Catherine Heiser will be helping singers with their audition and concert looks at the 2005 Classical Singer Convention May 27-30 in New York City as well as displaying her designs in a fashion show just for classical singers. See page 38 for convention information.
Tell me about your background. How did you get into fashion?
My first dream was to be a ballet dancer. I studied for years. Then I went to Texas Christian University and got a degree in liberal arts. I had also played piano since I was little so I’ve always understood music, as well as movement because of my ballet training. I even danced with the San Antonio Opera. So it’s interesting that many years later I design clothes for opera singers. The first singer who called me was Judith Blegen, and then Ashley Putnam who was singing at the City Opera and she was getting ready to do a recital. In the past, I was also an actress at the Cleveland Play House where I got my Equity card. I made a big hit there in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” After two years at the Play House, I moved to NY with a college friend who was a model. She got me in touch with a beautiful boutique on East 54th St. owned by Kenneth, the famous hairdresser who did Jacqueline Kennedy’s and Joanne Woodward’s hair. So, gradually we started making one-of-a-kind dresses that were held in consignment for the shop, and a few of them sold.
Did you want to make clothes for performers because you had been part of that group?
Yes. I actually made this decision while watching the Bach B Minor Mass at Carnegie Hall. The soloist’s dress was very inadequate. She was wearing a white dress made out of a not very fine silk. She also had on a jacket which seemed tight. The dress was too snow- white and the seams were not absolutely flat; they just didn’t look well. And I said to myself: ‘Oh my God, this beautiful singer, who is famous enough to be hired at Carnegie Hall, doesn’t have a very good dress for the occasion!’ I thought I could do something for singers. Then I made up a card – a mailer – with an extraordinarily beautiful picture of a gorgeous white chiffon gown. It had been taken aboard a ship with the model twirling. I designed the cards and sent them to several singers at the Met. I found out when they were singing there and just did it. Now, I’m giving away my secrets of how I got in touch with my first clients! Of course, word-of-mouth is very powerful. Even though they are in a competitive field, performers do pass on information to each other. Now I don’t design just for singers, but for instrumentalists and dancers as well.
Do you design for large-sized singers?
Yes, but I don’t have a lot of large clients. One thing I keep in mind is: I would never put large singers into something bouffant; they shouldn’t go out with big brocades or big bows; I try to minimize the look by creating vertical lines. Big people can also have a beautiful face with gorgeous skin, so the clothes shouldn’t take the attention away from those assets. Usually if I can, I try to open up the neckline so you see some skin.
Also, women in general have to be very wise about their arms; for most women, biceps are not in such a great condition after 35, unless you’re Jane Fonda… But singers must understand that dressmakers have almost twice as much distance to cover with a 52 inch bust, instead of a 34. That’s handwork. Then it’s not 4 yards in the hem, but 8. I recently had a request from a big girl who wanted a black gabardine coat. I would make that coat with pleats down the back of her shoulders so that the pleats would flare out into a soft full coat in order to cover her ample form.
What are the best colors for the stage?
There are a few good stage colors. Black is a frequent one. People don’t always want to be in black; however for a first dress, frequently I suggest a beautiful black chiffon dress. Once a singer starts basic, she can build a wardrobe. It’s not always practical for a singer to buy 5 different gowns. The other good stage colors are: red, white, and cobalt or royal blue. Brown is not that great; beige tends to look like the skin so it seems nude, and somewhat dead. Another beautiful color for the stage can be a jade green, an emerald green. Then you have to choose a fabric that doesn’t eat the light.
How would you know that?
When I’m choosing the fabric for a client, I look in the mirror either in the fabric store or here in the studio where I have very good light. I hold the swatches of fabric up to the light. Shimmer is great for stage because it picks up the light.
What fabrics are ideal?
