On Tuesday, May 31, The Rodeo Drive Committee and the City of Beverly Hills celebrated famed former boutique owner and retail guru, Fred Hayman, with the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award with an induction ceremony on Rodeo Drive.  Hailed as “the father of Rodeo Drive,” the owner of the chic Giorgio Beverly Hills altered the landscape of Rodeo Drive with his signature yellow and white striped awnings, the colors of the festive confetti which rained down as trumpets blared.

“By combining the worlds of fashion and entertainment, Fred Hayman’s vision helped develop and create this beautiful street into the legendary worldwide brand known as Rodeo Drive,” said Peri Ellen Berne, Chairman of the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style.   Mr. Hayman accepted the honor from Gil Cates of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and once producer of the Oscars, who also employed Mr. Hayman as the Oscar Fashion Coordinator during his time there.  Mr. Hayman received a permanent plaque, featuring his signature and quote that will be embedded in the sidewalk of the world-renowned street as a part of his induction. The on-going award, inaugurated in 2003, honors style legends for their contributions to the worlds of fashion and entertainment.

“Like many of the Walk of Style honorees, Fred Hayman has been a key influencer of culture and style for decades,” said Wanda McDaniel, Chairman of the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Selections Committee.  “Out of his legendary boutique, he launched some of the most influential designers and dressed Hollywood’s elite, dignitaries and socialites across the world, along with creating a signature fragrance and changing the overall potential of retail marketing and branding by pioneering scent strips that revolutionized the way magazines smelled.”

The fashion icon brought the Academy Awards as well as the Golden Globes to its soaring level of style and clout. His numerous accolades are mere reflections of his endless talents and although the bright awnings no longer decorate Rodeo Drive, his memory and his intense impact will live on forever.

A new book entitled “Fred Hayman:  The Extraordinary Difference The Story of Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Glamour and the Showman Who Sold It All” by Rose Apodaca recounts this brilliant man’s life and times.  It debuts in June.