All Photos: Alan Mercer
Manuel first learned how to sew in 1945 from his older brother, Adolfo, in Coalcoman, Michoacan, Mexico. "I started making prom dresses when I was 13," says Manuel. "You know that grandmothers and aunts made the prom dresses for all the kids. But I started making prom dresses that were pretty expensive, and all the girls said, 'Mommy I don't want you to make my prom dress. I want Manuel to make my prom dress!' I continued making prom dresses and in one year I made 77 dresses, then the next year I made 110, and from then on I hired people to help me sew. I made a fortune."
Clients knew Manuel as the quiet tailor in the back at Nudie's who also did all of the fittings. Manuel designed and created many of the suits that Nudie's Rodeo Tailors became famous for in the late 50's, 60's, and early 70's. Even though Nudie encouraged Manuel to make repeat "copies" of designs that sold well, Manuel refused. It was at Nudie's Rodeo Tailors that Manuel became known for his one-of-a-kind designs, making each piece unique.
In September 1965 Manuel married Nudie's only daughter, Barbara L. Cohn. They would go on to have a daughter, Morelia. In 1975, after Manuel and Barbara got divorced, Manuel opened his own shop, Manuel Couture, just down the street from Nudie's Rodeo Tailors in North Hollywood. Many of the friends and clients that Manuel made while working with Nudie, including Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, and George Jones, supported Manuel and his new shop.
Manuel Couture became the "go-to" designer and image maker for up-and-coming musicians in Los Angeles. "His customers seem to place a near-blind faith in Manuel putting their professional images in his hands, believing that what he whips up for them will be right. 'That's partly why I have survived as a designer all these years. People put their trust in me to create something truly unique,' he says.” Throughout his North Hollywood career, Manuel also worked closely with famed costumer, Edith Head and made costumes for over 90 movies and 13 television shows, including making the jeans James Dean wore in the movie Giant, and Lone Ranger's infamous mask.
Before long, a new set of country-rock pioneers discovered Nudie, beginning with Gram Parsons, who had him design and create a decidedly counter-culture garment, featuring marijuana leaves, poppy plants, pills, and naked women, known as the “Sin City” suit. Gram forged a friendship with Manuel and his boss Nudie, and he introduced them to his friends, including the Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, and his band, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Soon, customers included Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Elton John, who wore his best Nudie suit when he was presented to the Queen of England. Later, when Bob Dylan met the pope in 1997, he also wore Manuel.
In the 1980’s Manuel left Nudie to open his own business, and many of his long-time friends and clients, followed him. Manuel also rapidly attracted his own clientele, and pretty soon artists like Dwight Yoakam were coming to him for help developing their signature style. “I asked him about what I used to call the Buck Owens jacket,” according to Yoakam. “Manuel said, ‘Oh yes, the bolero. I did so many of them in the Fifties and Sixties.’” I said, “Yeah, I wanna try one of those,’ and he started making them for me.” Thus was born Yoakam’s signature style, as pictured on the cover of his famed CD, “Hillbilly Deluxe.”
With a completely different twist, Manuel helped create the image of the venerable “Man in Black”, Johnny Cash. His most subtle entertainment garments, the black clothes made for Cash supplant color in favor of a manly silhouette, thus empowering him through the negation of distracting ornamentation. This is not to say that these garments were without detail, it is just that the detail was in the art of tailoring.
Another famous achievement of Manuel is the famous “Trio” album cover, which features Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and Emmy Lou Harris, who are diametrically opposed in terms of their stage personae. Manuel however, was able to connect their look using a well-known Mexican symbol, the rose. He was able to weave this thread into contemporary culture brilliantly and unite these very three diverse talents in terms of their visual performance on stage.
