Dressing for the Part
Over the next few days, Sharon Davis will carry on the tradition of political spouse, accompanying her husband, Gray, to three balls and a swearing-in ceremony--well aware that many will be watching more than the events themselves.
Although her husband has been in public office their entire married life, this time will be different. On this occasion, rather than being judged just on her actions, she will be openly critiqued on what she wears.
“I think you’re looked at more closely when you’re the first lady,” she says.
Her mission was to find a California designer who could take her ideas of simple elegance and run with them.
So she returned to Pol Atteu of Beverly Hills, who made her gown for the presidential inauguration two years ago. Davis discovered Atteu’s shop a few years ago. The designer is known among certain circles for his special-occasion and formal wear.
From Atteu, the Davises bought--at an undisclosed cost--two gowns, a day outfit and a coat for the events. At the inaugural ball and rock ‘n’ roll ball that follows on Monday night, Davis will wear a gray duchess satin gown with a sculpted hem and bodice. At the swearing-in ceremony, she will wear a honey-colored, knee-length silk sheath with a matching jacket and a camel-colored cashmere coat.
At the Unity Ball in Los Angeles on Saturday night, she will wear an eggplant silk gown with charmeuse banding and a georgette skirt. She expects to wear this gown again and again.
The inaugural ball gown will be donated, with sketches, to the state museum. But first, Davis has promised Atteu she will lend him the gown for a month. He’ll display the gown at his Dayton Way shop in Beverly Hills.
Atteu, however, won’t be dressing the governor-elect in one of his famous brocade vests--both designer and client agreed that would not be appropriate.
Atteu has four lines that are sold in boutiques and department stores: Pol Atteu Boutique (a collection of slinky young dresses); Femme (mother-of-the-bride dresses); Pol Atteu Collection (afternoon suits and evening wear); and haute couture. Former California First Lady Gloria Deukmejian wore an Atteu gown to her daughter’s wedding. Atteu has dressed stars (TV’s Brett Butler) and spouses for the Academy and Emmy awards. And he’s well-known in Beverly Hills for providing the perfect outfit for formal charity functions.
Sharon Davis admittedly is quite conservative in dress. At 5-foot-3, she usually shops in the petite department, where, she says, formal wear is hard to find. Or else she buys a regular-sized gown and has it altered.
Atteu says Davis is easy to fit. The admiration is mutual. “Pol is wonderful to work with,” she says. “He has a great ability to take an idea. He was able to really expand on it and really make the dress more than I had envisioned myself.”
