Inger McCabe Elliott

Inger McCabe Elliott (born February 23, 1933) is a Norwegian-born American entrepreneur, photographer, artist, and socialite. She is the founder of China Seas, Inc., a textile company. A fictionalized version of her life involving the 1983 encounter she had with con artist David Hampton was chronicled in the film Six Degrees of Separation, in which she was portrayed by Stockard Channing, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Early life She was born in Norway, the daughter of Lova (née Katz d. 1966) and David Abrahamsen (1903–2002). She has a younger sister, Anne-Marie (Abrahamsen) Foltz. Elliott came to the United States with her family in 1941 and became a citizen in 1946. Her father was a prominent psychoanalyst who became blacklisted during World War II and the family was forced to leave the country. Her family was Jewish and from one of the oldest and most prominent Jewish families in Norway. In 1954 she graduated from Cornell University with a degree in History. She earned her master's degree at Radcliffe College in 1957 and did post-graduate work at Harvard. Career Elliott worked as a teacher after finishing school, and then worked for the Eastern European Student and Youth Service. She next became a photographer for Rapho Guillumette, traveling around the world and living in Hong Kong during the 1960s, when her pictures appeared in magazines like Vogue. In 1972, she created her own textile business, China Seas, Inc, specializing in Batik fabrics from Indonesia. She is the owner of several patents with her business partner Helena Uglow. The company became successful, catering to prominent fashion designers and celebrities including Jackie Kennedy. Elliott was a founding member of The Committee of 200, and joined the American Women's Economic Development Corporation. She is also a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and the Citizens Committee for New York City.