A CUT ABOVE / Ray Charles, nominated with Norah Jones for “Here We Go Again” from “Genius Loves Company”
Ray Charles, who died last June, is nominated with Norah Jones for “Here We Go Again,” from his highly regarded album of duets “Genius Loves Company.” That spirit of creative partnership guided his wardrobe, nearly all custom-made, throughout 10,000 concerts and 53 years of almost constant touring.
Charles favored a handful of silhouettes: classic, shawl-collared dinner jackets and tuxedos as well as a non-standard three-piece suit--pants, a jacket without lapels and a long-collared shirt made from the same lightweight wool. Richard Lim, of High Society Custom Tailor in Los Angeles, made much of Charles’ wardrobe for almost 20 years. He says the entertainer liked all jacket lapel styles--notched, peak, shawl--but stayed with the one-button silhouette to make sure the shirts always showed.
Venice Custom Shirts in Studio City made Charles’ tuxedo shirts in many types of silk. The shirts often featured a double row of flat ruffles and faux French cuffs trimmed with lace that looked good against the piano keys. Instead of cumbersome cufflinks, the shirt maker fashioned a tab and button to close the ruffled cuff. Charles took shortcuts with his trademark bow tie, wearing a clip-on.
Charles left the selection of fabrics to Joe Adams, his manager for 47 years, but many of the materials were distinctively tactile, a characteristic that helped the singer, blind since he was 7, identify each suit. He could feel the difference between a metallic brocade or a ridged purple jacquard, a painted velvet or a featherweight pinstripe.
“You couldn’t bring him the wrong suit because he knew what was right,” says Valerie Ervin, who was Charles’ personal assistant.
One room in his two-story recording studio and headquarters on Washington Boulevard is reserved for Charles’ wardrobe. The suits are arranged by category and number: Tuxedos hang from the top center rack; dinner or “show” jackets hang from the bottom center; street shirts are on the left rack; and tuxedo shirts and street suits are on the right. His wardrobe color schemes worked with shoes and socks that were either black or brown (he favored suede Bally slip-ons). At Charles’ request, a numbered tag hangs from each suit, which are in chronological order and categorized according to color theme. Odd-numbered suits go with brown accessories and even-numbered with black. His assistants often guided him, though the sightless man was well aware of his appearance.
“He was a man who believed in his own sense of style,” says Carl E. Foster, his assistant during tours. “He was a person who understood his celebrity.”
Today the staff of Ray Charles Enterprises is busy cataloging the 150-piece collection of shimmering brocades, luscious velvets and delicate wools for inclusion in a museum planned for portions of the recording studio, designated last year as a Los Angeles historic landmark.
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HOW TO GET THE LOOK
If you’re lucky, you may find a vintage Ray Charles custom tuxedo that he often donated to charity auctions. Charles used a variety of tailors, including his recent favorites, High Society Custom Tailor, 2974 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 382-0148, and Venice Custom Shirts, 12424 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 761-5193.
