DRESSING
Sylvia Miles passed away this week at the age of 94. I repost this to add another dimension to her persona.
Another of the odd jobs I had occasionally was as a dresser at fashion shows. Dressers worked backstage to assist the models in making quick changes for runway events. I was hired by a friend and did mostly men's shows but an occasional show for the opposite sex. These various shows were always at interesting venues....aboard the Intrepid in the Hudson River or at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller center. You were usually assigned one or two models depending on the size of the show. I remember having as many as six at one time which could be a little daunting especially if they had numerous changes.
Some shows also had a celebrity wearing the clothing along with the models. Hope Lang was in one. Arlene Dahl in another. Etc. Etc. The one I still remember vividly was Academy Award Winner Sylvia Miles. (Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in "Midnight Cowboy" with Jon Voigt and Dustin Hoffman)
Backstage before a show is a mass of hustle, bustle and confusion. Dressers are checking the racks of clothes, make-up artists are doing a myriad of faces and hairdressers are applying their trade. Miss Miles was having her hair done and complaining about the dress she was to wear. It's probably just as well that I don't remember the name of the designer. At, any rate, she thought it made her look fat.
"I think it's quite lovely," her stylist tried to reassure her.
"Lovely?" she snapped. "What the hell do you know. You're a hairdresser. I'm a movie star."
You could have heard a stylist's pin drop.
The show went off without a hitch. Miss Miles wore the dress and was actually quite grand on the runway.
After the show, when all the clothes were re-bagged and we were free to go, various dressers made their way out to the street. I was walking with Fabian when we spotted Miss Miles standing on the corner (no doubt looking for a cab).
As we passed her, Fabian couldn't resist the temptation. "Hey Sylvia, working the streets now?"
She cackled, "Sweetie, a movie star does what a movie star's gotta do." As a cab pulled up, she asked, "Could I drop you boys somewhere?"
We declined but she got extra points for being a nice gal, after all, as she sped off to her movie star apartment. RIP Sylvia, thanks for the memory.
Another of the odd jobs I had occasionally was as a dresser at fashion shows. Dressers worked backstage to assist the models in making quick changes for runway events. I was hired by a friend and did mostly men's shows but an occasional show for the opposite sex. These various shows were always at interesting venues....aboard the Intrepid in the Hudson River or at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller center. You were usually assigned one or two models depending on the size of the show. I remember having as many as six at one time which could be a little daunting especially if they had numerous changes.
Some shows also had a celebrity wearing the clothing along with the models. Hope Lang was in one. Arlene Dahl in another. Etc. Etc. The one I still remember vividly was Academy Award Winner Sylvia Miles. (Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in "Midnight Cowboy" with Jon Voigt and Dustin Hoffman)
Backstage before a show is a mass of hustle, bustle and confusion. Dressers are checking the racks of clothes, make-up artists are doing a myriad of faces and hairdressers are applying their trade. Miss Miles was having her hair done and complaining about the dress she was to wear. It's probably just as well that I don't remember the name of the designer. At, any rate, she thought it made her look fat.
"I think it's quite lovely," her stylist tried to reassure her.
"Lovely?" she snapped. "What the hell do you know. You're a hairdresser. I'm a movie star."
You could have heard a stylist's pin drop.
The show went off without a hitch. Miss Miles wore the dress and was actually quite grand on the runway.
After the show, when all the clothes were re-bagged and we were free to go, various dressers made their way out to the street. I was walking with Fabian when we spotted Miss Miles standing on the corner (no doubt looking for a cab).
As we passed her, Fabian couldn't resist the temptation. "Hey Sylvia, working the streets now?"
She cackled, "Sweetie, a movie star does what a movie star's gotta do." As a cab pulled up, she asked, "Could I drop you boys somewhere?"
We declined but she got extra points for being a nice gal, after all, as she sped off to her movie star apartment. RIP Sylvia, thanks for the memory.
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