Four-ply silk crepe is wonderful; it has a soft luster. Sometimes, a fabric could be shot with gold or silver, but you have to get the right balance of gold or silver. If it’s too bright, it looks like a show girl. I had a girl come here with a dress from Filene’s Basement. She was in the Liederkranz competition. The dress had a slash up the front and it was spattered in rhinestones, with a draped effect on this matte jersey white. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it! She was a young pretty woman. I told her: ‘My dear, you just cannot wear this. I don’t even care if you order from me; I’ll tell you where to go.’
So you also act as a wardrobe advisor to singers?
Yes, of course! I couldn’t let someone look like a Las Vegas show girl going out on the stage for the Liederkranz! You sing classical music, you can’t wear those things! I even tell people where to go for shoes or a hair cut. Over time, I sent girls to Tip Top. They used to have all kinds of silk wedding shoes and bridesmaids shoes and they dyed them to match the gowns.
What colors look good or bad on TV?
The camera is a little tricky. Red never seems to work much on TV; it goes fuzzy. White can be OK. I did Judith Blegen’s white silk dress for the 150th Anniversary of the Met Gala. I called Kirk Browning who always directed the live telecast. I told him I have Judith Blegen in white silk, so was that an absolute no-no? He said: “I don’t see why not, I can handle it!” He did and it looked great. I don’t know why everyone is so afraid of white.
Would black be a good color for television?
Not necessarily because you don’t really see the design of the gown in detail. Some black gowns may work. Strong colors usually work. Baby pinks and powder blues are not power colors, not on TV and not on the stage. Most people should never wear prints; it’s better to stick to solid colors. You do have to be careful with prints. Some people can pull them off, but the prints have to be just right. You can’t get a large floral print that looks like a target, or you don’t want a print that makes a “stripe-off” – the optical illusion where you see the flowers or the lines going across on the screen.
What are the ideal colors for blondes, brunettes?
To tell you the truth, you never know. Color is very tricky. I mean, you just have to hold it up against you, and just see…
Do you ever take off-the-shelf dresses and improve them for clients?
I have done some alterations for people that didn’t order from me, as a courtesy. If a dress off the shelf needs alterations it probably isn’t going to work in the long run. However, I’ve transformed some vintage dresses for a few people. Most of the gowns I see in the stores now, for example, do not have sleeves. I have some very mature women coming to me who need sleeves. But it’s better to start from scratch.
What exactly do you charge for – the design, the fabric?
I charge for a design fee and singers must pay for the fabric immediately to marry themselves to the project. I can’t pick and buy all this stuff without having a deposit. Do you know there are places in town that require payment in full before doing anything?
Do you charge by the hour or by the intricacy of the work?
Not so much by the hour. You know, at least forty hours can go into a dress. I also spend almost a full day in and out of fabric stores, so if I would charge $100 an hour, I’d be rich! What’s fascinating to me is that people pay $250 an hour to a lawyer, and I hold the visual aspect of their career in my hands with some beautiful dress that makes an impression, and some are reluctant to invest in that. The first impression is how we see you, even before you sing! I just did this tuxedo for the associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic – she’s a woman and they wanted a tuxedo for her. This came to me through the Michal Schmidt agency. In this case, I worked with the management because this manager had the sensitivity and the thoughtfulness to have her client’s appearance in mind. Managers should do that more often.
Do you only design for women?
Yes. However, I am doing restoration on a very fine Catholic priestly vestment right at the moment. From 1992-1997, I was the robe mistress for the St. Thomas Boys choir at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church. I took care of over 200 vestments: mending, pressing, dressing the children for the many beautiful sacred services. That’s how I came to know clergy and restore priestly vestments.
How do you save money using a designer?
Well, trust me on this one: you will save money with me! This sounds so self-aggrandizing. But you can get a gown here that fits; it looks fabulous for ten years, it’s the best quality, made well, not too big or too small, it’s cut correctly, the grain is right in the fabric, and it’s not going to fall apart in the first dry cleaning. These clothes feel divine. When you get good haute couture clothes, they are not heavy or bulky; they don’t grip your waist. They’re like stepping into a vat of cotton candy. Four-ply silk crepe for example. It’s very basic but gorgeous.
