wear women's fashion."Esotica la collezione della giovane Cleopatra, la disegnatrice-rivelazione dell"Iran," Progresso, Monday, June 1, 1970.

Early career

Broumand's early apparel designs reflected her Persian origins. Her father's Persian Abba, a square shaped garment with armholes traditionally worn by men, was the inspiration for her initial collection. It was one of her most popular womenswear and menswear given its powerful, opulent look and freedom of movement. She used fabrics and textiles from Iran, India, and Morocco. Buyers were drawn to her marriage of Eastern and Western aesthetics, and her designs were sought out by the likes of

Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus is an American department store chain founded in 1907 in Dallas, Texas by Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman, and her husband Abraham Lincoln Neiman. It has been owned by Saks Global, a Corporate spin-off, spin-o ...

Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue (Colloquialism, colloquially Saks) is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain founded in 1867 by Andrew Saks. The first store opened in the F Street and 7th Street shopping districts, F Street shopping distric ...

Henri Bendel Henri Bendel, Inc. (pronounced BEN-del), established in 1895, was a women's department store based in New York City which in its later history sold women's handbags, jewelry, luxury fashion accessories, home fragrances, chocolate and gifts. Its ...

, and

Bergdorf Goodman Bergdorf Goodman Inc. is an American luxury department store based in New York City, founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf. , it operates a women's store and a men's store across the street from each other on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. ...

, which was the first to display her designs in their windows four times in the same year.

Food and recipes

In her early career after graduation, she designed packaging for coffee for Neiman Marcus. In the early 1970s, she launched Cleopatra Coffee, her own special blend packaged with a Persian coffee maker which sold at

Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's Inc. is an American luxury department store chain founded in 1861 by Joseph Bloomingdale and Lyman Bloomingdale. It was acquired by Federated Department Stores in 1930, which purchased the Macy's department store chain in 1994, ...

and B. Altman and Company (she is credited with producing an early designer food product). In the late 1960s, Cleopatra's buyers and private customers were invited to a miniature museum of Persian artifacts, where she would read their fortune from their coffee grounds. Having learned how to cook especially northern Persian delicacies from her mother, Broumand considers cooking an art form. In early 1974, she was featured in

Craig Claiborne Craig Claiborne (September 4, 1920 January 22, 2000) was an American restaurant critic, food journalist and book author. A long-time food editor and restaurant critic for ''The New York Times'', he was also the author of numerous cookbooks ...

's book "Favorites from the New York Times", published by

Times Books Times Books (previously the New York Times Book Company) is a publishing imprint owned by the New York Times Company and licensed to Henry Holt and Company. Times Books began as the New York Times Book Company in 1969, when The New York Times Co ...

. Bareh-ye maveh (lamb with fruit),

abgoosht Abgoosht ( ''Âbgušt'', ; literally "meat broth") is an Iranian cuisine, Iranian stew. It is also called dizi (, ), which refers to the traditional stoneware crocks it is served in. Some describe it as a "hearty mutton Persian soup thickened wi ...

limon (lemon stew), fesenjān (duck and meatballs in walnut and pomegranate sauce), and chelo (plain rice with saffron) were among the featured dishes she prepared. In 2000, she became a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals by invitation of its co-founder,

Julia Child Julia Carolyn Child (Birth name#Maiden and married names, née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for having brought French cuisine to the American pu ...

International work

In 1972, Cleopatra married Thomas Birrenbach, a steel company executive with the German Thyssen Group. He is the son of Kurt Birrenbach, chairman of the supervisory board of the Thyssen Group (today

ThyssenKrupp ThyssenKrupp AG (, ; stylized as thyssenkrupp) is a German industrial engineering and steel production multinational conglomerate. It resulted from the 1999 merger of Thyssen AG and Krupp and has its operational headquarters in Duisburg and E ...

) and Member of the

German Bundestag The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the lower house of the German federal parliament. It is the only constitutional body of the federation directly elected by the German people. The Bundestag was established by Title III of the Basic Law for ...

(Parliament). Starting in 1974, Broumand spent the next ten years living and working around the world, in China, Germany, India, Italy,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, Japan, Russia, and Scotland. Aided by her knowledge of six languages, Broumand became a global fashion influence. While residing in Germany, she launched Cyrus International, a Swiss-based consulting company advising American and European firms on marketing and operations in Iran. At the request of the Thyssen Group of companies, Broumand accompanied her husband to Tehran to further develop the ongoing construction of Iranian oil and gas refineries and the acquisition of other major capital goods projects. Time spent in Iran covered the period before, during and after the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

. In 1977, at the request of her mentor

Shirley Goodman Shirley Mae Goodman (June 19, 1936 – July 5, 2005) was an American R&B singer, best known as one half of Shirley & Lee, a 1950s duo. Later in her career, she had a resurgence as part of the group Shirley and Company with the disco hit " Sh ...

