Zelda Wynn Valdes
Feb 13, 2015 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Joyce Bryant, picture by Carl Van Vechten
February is always one of my favorite months because it ushers in the promise of Spring. It’s also Black History Month and I’d like to celebrate the amazing contributions made by African American visionaries and icons by featuring the brilliant fashion designer, Zelda Wynn Valdes. We’ve already introduced you to Ann Lowe, who created the debut look for one of our most beloved fashion icons – Jackie Kennedy. Like Ann, Zelda paved the way for many of the signature styles that defined mid-century fashion.
Here’s the scoop on our featured designer: born in Philadelphia in 1905, she had a keen interest in clothes from an early age. Watching her grandma sew inspired young Zelda to create her own doll clothes. Each stitch got easier and easier, until she got to the point where she decided to channel her confidence in a new direction: a dress for her grandma. The dress wowed her grandma and caught her uncle’s eye. Zelda was soon helping him with his tailoring business. She continued to cut her teeth in the industry, mastering new techniques along the way.
When you think of the hourglass figure, popular during the 40s and 50s, think Zelda. As she said in a 1994 interview with The New York Times, “I just had a God-given talent for making people beautiful.” She used this talent to make sultry, curve-hugging gowns which accentuated her clients’ natural allure. Zelda’s work garnered the attention of many A-list celebrities and in 1948 she opened her shop, Chez Zelda, on New York’s Broadway.
Joyce Bryant by Carl Van Vechten
The list of famous women she dressed is long: Dorothy Dandridge, Mae West, Josephine Baker, Gladys Knight, Ella Fitzgerald, and Joyce Bryant (to name a few). Mae West loved how Zelda understood her bombshell figure and this natural understanding was put to the test with Fitzgerald. As the story goes, she only measured Ella once and had to guess at her future sizes from photographs alone. Ella was always in a rush for her gowns and Zelda would create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece in only three days’ time!
But perhaps it is her relationship with Joyce Bryant that is the most telling of her abilities. We live in an age where perfomers’ images are expertly cultivated – the look, the sound, the everything. When Joyce met Zelda, she was a beautiful girl with an amazing soprano voice, dressed in sweet little dresses. Zelda is responsible for creating the stage costuming which launched Joyce’s career.
Joyce’s fame stemmed from her performances both in the theater and nightclubs. Many credit her as an early African American sex symbol and it’s easy to see why in those show-stopping numbers. She was known for her silver hair and tight dresses (so tight she had to be carried off stage). Fun fact: her hair first became silver when she appeared on the same bill as the famous Josephine Baker. Joyce painted her hair this metallic tone to stand out and I love that kind of gutsy determination.
The Playboy Bunnies, 1971
As much as Zelda’s influence helped to define Joyce’s career, Zelda’s legacy goes beyond the celebrity scene to include even more key accomplishments. In 1949, the year after she opened her successful boutique, she became the president of the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers. In this role she expertly spoke out on the talent of the African American design community. This honor was a serious matter, but I’m sure Zelda brought her sass and fun to the role. Everything she touched had a way of becoming a cultural icon.
Once such case in point: she was hired by Hugh Hefner to design the original Playboy Bunny costumes, setting the stage for a bevy of beauties. While most people are quick to sum up her significance with this one design, I offer that her large body of work is more compelling. Indeed, perhaps some of her most influential accomplishments happened later in life. At the age of 65 she became the head costume designer for the Dance Theater of Harlem. This association was the first African American classical ballet company and they made their stunning debut in 1971 at the Guggenheim in New York. She retired from this position at age 83 and passed away in 2001.
Not only am I a fan of Zelda’s designs – I seriously can’t get over these looks Joyce Bryant is rocking – but of her spirit. It was hard enough for a woman to make headway in the early days of business (let alone fashion), but I can’t imagine the quantity of challenges Zelda faced as an African American. This was a time when a woman setting up her own boutique was rare and Zelda boldly set up shop at one of the best addresses in the country. It just goes to show you – nothing’s impossible. So dream big my friends!
Cause A Frockus would like to thank the tremendous resources, linked above, and the people who post their imagery to the public domain.
For our readers: Do you think fashion can make or break a singer’s career?
Well….. yes and no and it depends.
Some dress outrageously to gain attention – in fact, IMO a great many performers do – most especially the female performers. They wear “giddy ups”, as we call them in my family, that range from simply provocative to downright obscene (along with their onstage antics, a la Miley Cyrus) to just well, weird – think meat dress.
It can break them if they are of no talent and depend upon the dress as a crutch for attention, clicks and downloads. It can elevate or at the least “do no harm” and just cause some eye rolls if they do have talent. Of course, the definition of talent is broad and personal – which explains the popularity of many groups and singers! LOL
Great article – didn’t know about Ms Valdes and be doing more research!
Hi Ellen,
Yes, great point – sometimes the loud outfits are employed to outshine a performer’s lack of talent. I wish I could have seen a Joyce Bryant performance (and watch her belt it out and then have to get carried off the stage!)