Manuel Cuevas
Encyclopedia
Manuel Arturo José Cuevas Martínez (born on April 23, 1938 in Coalcomán Michoacán
, Mexico
) or just Manuel is a designer for Rock and Roll
and Country
acts.
and majored in psychology.
He learned to sew and moved to Los Angeles
around 1955 and worked for several tailors. Cuevas then worked for the master embroiderer, Viola Grae where he met Nudie Cohn
and he became head tailor and later head designer.
Manuel worked for Cohn for fourteen years. The suits worn by The Beatles
on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
have been attributed to Cuevas, although McCartney has claimed they were actually conceived by The Beatles
themselves. and manufactured by British theatrical costumer Bermans Cuevas has said that he designed some colorful clothes for the Beatles that became "a part" of the Sgt. Pepper uniforms.
Cuevas created Johnny Cash
's black suits, the roses and skeletons insignia of the Grateful Dead
, crafted Elvis’ signature gold lamé suit, and an inflated lips pillow
for Mick Jagger
that designer John Pasche
modified into the logo for The Rolling Stones
. "Record companies call me to help fabricate personalities for their artists, "he said. "I do for artists what they need—not what they think they need."
Cuevas married Nudie Cohn
's daughter, Barbara Cohn. After Cuevas and Barbara divorced, Manuel left Cohn's and opened up his own business in North Hollywood around 1975. Soon after opening his shop, Cuevas purchased a dozen sewing machines from the designer, Nathan Turk. Turk had just closed up his business, Turk of Hollywood, due to health reasons. In 1989, Cuevas moved to Nashville, Tennessee
.
A project of Manuel’s is a collaboration with Cambridge Jones, award-winning British photographer (European photographer of the year awards), making a photography book featuring Cuevas and his clients wearing their custom designs.
Additionally, Cuevas has started a not-for-profit organization, Friends of Manuel. The Friends of Manuel Foundation will financially support the Manuel Fashion Institute for the enrichment of the arts in the fashion and textiles industry. Cuevas states, "Since 1986, I have had interns from the different colleges of design. Most of them are totally unfamiliar to industrial machinery and hand sewing. My vision is to teach them all I know to prepare these interns and build confidence in them for their future careers." College seniors will be able to apply for these intensive internships where they will learn techniques that are not taught anywhere else in the world.
Cuevas currently lives right outside of Nashville and still works in the studio every day.
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
) or just Manuel is a designer for Rock and Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and Country
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
acts.
History
He was born on April 23, 1938 in Coalcomán Michoacán, Mexico as the fifth of eleven children of Esperanza and José Guadalupe Cuevas. He attended the University of GuadalajaraUniversity of Guadalajara
University of Guadalajara is a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. It is the second oldest university in Mexico, the fifth oldest in North America and the fourteenth oldest in Latin America...
and majored in psychology.
He learned to sew and moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
around 1955 and worked for several tailors. Cuevas then worked for the master embroiderer, Viola Grae where he met Nudie Cohn
Nudie Cohn
Nudie Cohn was a Russian-born American tailor who designed decorative rhinestone-covered suits, known popularly as "Nudie Suits", and other elaborate outfits for some of the most famous celebrities of his era. He also became famous for his outrageous customized automobiles.-Early life:Cohn was...
and he became head tailor and later head designer.
Manuel worked for Cohn for fourteen years. The suits worn by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
have been attributed to Cuevas, although McCartney has claimed they were actually conceived by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
themselves. and manufactured by British theatrical costumer Bermans Cuevas has said that he designed some colorful clothes for the Beatles that became "a part" of the Sgt. Pepper uniforms.
Cuevas created Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's black suits, the roses and skeletons insignia of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, crafted Elvis’ signature gold lamé suit, and an inflated lips pillow
Pillow
A pillow is a large cushion support for the head, usually used while sleeping in a bed, or for the body as used on a couch or chair. There are also throw pillows , which are pillows that are purely decorative and not designed for support or comfort...
for Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
that designer John Pasche
John Pasche
John Pasche is an art designer, most famous for designing the "Tongue and Lip Design" logo for the popular band The Rolling Stones.-Education:...
modified into the logo for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. "Record companies call me to help fabricate personalities for their artists, "he said. "I do for artists what they need—not what they think they need."
Cuevas married Nudie Cohn
Nudie Cohn
Nudie Cohn was a Russian-born American tailor who designed decorative rhinestone-covered suits, known popularly as "Nudie Suits", and other elaborate outfits for some of the most famous celebrities of his era. He also became famous for his outrageous customized automobiles.-Early life:Cohn was...
's daughter, Barbara Cohn. After Cuevas and Barbara divorced, Manuel left Cohn's and opened up his own business in North Hollywood around 1975. Soon after opening his shop, Cuevas purchased a dozen sewing machines from the designer, Nathan Turk. Turk had just closed up his business, Turk of Hollywood, due to health reasons. In 1989, Cuevas moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Awards
Cuevas has also been recognized many times for his contribution to pop culture. He was given the Hispanic Designers MODA award in 1992 and the "Intercoiffure" American Design award in 2006. Cuevas received special recognition from the Country Music Association and several awards from Cody High Style.Movie Stars
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Projects
After a lifetime of achievements and countless ventures, Cuevas has chosen to give back to the country that has brought his dream to a reality. He has designed fifty jackets, full of embroidery and rhinestones, one for each of the United States. These red, white, and blue sparkling representations of American history are now traveling around the country.A project of Manuel’s is a collaboration with Cambridge Jones, award-winning British photographer (European photographer of the year awards), making a photography book featuring Cuevas and his clients wearing their custom designs.
Additionally, Cuevas has started a not-for-profit organization, Friends of Manuel. The Friends of Manuel Foundation will financially support the Manuel Fashion Institute for the enrichment of the arts in the fashion and textiles industry. Cuevas states, "Since 1986, I have had interns from the different colleges of design. Most of them are totally unfamiliar to industrial machinery and hand sewing. My vision is to teach them all I know to prepare these interns and build confidence in them for their future careers." College seniors will be able to apply for these intensive internships where they will learn techniques that are not taught anywhere else in the world.
Cuevas currently lives right outside of Nashville and still works in the studio every day.