His client list continues to grow and includes but is not limited to: all four Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Porter Wagoner, John Wayne, Clayton Moore (the Lone Ranger), Dwight Eisenhower, Little Jimmy Dickens, John Lennon, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Glen Campbell, Ernest Tubb, Gene Autry, the Osmonds, David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Roy Rogers, Neil Young, Elton John, The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, George H. Bush, George W. Bush, the Bee Gees, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke), The Jackson Five, John Travolta (Urban Cowboy), Robert Redford (The Electric Horseman), Robert Taylor, Marlon Brando, Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, David Lee Roth, Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Shooter Jennings, Kid Rock, The Killers, Jack White, Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, and countless others.
AM: Did you know you wanted to design costumes as a child?
Manuel: Not really, it was a calling when I was standing in front of my brother who was a tailor and I asked, “How’s the tailor doing?” He always thought I was sarcastic. I was a bright child, one of those unwanted children. He said, “Instead of looking pretty, why don’t you sit down and help me sew some pants?” I said, “Why don’t I?” I haven’t stopped since then.
AM: Did you realize you had a passion for this?
Manuel: Well if I didn’t it sure crept on me internally. I’m still sitting in front of the sewing machine and sewing, cutting and designing. My designs have gone through leaps and bounds through the years until I found what I really wanted to do. I’ve always been this crazy person. You have to really watch out when you walk in here as a priest or a lawman. I will put some rhinestones on you before you leave! (Laughter)
AM: Who was the first entertainer you designed anything for?
Manuel: Yes, as a child I would walk five miles to watch episodes of ‘The Lone Ranger.’ Then when I got to the United States I met the real Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore and I got to make his mask and his outfits for his show.
AM: Did they recognize that you had talent?
Manuel: Probably, I don’t know why they hired me. I never had anyone help me out with that. I did get into the movies in 1954 through Edith Head.
AM: Edith Head! Did you like her?
Manuel: Nobody liked her but I LOVED her! She loved me and we became friends and dinner partners for many years. I worked on 92 movies. I also did 13 television shows like ‘Gunsmoke,” “Big Valley,’ ‘The Rifleman’ and others. The studios like Universal and Fox really loved me because I could produce what they needed fast. They paid me really great money for the time.
AM: How did you get into music?
Manuel: That was a mission of friendships. It was Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and George Jones. Later on a twelve year old Marty Stuart came into my shop and my life. He saved up his money and wanted to buy a suit for $250.00 but the suits were $2,500.00 so I told him one day he would be able to walk into the store and buy the whole thing, but for now he could have a free shirt.
AM: That’s a great story.
Manuel: I had John Travolta, Ricky Nelson, The Monkees and Elton John, who was a lot of fun. I got to make him nine outfits.
AM: How would you describe your relationship with these artists?
Manuel: Believe it or not, it’s a love affair between designer and entertainer. That’s the way it is with Dwight Yoakam. I’ve been designing for him for years. Before that I worked with Joe Perry and Steven Tyler.
AM: Do people think of you as a Country Music tailor?
Manuel: I have never been anyone’s tailor. I am an international tailor and I would be a tailor for anyone in the world.
AM: Who are some of your favorite musicians?
Manuel: Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Johnny Mathis, Earth, Wind & Fire, Little Richard and Bebe Buell.
with Bebe Buell
AM: Do you make time in your life for anything else except work?
Manuel: I do what I do but what do you call it? Do you want to call it fun? I don’t know what to call it but I don’t call it work. I would love to know what it means to work even one hour.
AM: What a great attitude that is! Do you get approached by young designers for advice?
Manuel: I’ve been lecturing young designers since 1986. I love it when they go on and do great things. I hope they feel like I do. I’ve had the best life.
AM: What is left for you to do?
Manuel: My greatest ambition now is that I want to die with the scissors in my hand. I’m inspired by Merle Haggard who died on his birthday. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that.
AM: You were close friends?
Manuel: He was like my brother. We all grew up together, everyone one of us including Johnny Cash. Then I liked the younger ones at the time like Glen Campbell and Gordon Lightfoot. These were all beautiful people. I have had such a great life with these people.