So, if I sang at Carnegie Hall in September and in February I am singing at Merkin Hall, I wouldn’t want to wear the same gown. Does it make sense to invest in a designer gown that I can only wear once, if I keep performing in New York? What would you suggest to get the haute couture glamour but be practical and budget-savvy?
I would get the basic gown underneath; a beautiful black slip gown. Then for your two concerts, I would do two different tops. One could be a beaded jacket and another: a lace robe or cape. I don’t know if a singer wants to deal with a stole, but sometimes stoles are OK; you have to be pretty experienced with it to handle it while you sing. Then if you want to do an afternoon concert, maybe you can be in black silk pants and a little black jeweled camisole with a top over that and change tops for different concerts.
Do singers ever join you to shop for fabrics?
Occasionally, they agree or ask if they could shop with me. It’s a pretty serious business because it’s very fatiguing. I have to know what to show them and where to take them. I recently had one singer go with me but after a while she said she couldn’t stay in that store anymore. I always ask the client first: ‘How do you want to look? What impression do you want to give? Do you want to be imperial? Do you want to be soft and delicious? Do you want to be filmy and divine; are you singing Debussy or Fauré? The music of a recital can affect what a singer wants to wear. You know, this is a very serious matter: people have become so accustomed to stretch fabrics, stretchy wear which accommodates our growing bodies, that they have forgotten what it means to tailor and nip and tuck and cut perfectly a woven fabric. That means it can’t always accommodate. It is what it is for that particular time, we can’t stretch it out. People are used to going out in stretch stuff; there is Lycra now even in blue jeans. Of course, I would sometimes underline material with stretchy nude fabric, especially a material like a souffle fabric; it’s quite transparent, it offers maximum nudity, and it stretches so I would use a stretch material for under it. Souffle is hand-walked into the US from Switzerland; you cannot buy it here at any other store, except on West 57th Street. They actually ran out for a while and I said: ‘This is a nightmare, you have to get more!’
So when a singer comes in to order something, first you ask them what they want to look like…
And where do they sing, what music they’re singing. Then they look at my samples and get ideas from them. I give them a price range and always remind them that fabric is additional. After that I decide on a design but that can morph slightly because fabric speaks to me. I also have to figure out if a figure accommodates itself to a center back zipper or a center front closure. That’s going to affect the entire way I cut a dress. Then I start. Just to give you an example of how I work: In 2003, Susan Graham called me because she had to sing Ravel’s Scheherezade. The first thing I did that afternoon was to get out the CD, play it and read the words. I wanted to know what she was singing and what the music was like. She wanted the gown to have a vague India-flavor but it had to be very exotic and chiffon-y. She wanted the colors to be strong melon colors. She met me and we went to the store – to Weller. I also got a strapless bra and built the dress on the bra. The gown is total silk chiffon, hand draped with beaded silk at the top. I got the idea from the cover of one of my film scores called Kama Sutra. All the gowns of those Indian girls had these colors. So I took the cover of the CD to Weller and said I wanted those colors. It was quite an ordeal getting jewelry for Susan too.
When you’re working on a gown, how often does a singer have to come in for fittings?
As often as she can. For a good dress, you can count on at least three fittings, and I can usually always finish it in four.
What’s the time frame?
That depends on how many projects I have at the time. I had good clients here that have called me two weeks before a major event. That puts me under a lot of pressure; it’s enormously stressful, those deadlines at Carnegie Hall! I ask: ‘Where were you in the summer, when I didn’t have much to do?’ People have to think in advance.
What about big feet?
Can’t do anything about them! Shoes are by-and-large the client’s problem but I have to mention this: I went to a concert the other night, the girl had on black pants, a black camisole, and creamy white shoes. That’s just impossible! You cannot do that! You must have a pair of black shoes!
How does dressing for the concert stage differ from dressing for being a bridesmaid?
