Beautiful Fashion Designs by Luis Estévez in the 1950s and ’60s

Luis Estévez (1930 – 2014) was a Cuban-born American fashion designer and costume designer, active between 1951 until 1997. According to the New York Times, “Luis Estevez always did make a lady look like a vamp”, known for his high slits, slinky dresses and dramatic necklines.

Fashion designs by Luis Estévez in the 1950s and ’60s

Estévez was a founding member of Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

Estévez’s work is featured in various public museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Library of Congress, among others.

Estévez’s work is said to have influenced designers Michael Kors and Zac Posen. These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing fashion designs by Luis Estévez in the 1950s and 1960s.

Carmen Dell' Orefice in black silk sheathed ball dress, worn with white organdie stole-in-reverse tied with aquamarine velvet ribbon, by Luis Estevez for Grenelle, earrings from Seaman Schepps, photo by Roger Prigent, Vogue, 1955

Dovima in black full-skirt dress by Luis Estevez for Grenelle, Vogue, December 1, 1955

Joan Romano in lovely white lace dress with simple top shaped to the hip and full airy skirt by Luis Estevez for Grenelle, satin sandals by Julianelli, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, March 15, 1955

Suzy Parker in emerald green brocade evening coat worn over black velveteen sheath by Luis Estevez, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, October 1955

Suzy Parker in peau-de-soie dress by Luis Estevez for Grenelle, Vogue, September 1, 1955

Joanna McCormick (left) and model in close-curved satin sheaths by Luis Estevez, photo by Richard Rutledge, Vogue, September 15, 1956

Suzy Parker in cocktail dress by Luis Estevez, Harper's Bazaar U.S., April 1956

Anne St. Marie in wide-skirted cocktail dress with deep-v neckline by Luis Estevez, photo by Betty Estevez, Vogue, September 15, 1957

Dovima in halter sheath and dotted tulle headdress by Grenelle-Estévez, Vogue January 1, 1957

Model in evening dress of daisy print with green velvet trim and streamers by Grenelle- Estèvez, Vogue, April 15, 1957

Model in fur-trimmed halter sheath by Luis Estevez, photo by Betty Estevez, Harper's Bazaar, November 1957

Romaine Simenson in lovely print dress of roses and olive-green greens on white silk twill with a cross-tied sash of moss green velvet by Luis Estevez, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, January 15, 1957

Dovima in gorgeous low-backed cocktail dress by Luis Estevez, photo by Betty Estevez, Vogue, February 1, 1958

Ivy Nicholson in beautiful evening dress of stiff white cotton ottoman with great petals of skirt that curve up in front and down in back, by Grenelle-Estevez, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, March 1958

Ivy Nicholson in vibrant violet chemise dress with cowl collar that descends into back-plunging décolletage by Grenelle-Estevez, hat by Lilly Daché, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, April 1958

Betsy Pickering in sheath by Luis Estevez, photo by Betty Estevez, Harper's Bazaar, November 1959

Carmen Dell' Orefice in white cotton organdy strapless dress of daisies re-embroidered in black, with golden sash and matching short-sleeved coat by Grenelle-Estevez, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, June 1959

Betsy Pickering in beautiful belted butterfly tunic dress in white imported lace by Luis Estévez, photo by William Ward on the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico, Harper's Bazaar, May 1960

Betsy Pickering in black silk sleeveless sheath with dramatic side-slashed neckline by Luis Estévez, photo by William Ward at the National University of Mexico, Harper's Bazaar, May 1960

Dovima in black silk chiffon with draped hip sash flowing into side panels by Luis Estévez, photo by William Ward at Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico, Harper's Bazaar, May 1960

Dovima in embroidered silk satin-faced organza dress with molded bodice and full skirt by Luis Estevez, photo by William Ward at Castillo de Chapultepec, Mexico, Harper's Bazaar, May 1960

Dovima in sensational cocktail sheath by Luis Estevez, photo by Betty Estevez, Vogue, September 1, 1960

Ruth Neuman Derujinsky in blue and white windowpane coat over sleeveless cotton sheath by Estevez, photo by Gleb Derujinsky, car is a Valiant, Harper's Bazaar, June 1960

Isabella Albonico in black and white houndstooth tweed coat over reed-slim dress by Luis Estevez, hat by John Frederics, photo by Saul Leiter, Harper's Bazaar, February 1961

Marola Witt (left) and Iris Bianchi (right) both wearing dresses by Luis Estevez, Harper's Bazaar, 1961

Model in red velvet evening gown by Luis Estevez, necklace and earrings by Schreiner, photo by Bert Stern, November 1961

Simone d'Aillencourt in sleeveless black-embroidered white cotton eyelet coat ending like the dress beneath in a flounce above the knee by Luis Estevez, hat by Halston, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper's Bazaar, June 1961

Audrey Sedor in charming black chiffon dance dress, finely pleated and at front and back, a black satin bow, by Luis Estevez, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, October 1, 1962

Dorothea McGowan in Ban-Lon double knit two-piece elongated evening dress, the overblouse splashed with jet and ruby beads, the skirt slit to the knee, by Luis Estevez, Vogue, September 15, 1963

Wilhelmina in long cape of douppioni silk in Ming yellow lined in bright pink by Luis Estevez, turban of white Indian cotton netting by Adolfo, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, March 15, 1963

Camilla Sparv in long, white crêpe evening dress, splashed with huge black roses, and in back two flying panels by Luis Estevez, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, February 1964

Camilla Sparv in short-sleeved suit in white waffled piqué half tied in black patent leather by Luis Estévez, hat by Sally Victor, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1, 1964

Camilla Sparv in white crêpe bodice gathered to a bow under the bosom curved to a bias-cut black crêpe skirt by Luis Estevez, white organdy hat by Emme, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, June 1964

Simone d'Aillencourt in slender, slightly Empire with stand-away turtleneck of white bubble piqué by Luis Estévez, sandals by Papagallo, photo by Henry Clarke at Villa Gamberaia, Florence, Italy, Vogue, June 1, 1964

Agneta Darin in crisp white belted top of silk and worsted over filmy black silk chiffon culottes by Luis Estevez, earrings by Mimi di N, bracelet by Charles Elkaim, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, March 1966

Faye Dunaway in magnificent Jasmine EMBA mink coat over white silk pajamas by Luis Estevez, photo by Francesco Scavullo, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967