, executive vice president of FIT, and under the auspices of

Shahbanu ''Shahbanu'' (, ) was a title for empress regnant or empress consort in Persian and other Iranian languages. The title was specifically used by Farah Pahlavi, the wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran ( Persia). During Sas ...

Farah Pahlavi Farah Pahlavi (; []; born 14 October 1938) is the former Queen and last Empress () of Pahlavi Iran and is the third wife and widow of the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. She was born into a prosperous Ira ...

of Iran, Cleopatra directed the establishment of a FIT-subsidiary in Tehran. Because of the ensuing revolutionary turmoil this historic development did not come to fruition. At their Tehran residence in October 1977, the Birrenbachs introduced U.S. Vice President

Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich "Rocky" Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was the 41st vice president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford. He was also the 49th governor of New York, serving from 1959 to 197 ...

and

Happy Rockefeller Margaretta Large "Happy" Rockefeller (''née'' Fitler, formerly Murphy; June 9, 1926 – May 19, 2015) was a philanthropist who, as the wife of the 41st vice president of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller, served as second lady of the ...

, who were on a visit for the opening of the

Museum of Contemporary Art Museum of Contemporary Art (often abbreviated to MCA, MoCA or MOCA) may refer to: Africa * Museum of Contemporary Art (Tangier), Morocco, officially le Galerie d'Art Contemporain Mohamed Drissi Asia East Asia * Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai ...

in Tehran, for artist

Marcos Grigorian Marcos Grigorian, also known as Marco Grigorian (; ; December 5, 1925 – August 27, 2007) was an Iranian-Armenian and American artist and gallery owner, and he was a pioneer of Iranian modern art. Early life and education Grigorian was born ...

. This introduction led to the acquisition of several of his artworks. Mr. Rockefeller eventually donated one of Grigorian's "Earthworks" to the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

in New York City. In 1979, the Chinese government invited her to high-level talks in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

as an advisor to the National China Textile Corporation on state-of-the-art technology and marketing know-how available in the United States. On December 10, 1987, General Secretary

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet and Russian politician who served as the last leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country's dissolution in 1991. He served a ...

hosted a dinner in honor of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan at the Soviet Embassy in Washington D.C.. On this occasion, Cleopatra was introduced to Foreign Minister

Eduard Shevardnadze Eduard Ambrosis dze Shevardnadze ( ka, ედუარდ ამბროსის ძე შევარდნაძე; 25 January 1928 – 7 July 2014) was a Soviet and Georgian politician and diplomat who governed Georgia (country), Georgi ...

who, in the spirit of Glasnost (Openness) and Perestroika (Restructuring), took a vivid interest in her line of work and invited her and her husband to a series of fact finding visits to

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

Tashkent Tashkent (), also known as Toshkent, is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uzbekistan, largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of more than 3 million people as of April 1, 2024. I ...

, etc.. Based on her experience in China the purpose was to assess the needs of the antiquated textile and garment factories and to introduce western merchandising and marketing strategies to the Russian Ministry of Light Industries and Textiles. Following numerous countrywide visits, she presented proposals for their modernization. In the late 1980s, as advisor to the project "Russia in the World of Fashion," she conducted negotiations with the Ministry of Culture, the Director of the

Hermitage Museum The State Hermitage Museum ( rus, Государственный Эрмитаж, r=Gosudarstvennyj Ermitaž, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ɪrmʲɪˈtaʂ, links=no) is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and holds the large ...

in St. Petersburg, and the Vice-Chairman of the Cultural Foundation of Russia, helping Russia to become a contender in international fashion."Cleopatra for Moscow and New York" by Oleg Ivanov, First Editor in Chief, Sovietskaja Kultura Newspaper, Moscow, USSR (translation), August 22, 1988. Cleopatra and Rockefeller

In 1989, as Artistic Liaison together with Tair Salakhov, contemporary artist and First Secretary of the USSR Artists' Union, she initiated and coordinated the first art exchange between the USSR and the

Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...

an art exhibition related to the legacy of renown Russian composer and artist

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded as a major composer. Shostak ...

