Marilyn Miglin

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Marilyn Miglin
Born
Marilyn Klecka

(1938-10-18)October 18, 1938
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 15, 2022(2022-03-15) (aged 83)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1959; died 1997)​
Children2

Marilyn Miglin (née Klecka; October 18, 1938 – March 14, 2022)[1] was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and longtime host on the Home Shopping Network.[2] She has been referred to as the "Queen of Makeovers".[3][4]

Miglin garnered significant media attention as the widow of Lee Miglin, a business tycoon and philanthropist who was murdered in 1997 by the spree killer Andrew Cunanan.[5]

Biography[edit]

Born Marilyn Janice Klecka in Chicago, Illinois to Frank & Helen Klecka, she was a model and dancer in Chicago.[6]

Miglin started her beauty company and boutique in June 1963 on Oak Street, which grew to become a cosmetics empire. She created more than 36 fragrances and perfumes through Marilyn Miglin Cosmetics.[7] She appeared on the Home Shopping Network for over 25 years, and her business's worth is estimated at over 50 million dollars.[8] Miglin served on Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's special committee on tourism, as an officer of the Chicago Convention, the State of Illinois Board of Economic Development, and on the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.[9]

Miglin was an advocate for individuals who are facially disfigured and burn survivors. She was a founding member of the University of Illinois' advisory board for the craniofacial center.[10]

Personal life[edit]

In 1959, she married Lee Miglin. He was murdered on May 4, 1997, by the spree killer Andrew Cunanan.

At the time of Miglin's murder, the couple had been married for 38 years. They had two children: Marlena (born 1968) and actor Duke Miglin (born 1971). Miglin remarried two years after Lee's death, in 1999. Her second husband died only months after the wedding.[11]

Honors[edit]

The City of Chicago designated "Marilyn Miglin Way" as the honorary name of Oak Street's shopping district.[12]

Miglin was a recipient of the Raoul Wallenberg Award and the Best Face Forward Award. In 1998, the City of Chicago proclaimed April 15 as "Marilyn Miglin Day".[13]

In popular culture[edit]

Miglin was portrayed by Judith Light in the 2018 miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.[14] Light garnered critical acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her performance.

Death[edit]

Marilyn Miglin died on March 14, 2022, at her home in Chicago surrounded by her family at the age of 83 from complications of a stroke.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chicago beauty mogul, Marilyn Miglin, has died at the age of 83". WBBM News. March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Where are Marilyn Miglin and Duke now? Lee Miglin's family 20 years after his murder as Judith Light plays his wife in Versace". Daily Mirror. London. April 25, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  3. ^ Orth, Maureen (September 1997). "The Killer's Trail". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  4. ^ Schwalb, Stef (August 1, 2003). "Profile of Marilyn Miglin". Beauty News NYC - The First Online Beauty Magazine. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Goudie, Chuck; Barb Markoff (May 2, 2017). "20 years after Cunanan murders, Lee Miglin's son talks". WLS News. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  6. ^ Rubin, Bonnie Miller (April 26, 1998). "Year After Husband Slain, Miglin Moving Forward". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "Marilyn Miglin's Makeover of Oak Street". Michigan Avenue. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. ^ "Yes, Marilyn Miglin Still Sells Perfume". TheWrap. February 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. ^ "About Marilyn". Marilyn Miglin. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "Spa Giving: Spa for Trauma Survivors". DAYSPA Magazine. July 2, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Rowney, Jo-Anne (April 25, 2018). "Lee Miglin's family 20 years after his murder - Marilyn and Duke Miglin now". Daily Mirror. London. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  12. ^ Maple, Taylor (January 31, 2018). "How Lee Miglin's Widow Refused To Let Andrew Cunanan Stop Her From Living Her Life". Bustle. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "Company Overview of Marilyn Miglin L.P". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  14. ^ Elena Fernandez, Maria (January 31, 2018). "Judith Light on American Crime Story: Versace, Andrew Cunanan, and Playing Marilyn Miglin". Vulture. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  15. ^ Dudek, Mitch (March 16, 2022). "Marilyn Miglin, cosmetics queen, former Home Shopping Network host and wife of slain real estate developer, dead at 83". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
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