In Memoriam: Zelda Kaplan

Photo by Nikola Tamindzic (for Out)

Zelda Kaplan was seated in the front row of Joanna Mastroianni's show today during New York's Fashion Week when she fainted, was rushed to the hospital and passed away later.

A nightlife fixture, the 95-year-old Kaplan was an Out contributor (penning the "Cultural Czarina" column for several years) and genuinely lovely.

Kaplan, a former ballroom dance instructor and philanthropist who traveled frequently to Africa and was known for wearing her signature African-print dresses, is the subject of an HBO documentary titled Her Name Is Zelda.

In this video for Out, take a look back to a fashion show in 2008 where Zelda did what Zelda did best, become the center of attention, and charm her way into our hearts.

In this video, join Zelda backstage on Broadway, where she interviews Broadway Star Matt Cavenaugh and dances up a storm of delight.