Most of us in the beauty industry identify Marc Rosen with his award-winning package designs for fragrance and cosmetics—including seven FiFi awards—and his annual scholarship gala that benefits students at Pratt Institute, where he teaches the only graduate level course in package design in the U.S.

But there’s also another side to Rosen, which he brings to light in his newly published memoir: Rubbing Shoulders: My Life with Popes, Princes, Moguls and Movie Stars. 

Here we learn that from the time Rosen was a small boy, he pursued every opportunity presented to him and, as a result, met some extraordinary people.

In his mid-20s, he rose to the top of the beauty pyramid as an accomplished packaging designer at Revlon. His passion for antiques influenced his chic design for a Moon Drops holiday collection, the first that won him the approval of the notoriously difficult-to-please Charles Revson.

Simultaneously, as his creative path led him on adventures all over the world, so did his personal pursuits—especially his introduction to the beautiful screen actress Arlene Dahl. The two met serendipitously on a fragrance project, which culminated in marriage. From then on, Rosen’s “life in the fast lane” accelerated on all fronts, including hobnobbing with some of the world’s best-known “glitterati.”

Rosen recounts dozens of these instances, which he charmingly refers to as “Rubbing Shoulders”, offering humorous and heartfelt accounts of both planned rendezvous—and happenstance, when he simply found himself in “the right place at the right time.”

From world-renowned photographer Bruce Weber, who Rosen met at his first job when they were both “unknowns”, to Van Cliburn, who generously encouraged Rosen’s musical efforts, to the five Fendi sisters, who taught him the very essence of patience and perfection in executing a fragrance launch extraordinaire, there’s a story to entice everyone.

We also learn that Rosen’s attraction to Monaco—where he has played a vital role at Luxe Pack Monaco for more than a quarter century—extends partially from his friendship with Grace Kelly, a former Hollywood MGM pal of Dahl’s who became Princess of the wealth-laden principality.

Above all, through Rosen’s pursuit of a glamorous life, he reminds us to always follow our passions, remain positive, do our best work and take advantage of any opportunities that may present themselves along the way. As he says in his foreward to the book: “Be open to everything and amazing things can happen.”

Photo of book, at top, by Andrew Werner