(1906–1975). In 1987 Scottish knitting manufacturer Peter Scott praised her for "having advanced their industry a decade in technology." In her travels, she not only influenced global manufacturing based on Western practices, but returned with Eastern goods and inspirations. She spearheaded a collaboration between

Empress Farah Farah Pahlavi (; []; born 14 October 1938) is the former Queen and last Empress () of Pahlavi Iran and is the third wife and widow of the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. She was born into a prosperous Ira ...

and Vice President

on the reproduction of antique Persian jewelries and artifacts for the American market. The Iranian Revolution impeded such development. With the Indian Government and non-governmental manufacturers, she developed and jointly produced lines of beadings, embroideries, and silks for the United States market."Cleopatra Dresses to Conquer" The Times of India, New Delhi, India, April 1969.

Re-emergence as fashion designer

In 1983, upon returning to the United States, Broumand re-emerged as a designers on New York's Seventh Avenue and launched her colorful collections of women's ready-to-wear, evening wear, menswear, and accessories in the designer and couture categories. As CEO of Cleopatra Broumand, Inc., her second fashion venture, she presided over a diversified operation with productions in Italy and the Far East, distributing to two hundred top specialty stores and boutiques throughout America, Europe, and Japan."Myth, Reality from Cleopatra: Cleopatra's woman is a woman of tomorrow" Palm Beach Daily News, Florida, Tuesday, September 30, 1986. Cleopatra's fall 1983 collection was based on an ancient "Sun Man" mask and "Lady Sun," as well as starbursts and crescent moons."She finds her place in the Sun" by Jewell Cardwell, Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, April 1983."Pike grad new sun in fashion galaxy" by Betsy Harris, The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, May 22, 1983. All her silk prints were computer designed and produced in the

Como Como (, ; , or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Nestled at the southwestern branch of the picturesque Lake Como, the city is a renowned tourist destination, ce ...

region of Italy by producers such as:

Etro Etro is a family-managed Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1968. It is mainly known for its paisley patterns, which the company started making in 1981. History Etro was founded in 1968 by Gerolamo "Gimmo" Etro as a textile design company. ...

, Corisia, Taroni, etc. Her cashmeres and alpaca were from

Loro Piana Loro Piana S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion brand specialized in textile manufacturing and ready-to-wear clothing headquartered in Milan, Italy. Since its start as a merchant of cashmere, vicuña, linen and merino fabrics, Loro Piana expa ...

and Agnona. For her fall 1984 collection, she drew inspiration from contemporary artist

's "Earth Work" revealing its cracks."Designer's fall collection has look of the land" by Kathleen O'Connell, San Antonio Light, Wednesday, September 19, 1984. and from German Zero Group artist Adolf Luther's "Light and Matter" (Licht+Materie) coil motif. Her evening designs included quilted silk jackets, pleated skirts, and lightly embroidered silk shirts."Down to earth designs her forte" by Nancy Schoeffler, The Times-Picayune, July 2, 1984. In this same season, with the cracked earth and coil motives, she premiered a collection of men's sweaters after actor

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

inquired about menswear while attending an earlier womenswear trunk show and personal appearance in

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

."Cleopatra's classy collection of knits and silks" by Julie Vargo-Turi, Dallas Times Herald, September 12, 1984."Cleopatra for Men" by M.S.D., DNR Daily News Record, May 2, 1984. Her fall 1985 collection drew inspiration from the Houghton

Shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' (, ), also transliterated ''Shahnama'', is a long epic poem written by the Persian literature, Persian poet Ferdowsi between and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50,000 distichs or couple ...

or Book of Kings, 16th century miniature illustrations of 10th century Persian writer

Ferdowsi Abu'l-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi (also Firdawsi, ; 940 – 1019/1025) was a Persians, Persian poet and the author of ''Shahnameh'' ("Book of Kings"), which is one of the world's longest epic poetry, epic poems created by a single poet, and the gre ...

's poetry. A sweater from this collection was included in a time capsule placed at

New York Marriott Marquis The New York Marriott Marquis is a Marriott hotel on Times Square, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Designed by architect John C. Portman Jr., the hotel is at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46t ...

' grand opening ceremony on October 8, 1985."Cleopatra: Designer scores with fashions inspired by "Book of Kings (Shahnameh)" by Cathy Lawhon, Santa Ana Register, California, May 5, 1985. A computer design knitted face with red lips and an asymmetrical collar on the sweaters were among other popular designs in the collection. She was using computers to aid in her apparel design process in 1985. Her spring 1985 collection was titled

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

h, and was inspired by Indian royalty. Reminiscent of her earlier designs, she made garments inspired by the medieval world. The sword, falcon, and metallic glint of armor appeared in her fall 1986 designs which retained their softness in their knitted and silk textures or delicate embroidery as the breastplate inspired pieces did. The

Palm Beach Daily News The ''Palm Beach Daily News'' is a newspaper serving the town of Palm Beach in Palm Beach County in South Florida. It is also known as "The Shiny Sheet" because of its heavy, slick newsprint stock. History The newspaper was founded in 1897 ...

deemed "Cleopatra's woman a woman of tomorrow with yesterday's romance" and credited her ability to marry the modern with "the exotic"."Cleopatra Conquers New York" by Tavy Stone, Detroit, MI News, May 3, 1985.)

