Manuel Cuevas Helps That Said "Pants Maker Wanted" and Applied Forthe It Paid a K Job; I Create American Icons Dollar an Hour

PERSONAL"Forgive?How could she managethat?" -MARTHA HALLBESTKELLY, P. s2 1 STARTED MAKING my own shirts and pants in Mexico when I One Piece was 7 years old. Then I learned how to make coats and dresses and stufflike that. I learned shoemaking, boot making. So I have never bought anything fromany store ever since. at a Time In 1951, while I was visiting my sister in Los Angeles, I saw a sign How Manuel Cuevas helps that said "Pants Maker Wanted" and applied forthe it paid a k job; I create American icons dollar an hour. In those early years, I worked forseveral different -.14300 PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATTHEW SALACUSE OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2018 73 I PERSONALBEST / My Style tailors, including Sy Devore, known The desiJJer's as the tailor to the stars. The first _ signature styles clients who came in for fittings often include while I worked forhim included embroidery. Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and Johnny '-'":., Weissmuller-Tarzan! At one point, I met a beautiful model who changed my life when she took me to the Rose Parade in Pasadena. I saw the equestrian units with their flamboyantembroidery and sequins and asked, "Who does this elegant stuff?"It turned out to be a woman named Viola Grae, and I went to work forher and learned the embroidery business. One day she introduced me to film costume designer Edith Head. So fl then I started doing movies. I dressed > James Dean in Giant. I also created the look forClint Eastwood in those spaghetti westerns. He was supposed 'Fashion is what hangs on a rack. But to be a man fromnowhere. What do what's inyour closet, that's your style. you do with him? He's not a cowboy Style is what reflectswho you are: fromTe xas; he's not a rancher from n � Colorado. I put him in a poncho made i(\ "TI froman American Indian blanket. I musicians: I dressed Elvis Presley, When you see the shadow of that ;o 0 " dressed James Arness on Gunsmoke Michael Jackson, the Jackson 5, the guy in black, you know it's Johnny --< " for 11 years, did Bonanza for14 years, Osmond Brothers, Bob Dylan, the Cash. No eyes, no anything-you r The Big Valley for four years. And Rolling Stones, Prince, David Bowie, just know. " Lady Gaga. So many people fromall Fashion is what hangs on a rack: --< I over the world. brand new, secondhand, antique, m LOOKS BY MANUEL Eventually I moved to Nashville, whatever. But what's in your closet, -r::- Tennessee, because of the lifestyle that's your style. Style is what re C1, Cuevas says he u, m gets his ideas here. I still dress people fromevery flectswho you are. "' from trying ;o where, but they come to Nashville And styleis timeless, but I would I to reflect z formy designs. be foolishif I didn't accept what's () his clients' m < What I do more than anything is new. That's what I'm doing every m get into someone's personality. I get day of my life: new stuff.Every to know how people talk, how they single day of my life, I design. Every n n walk, how they express themselves. night, I dream up new outfits. --< It's a collaboration. My artwork that I don't share the names of many goes on their body is what I feel. of my newer clients. I love them all ;o Johnny Cash was my friend for and want them to be successful. I see "n 0 ► many years. I dressed him in black them out there in the galaxy of stars. " because I knew his personality. He And everybody seems to be very 0 had experienced lessons in lifethat happy in their own garb. They're so gave him qualities of the "man in differentfrom one another. That's black." Everything goes together. what style is, don't you think? "TI Dwight Yoakam has thin legs, so I -As told to Pam Windsor 0 ;o Manuel Cuevas, 85, is the proprietor of Manuel "' enhanced that. I put him in snug C American Designs in Nashville. This year he 0 leather jeans and short, spangled r received a National Heritage Fellowship from the Gi I jackets. It's about creating an image. National Endowment for the Arts. --< .

Load more