Carol Lee “Kelli” Questrom — active in her communities and a backer of art — has died at 82.
Questrom worked to bring fresh ideas and energy where she lived and worked, including in Dallas, along with New York and Los Angeles, according to an obituary. She participated in everything from public relations to being a trustee for city ballets.
Kelli Questrom was the wife of Allen Questrom, former CEO of Neiman Marcus and JCPenney, along with Federated Department Stores and Barneys New York. A Boston University magazine called them “Retail’s Power Couple.”
Born in New York City, Kelli Questrom played guitar and sang in clubs to earn extra dollars as she enjoyed a full scholarship and studied marketing, communications and journalism, according to the obituary. She would get a full-time job as director of youth marketing at retailer A&S, where she would meet Allen and later get married.
By the mid-1970s, she had joined Mademoiselle magazine as fashion editor and public relations director — and would connect with designer Ralph Lauren, giving him inspiration for a look in the “Annie Hall” movie.
She continued to reinvent herself as Allen Questrom advanced in his career and moved around, working at an advertising agency in the Atlanta area and co-founding the Greater Los Angeles Partnership for the Homeless.
Later, she would have a scare with breast cancer and that inspired her to leave her PR career and turn full-time to civic engagements.
In the late 1980s, she moved to Dallas as Allen Questrom worked as a leader at Neiman Marcus. The couple became big supporters of local cultural institutions such as the Dallas Museum of Art, where she served for many years as a trustee.
Kelli also was as a trustee of the Aspen Art Museum and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet as well.
In a 1999 article in New York magazine, Kelli was highlighted for her abilities in collecting art. “My wife was collecting Basquiat two years into his career,” Allen Questrom said in the article. “She has a great eye.”
In the same article, she was also known for her cutting-edge taste with one fashion buyer calling her “elegant.” She would sit beside her husband during a spring collections show, the article noted.
In addition, she was “legendary on the Dallas benefit circuit for pairing a Chanel motorcycle jacket with a ballgown,” the article said.
The Questroms other efforts in civic life include Boston University, which now houses the Questrom School of Business.
Kelli is survived by Allen, her sisters-in-law Judi Hernon and Alicia McHugh, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.