Cynthia (Gaba girl)
Encyclopedia
Cynthia was a plaster mannequin of the 1930s created by Lester Gaba
.
. Cynthia was a 100-pound model who had realistic imperfections like freckles, pigeon toes, and even different sized feet. Gaba posed with Cynthia around New York City for a Life Magazine shoot that humorously demonstrates how lifelike the mannequins had become. Cartier
and Tiffany
sent her jewelry, Lilly Daché
designed hats for her, and couturiers sent her their latest fashions, furrieries sent minks. Soon a whole host of ‘Gaba Girls’ were to follow.
The Gaba Girls were life-sized, carved-soap mannequins modeled after well-known New York debutantess for the windows of Best & Company. They reduced the weight of a New York store mannequin from 200 to around 30 pounds, and with the Gaba Girls and their realistic successors’ appeal, mannequins became a hot new tool for sellers to attract their clientele.
Cynthia soon became dazzlingly famous. She was given a credit card from Saks Fifth Avenue. Cynthia had a box seat subscription to the Metropolitan Opera House. Cynthia made the cover of Life Magazine. Cynthia had her own newspaper column, and a successful radio show. Cynthia went to Hollywood to appear in Artist And Models Abroad with Jack Benny
, in 1938. Cynthia got tons of fan mail. Cynthia was photographed by Alfred Eisenstaedt
. Cynthia went to the Broadhurst Theater in New York, to see the notorious play 'Madame Bovary
', in 1939. Gaba insisted that Cynthia had laryngitis
, to account for her lack of speech. Cynthia met her demise when she slipped from a chair in a beauty salon and shattered. The press reported her death, and Gaba appeared distraught, but eventually reconstructed her.
In December 1942, Gaba was inducted into the army. Cynthia retired, and it wasn't until 1953 that she came back to the public in a TV show. But the magic was over, and Cynthia was soon to be stored in a cupboard for good.
Lester Gaba
Lester Gaba was an American sculptor, writer and retail display designer.- Early life :Born in Hannibal, Missouri. His parents owned a general store, but Gaba took no interest in the shop. He spent most of the time on his own, drawing. At the age of 10, he participated at a soap sculpture contest...
.
History
In 1932 the artist Lester Gaba created a mannequin known as Cynthia for Saks Fifth AvenueSaks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
. Cynthia was a 100-pound model who had realistic imperfections like freckles, pigeon toes, and even different sized feet. Gaba posed with Cynthia around New York City for a Life Magazine shoot that humorously demonstrates how lifelike the mannequins had become. Cartier
Cartier SA
Cartier S.A., commonly known as Cartier , is a French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewellers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the "Bestiary" , the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder...
and Tiffany
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...
sent her jewelry, Lilly Daché
Lilly Daché
Lilly Daché was a French milliner and fashion designer.She was born in Bègles, Gironde, France, and began her fashion career there at the age of 15 as a milliner, apprenticed under Caroline Reboux and Suzanne Talbot. Although she is said to have emigrated to the United States in 1924, the 1930 U.S...
designed hats for her, and couturiers sent her their latest fashions, furrieries sent minks. Soon a whole host of ‘Gaba Girls’ were to follow.
The Gaba Girls were life-sized, carved-soap mannequins modeled after well-known New York debutantess for the windows of Best & Company. They reduced the weight of a New York store mannequin from 200 to around 30 pounds, and with the Gaba Girls and their realistic successors’ appeal, mannequins became a hot new tool for sellers to attract their clientele.
Cynthia soon became dazzlingly famous. She was given a credit card from Saks Fifth Avenue. Cynthia had a box seat subscription to the Metropolitan Opera House. Cynthia made the cover of Life Magazine. Cynthia had her own newspaper column, and a successful radio show. Cynthia went to Hollywood to appear in Artist And Models Abroad with Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, in 1938. Cynthia got tons of fan mail. Cynthia was photographed by Alfred Eisenstaedt
Alfred Eisenstaedt
Alfred Eisenstaedt was a German-American photographer and photojournalist. He is renowned for his candid photographs, frequently made using various models of a 35mm Leica rangefinder camera...
. Cynthia went to the Broadhurst Theater in New York, to see the notorious play 'Madame Bovary
Madame Bovary
Madame Bovary is Gustave Flaubert's first published novel and is considered his masterpiece. The story focuses on a doctor's wife, Emma Bovary, who has adulterous affairs and lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life...
', in 1939. Gaba insisted that Cynthia had laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
, to account for her lack of speech. Cynthia met her demise when she slipped from a chair in a beauty salon and shattered. The press reported her death, and Gaba appeared distraught, but eventually reconstructed her.
In December 1942, Gaba was inducted into the army. Cynthia retired, and it wasn't until 1953 that she came back to the public in a TV show. But the magic was over, and Cynthia was soon to be stored in a cupboard for good.