Barneys Barneys New York is an American brand founded in 1923 by Barney Pressman that operated full-line department stores from 1923 until 2020. Authentic Brands Group acquired Barneys' intellectual property in 2019, and has licensed the brand to Saks ...

Takashimaya is a Japanese multinational corporation operating a department store chain selling a wide array of products, ranging from wedding dresses and other apparel to electronics and flatware. It has more than 12 branches in Japan located in 2 region ...

Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. () is an American Luxury goods, luxury department store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin in 1901. The original store operated exclusively as a shoe store, and a seco ...

Bullocks Wilshire Bullocks Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, is a Art Deco building. The building opened in September 1929 as a luxury department store for owner John G. Bullock (owner of the more mainstream Bullock's in Dow ...

, etc. are among the stores which carried her line. Celebrity clients included the likes of

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...

Gloria Swanson Gloria Mae Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most famously for h ...

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Awards, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emm ...

Linda Evans Linda Evans (born Linda Evenstad; November 18, 1942) is a retired American actress known primarily for her roles on television. In the 1960s, she played Audra Barkley, the daughter of Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck), in the Wes ...

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...

Jill St. John Jill St. John (born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim; August 19, 1940) is an American retired actress. She is best known for playing Tiffany Case, the first American Bond girl of the James Bond film franchise, in 1971's '' Diamonds Are Forever''. Additiona ...

, Yue-Sai Kan,

Elena Obraztsova Elena Vasilyevna Obraztsova ( rus, Еле́на Васи́льевна Образцо́ва, , ɪ̯ɪˈlʲenə vɐˈsʲilʲɪ̯ɪvnə ɐbrɐˈstsovə; 7 July 1939 – 12 January 2015) was a Soviet and Russian mezzo-soprano. She was awarded the Pe ...

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

, as well as prominent personalities from the world of business and politics."Looking at the earth, stars and beyond" by Marty Primeau,

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

, August 26, 1984.

Humanitarian work

Following the

Armenian earthquake The 1988 Armenian earthquake, also known as the Spitak earthquake (), occurred on December 7 at with a surface-wave magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum MSK intensity of X (''Devastating''). The shock occurred in the northern region of Armenia (then ...

of 1988, she became founder and director of the Children of Crisis Foundation in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, the first Russian/American foundation. In April 1989, per Broumand's suggestion, a three-day auction of one million dollars worth of her clothing and scarves, inaugurated by Liana Dubinin, wife of the USSR Ambassador to Washington, opened at the Madison Hotel in Washington D.C. benefiting the Armenian Children Relief Fund."Auction for Relief to Armenian Children" by Andrei Fedyashin, Tass, April 18, 1989. In 1996, contribution from proceeds of a trunk sale in

Park City, Utah Park City is a city in Utah, United States. Most of the city is within Summit County, Utah, Summit County, with some portions extending into Wasatch County, Utah, Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is sou ...

went to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation."Trunk sale fundraiser to benefit Huntsman Cancer Foundation," The Park Record, Park City, Utah, Saturday, December 14, 1996.

Awards

In 1989, she was honored with an

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

award by the Supreme Soviet and Council of Ministers of the

Armenian SSR The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia bordered the Soviet republics ...

in recognition for her charitable contribution. The ceremony took place at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

was among the recipients."Benefit Sale for the Armenia Children's Relief Fund," News and Views from USSR, April 7, 1989. Member of the International Research Council, Near East Museum of Ancient and Contemporary Art, The Marcos and Sabrina Grigorian Collection (

Yerevan, Armenia Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

Personal life

Broumand resides in

with her husband Thomas. She is developing new food items, among them a dough-less,

gluten Gluten is a structural protein naturally found in certain Cereal, cereal grains. The term ''gluten'' usually refers to the elastic network of a wheat grain's proteins, gliadin and glutenin primarily, that forms readily with the addition of water ...

free

pizza Pizza is an Italian cuisine, Italian, specifically Neapolitan cuisine, Neapolitan, dish typically consisting of a flat base of Leavening agent, leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomato, cheese, and other ingredients, baked at a high t ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birrenbach, Cleopatra 1940s births Living people Iranian fashion designers Iranian women fashion designers American fashion designers American women fashion designers Businesspeople from Tehran 21st-century American businesswomen 21st-century American businesspeople Iranian emigrants to the United States Businesspeople from Indianapolis Artists from Indianapolis Year of birth missing (living people)