The bridesmaid would not be as showy or as dramatic because she shouldn’t upstage the bride. A singer wants to have power when she walks on the stage.
What about going out or attending to a formal event?
Anything goes! You have to go to an event and look fantastic. I am a little saddened by the way people are dressing these days; they’re not dressing up for events or even for the opera. Forget sneakers and jeans; the women are so frumpy! What could they be thinking of?
Do you think singers should look elegant when they go to rehearsals?
Yes. I think singers should look extremely nice. If you have to get on the floor at rehearsals, you need a pair of durable beautiful trousers and maybe a silk blouse or a beautiful turtleneck sweater. Add some earrings. You should look good. I once saw the great diva, Leontyne Price, in a store here; she was mesmerizing. She looked great and so elegant, and just for going to the store. Would you ever see her in blue jeans or some hideous coat? I guess the word “diva” does have a sort of awkward connotation these days, but the public wants to see you look great. I always suggest to my clients: Don’t be afraid to build your wardrobe as if you were in front of an audience all the time.
What if a singer is really tall and wants to appear shorter to fit in with her duet partner or the ensemble?
Why would someone want to appear shorter? Just so she could fit in? No. If you are tall, use your height and be imposing. I don’t think you should hide your height to accommodate others. Just be what you are!
Is it better to wear something that may be a touch larger on you so it doesn’t create any wrinkles in certain places?
Absolutely. Clothes should skim the body. Never wear clothes that are too tight. Let people think you’re smaller underneath.
How do you stand out when you are thin and small in an ensemble and taking up less space than other singers?
Just by your presence, and your inner light. Someone said about the great dancer, Mikhail Baryshnikov: He was fantastic not just because of all he did on the stage but because you couldn’t keep your eyes off him, even if he did nothing.
Should you coordinate bags and shoes perfectly?
No. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t. I think that looks a little too matched. No cheap plastic handbags, no three zipper compartments, and never advertise the name of the designer on your bag! Why would you get a bag with a name or letters all over? Get one good black handbag, one good beige one – crochéed or straw – or a caramel color.
What about white handbags?
Not that great. It’s a little “Sunday-school-ish.” Besides bags, I insist that good shoes are essential. I recently watched this girl perform and one of her shoes had the leather peeling back around one of the heels. In a small hall where people are sitting close enough to notice shabby shoes, you can’t have that!
What about dry cleaning? How often should you do it?
I am opposed to over dry-cleaning. It wears clothes out. After a performance, it’s better to hang up your gown in front of a window and let the fresh air do the work. Do not rush to the dry cleaner’s until really necessary, like if there’s been too much perspiration. But if you don’t have to, don’t do it. I have some dry cleaning fluid here and you can do a little touch-up under the arms. Another problem is static cling! I had a client – a famous singer – go on stage at a Rossini gala about 5 or 6 years ago and she got static cling. And someone had the brilliant idea of shooting her with hair spray! Go figure! The fabric was imported from Florence; it was a lace top and a silk georgette skirt. I can tell you the gown didn’t take too well to the hairspray! Whenever they perform, all singers should carry with them a can of No Stat spray or Static Guard. They are a singer’s best friend. If she is walking on carpets going from the green room to the stage- boom – the static will happen! Then there’s another problem: not being careful with your gown. A client-singer leaned against the sink in her dressing room when she was doing her make-up. Imagine: She had on a satin gown with water stains on her lap, and no time to change! You have to be extra careful. These are very fine clothes.
So, what you’re saying is, once you put that precious gown on, do nothing and don’t touch anything before going on stage.
Yes! Just like at the hairdresser’s. Wait and try to relax. You have to accommodate and take care of fine clothes. You can’t look like a queen unless you give it your full attention.
What do you recommend as audition outfits?
