At age 10, Luis Estevez was sent to Pennsylvania to live with his aunt and her family because multiple kidnapping attempts were made on him in Cuba.
18 Facts About Luis Estevez
2.
Luis Estevez attended college-preparatory school in Delaware at Sanford School, graduating in 1947.
3.
Luis Estevez went on to study architecture at the University of Havana, and upon leaving college, moved to New York City.
4.
In New York City Luis Estevez started to focus on fashion and he attended the Traphagen School of Fashion, graduating in 1951 in costume design.
5.
Luis Estevez started dating Bahamian-American model Betty Dew at this time; she was a regular guest at the El Morocco nightclub.
6.
Lilly Dache, milliner and fashion designer, hired Luis Estevez to create a few designs while he was in school but he realized he was not yet experienced enough in his career and quit that job.
7.
Luis Estevez got an internship at the house of Jean Patou and the couple stayed in France for one year.
8.
In 1952, Luis Estevez returned to New York City and joined Pat Hartley, a ready-to-wear fashion company.
9.
Luis Estevez was very popular, and often had celebrities in his social circles.
10.
Luis Estevez dressed many important people in his career including Betty Ford, Lynda Bird Johnson, Nancy Reagan, Eva Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Natalie Wood, Carol Channing, among others.
11.
In 1975, Luis Estevez met with Betty Ford in Palm Springs, while she was serving as the First Lady of the United States.
12.
Ford and Luis Estevez 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.
13.
Luis Estevez created many original pieces for Ford, which were publicly worn at many formal events.
14.
Luis Estevez primarily worked with private clients starting in 1977.
15.
In 1996, Luis Estevez returned to California in Montecito in Santa Barbara County.
16.
Luis Estevez's work is said to have influenced designers Michael Kors and Zac Posen.
17.
In 2019, Luis Estevez's work was featured in a group exhibition The Traphagen School: Fostering American Fashion at the Museum at FIT in New York City.
18.
Luis Estevez was the widow of film director Henry Hathaway.