Mark Peterson

I first got interested in High Society when I photographed Brooke Astor, the matriarch of New York society, for the New York Times Magazine. Astor, approaching 90 at the time, had given away close to $200 million since her husband died in the 1950’s.

I followed her around for several days, from gala benefits to homeless shelters in Harlem. She’s a woman of style and manners who wore a Chanel dress, black hat and white elbow length gloves to an East Harlem elementary school to tour the library that she was donating money to. As she sat in the principal’s office of the minority filled school, she recounted how her favorite book as a child was “Little Black Sambo” and that she wished the book was still being read in school.

For the last several years I have photographed gala benefits, fundraisers and debutante balls. A table at these events can cost up to $10,000 and the designer clothes worn for the evening can cost twice that much.

Parents can spend $100,000 for a debutante ball to introduce their daughters to society. Traditionally, at the ball, each debutante is presented by a young man in white tie and a military escort. “They want to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way,“states Margaret Stewart Hedberg who runs the International Debutante Ball.

At the turn of the century, society was invented when one of its members made of list of 400 members. Each generation the list changes as new wealth is created and old family fortunes run out. Brooke Astor is still at the top of this list, but this year she gave out the last of her foundation’s money. She says she is going to retire to her many gardens at her different homes.

After the article and photos ran in the New York Times Magazine, a representative of the Astor Foundation asked for a print of one of the photographs for a gift for Mrs. Astor on her 90th birthday. I decided to drop off the photo myself at the foundation’s Park Avenue office.

When I knocked on the office door, the people inside wouldn’t let me in. They asked me to slide the package under the door. They were afraid I was going to rob them.