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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1982)
Page 4 Section II Portland Observer, April 29, 1982 ¿Molltifcjooii florist OBSERVATIONS J f lo fo r r s ^ r o m ^ io ll^ fa o n b FROM THE SIDELINES by Kathryn Hall Bogle I n Y A W S R e s t a u r a n t 2005 N.E. 40th Portland, OR 97212 249-1888 We Deliver Anywhere PRO STYL SHOP 917 S.W. Alder 224-8401 (across from the Galleria) PRO SHOP—STYLING SALON Specializing in all curly perms, styling & trimming. TCB • Care Free • Classy Curl & California Curl Gerald & Winslow COLO* o* Model Chantal Latham of Hint. Michigan mounts spiral stair back- stage. ready to change for show opening. Out front in the foyer o f the Civic Auditorium the well-dressed crowds chatted gaily in small groups. Time was nearly curtain-time, last Friday evening. Nearing 8:15 they began to break from the groups and saunter into the theatre to locate their choice o f seats. Dow n the aisles they streamed, well over a thousand persons, antici pation mounting to see the “ Look o f Elegance’ ’ — the 1982 Ebony Fashion Fair, presented in Portland by the P o rtla n d C h ap ter o f The Links, Inc. Chairing the event for The L inks were C lem entyne Guy and Jacquelyn Brown. Ticket sales were in the charge o f M rs. Brown. Ebony was represented by W illis D avis. Proceeds intended for charity were to go to Senior Adult C en ter fo r N ear N .E . P o rtla n d , Tucker-Maxson Oral School, U n it ed N egro College Fund and The L in ks E d u catio n al Scholarship Fund. Backstage, a comparative handful o f tall slender girls in blue jeans or ju m p suits drifts from the outside doors towards a narrow strip o f the backstage. They are drawn to find a place fo r themselves in the con trolled chaos and clutter. Iron racks, heavy with coats, suits and dresses, ju t out at crazy angles to form a little space, an instant dressing room for one or two per sons. Dozens o f pairs o f shoes in colors o f the rainbow rest two-by- two in orderly rows in big trays, soft scarves, glittering head bands and beads and two soft feather plumes hang at the ready on the racks. Voices are kept at low key behind the heavy curtain and the propman calls gently, “ Fifteen minutes.” The Fashion F a ir models seem hardly to notice the call, but there is a subtle electric change. Individuals seem now to become a p art o f a u n it. One g ir, doing last m inute push-ups completes her stint and another begins a few . One o f the male models, O rlan d o C ru z from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who breaks hearts o f adm irers fro m coast to coast because o f his unavailabliity, finishes o ff a coke, gives the carton a toss and strolls leisurely to his dressing corner. This is O rlan d o ’s third year with EFF. C hantal L ath am , a 23-year-old Dave Rivera has been pianist for show for twenty years. Model Tonya Compton of Detroit maintains high level of energy through regular exercise program. ALWAYS FULL VALUE At Portland's Oldest Jewelry Store Diamonds • Watches • Jewelry dan MARX f T I J f l t ’C l f l S SINCE i s s a 228-5090 511 S.W. Broadway (near Washington Street) Ebony Fashion Fair commentator Shayla Simpson wears gown de signed and made for her by San Francisco designer Lenora LeVon Riley. beauty from Flint, Michigan, swal lows the last bit o f her sandwich and turns to touch up her fantasy eye make up. This is C h an tel’s second year with E F F . Management holds over two models each year to give the newer models some sense o f sta bility in the grueling travel schedules they must all keep. C h a n ta l is 5- 10‘/ j and keeps her weight under 118 lbs. T o n ya C o m p to n comes from “ D e e e -tro it” as Shayla Simpson would say. Tonya is 19 years old, is 5-10 arid weighs 130 lbs. She is en rolled at Western Michigan Univer sity. She keeps her body beautiful with regular exercise. Aged 19, R obin Johnson, from M a ry la n d , is one o f the shorter models at 5-9, the minimum height a model can be for EFF. This is with out shoes, young hopefuls are ad vised. Robin has grace and charm and is “ exceptionally neat,” all at tributes for being selected by EFF. Dave R iv era , the veteran o f 20 years with EFF, is the indispensable pianist, the musician and part-actor who adds the light relief o f an " o r d in ary" m an’s reactions to all that fashion and beauty floating by just out o f his reach. W h o keeps all the clothes together, pressed and ready for each show? W h o attends the little rips and tears that may occur in the 185 shows that this troupe will have per form ed by m id-M ay? H er name is Jarrie Brown, a petite 22-year-old from “ Shee-caw-go” (a la Shayla Sim pson). Jarrie, w ith the title o f Head Seamstress, does all that and more. She still operates as calm and unflustered with this terrific respon sibility o f caring for a million dollar wardrobe. W ho tenderly and proudly keeps the show itself together? T h a t’ s Shayla Sim pson, the poised and lovely Fashion Commen tator. “ S h a y la -V ie ,” whose open beauty shines from deep within, has an easy way w ith audiences. They hang on her every word. Her style as a com m en tato r is uniquely hers. O thers may im ita te , but only she can deliver the vocal inflection that causes the words to undulate so en- chantingly. Shayla was educated in Spain at the U niversity o f M ad rid and at Southern Methodist Univer sity in Dallas, Texas. The commentator is wearing a ro m an tic, sophisticated gown de signed and made fo r her as a g ift from Lenora Le Von o f San F ran cisco. Le Von made the gown over night a fte r seeing the show and handed it to Shayla next morning. T he p ro m p ter calls " tw o m in utes” to Shayla Sim pson. She stands and puts away a book she has been reading and discussing w ith Jarrie. The title may surprise you: “ The Game o f L if e ,” by Florence Shinn and recommended by N o r man Vincent Pcale. So that is one o f the sources o f the deep inner beauty o f Shayla Simp son. The curtain parts. The Ebony Fa shion Show begins. $43501 Perm Reg. $60* Limited Time Onh (Photos: Jimmy Robinson) One Hour Martinizing 1419 N.E. Fremont Stewarts Cleaners 2701 N.E. 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