Luis Estévez

Luis Estévez (c. 1930 – November 28, 2014) was a Cuban-born American fashion designer and costume designer, active between 1951 until 1997. According to the New York Times, "Luis Estevez always did make a lady look like a vamp", known for his high slits, slinky dresses and dramatic necklines.

Estévez was a founding member of Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). His father, Luis "Buffalo" Estévez, was an engineer, his mother, Gloria Cortínas Benítez de Gálvez, was a socialite, and his grandfather was a Cuban sugar magnate. His family had many generations of distinguished relatives and were descend from the De Gálvez family, whom the city of Galveston, Texas was named and from a founder of the city of St. Augustine. His mother frequently had American magazines and adored French haute couture; she encouraged and influenced his love of fashion and drawing. While in school he got a job in window display at the Lord & Taylor department store; the job did not pay much but it gave him experience. Dina Merrill modeled the Estévez dress for photographer Milton H. Greene published in Life magazine on 11 January 1960. In 1965, he moved to the Hollywood Hills in California, and began working more closely with Hollywood actors and actresses. By 1972, he was designing under a private label with actress Eva Gabor and for Universal Studios designing costumes for film and television. Lynda Bird Johnson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, among others. His label Estévez closed in 1968, and he went into working freelance. In the 1970s Estévez also designed men's clothing for Jaymar. Ford and Estévez discussed the creation of a line of clothing for Ford that could later be released as part of his own label, after she wore it. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Library of Congress, among others.

Estévez's work is said to have influenced designers Michael Kors and Zac Posen.

Personal life In 1953, Estévez married Bahamian-American model Betty Dew. Additionally, he had many affairs with both men and women despite being married to Dew, and was known to have had affairs with fashion designer Halston and actress Ethel Merman.