Page 4 Section II Portland Observer, April 29, 1982
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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
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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.
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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.
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