A pair of good shoes would be very important because those you audition for are sitting pretty close to you. A skirt, or if you’re wearing pants, a pair of good silk trousers and they must be pressed, no wrinkles! Don’t wear a pair of wrinkled pants because that would make your possible employers think you just took these pants out of the closet and you didn’t care enough to press them. It’s all in the details. Wear something simple, solid colors, so the eye doesn’t get distracted by prints, but something that moves, and walks well like a skirt that falls well over the hips with a turtle neck, or if that bothers you when you sing, a beautiful silk blouse. Occasionally, if a girl doesn’t have a big budget, she can cheat by buying something that has a great look but which doesn’t have to be a $1000 blouse from Bergdorf or Armani. She might find something more convenient at Lord and Taylor. They have great sales there. So if she wears her silk blouse, pale grey, shell pink, creamy beige or white with a gorgeous flared skirt, believe me, she will look good.
I’ve seen some singers audition in a very corporate look, like a business suit, pants and jacket. What are your thoughts on that?
Don’t do it. That’s corporate life. And you don’t want to start looking like a man. If you want a jacket that looks great, get a soft, feminine one – I call it a dress-maker jacket. This is an artistic profession after all.
What about a day-time, afternoon dress for an audition?
A dress would be fine, but a great daytime dress is hard to find in the stores.
Any tips for a travel wardrobe?
If you travel a lot, get your wardrobe started in black, white and beige, with accents of red or maybe cobalt blue in a jacket or some scarves. Another thing, don’t put too much emphasis on scarves; have two or three great scarves but you can have a very good travel wardrobe with one scarf. Everybody should have one black jacket when she is traveling. It goes with blue jeans; it works for a cocktail party, even a barbecue. There’s nothing you can’t use it for. The very fine fabrics like the four-ply silk and some silk chiffons travel quite nicely too. Occasionally I find a beautiful synthetic that I can use, if it has a personality I like. Synthetics do travel well.
When singers are traveling, can they just go casual or should they have a certain “airplane look?” How important is it to dress up on the plane?
They should look absolutely great on the plane! I’ll tell you a quick story to illustrate. I went to Mexico on Oct. 30th. I was dressed in a pair of good jeans with a fabulous silver belt and a white silk blouse with a black blazer and a black cowboy hat, and black sunglasses. The check-in line was huge at JFK, but when they saw me dressed like that, someone came and took me aside to a desk and I got checked in before the crowd. It was almost embarrassing. Then I got to the gate and when it got close to boarding time, one of the girls from the ticket desk came over and checked my ticket, after which she said: “We don’t have many people in first class this time. We can put you in.” So I traveled first class! And all that happened because I was very stylishly dressed and made an impression. The first impression! The look just did it for me. Hats are a great thing! Wear them, tip them over your eyes with great sunglasses, and you might get into first class! Also, I was wearing make-up on the plane.
Speaking of make-up, do you have any suggestions for auditions?
Be as natural as you can. No colored eye shadows, only maybe soft amber or sepia tones, but no blues, no greens. Ever. Emphasize a natural look.
What about hair?
Get a good hair cut!
Huge hair or no huge hair?
Well, you have to be able to recognize if it’s great hair or not. If someone’s a good–looking gal with beautiful red hair and she wants to fluff it up and hit the stage with this cloud of red hair, I’m all for that. As a former dancer, I always looked at myself so ruthlessly in the mirror, so brutally. All dancers do that. Every finger, every step, every movement had to be perfect. You either get extremely critical or narcissistic looking at yourself, but it does makes you realize what looks good and what doesn’t. You have to develop discernment. In the end, I ask myself: What makes a singer look good on the stage? Courtenay Budd, for example, is blond and beautiful but she also has this radiance that comes from the inside. I saw her in a recital; she came on stage to sing Rachmaninoff songs which are very voluptuous and beautiful and she sang with such sincerity. She was creating a Russian atmosphere and she wasn’t trying to show off any technique. The inner light, the radiance of a personality is what people love to see. Fashion helps to enhance that and make you feel beautiful, confident and desirable but the presence has to start within.
