Rhinestone Rembrandt

Cuevas got a job with Nudie Cohn, the Hollywood tailor who would make the style famous and give “Nudie suits” their name. Manuel became Nudie’s lead tailor and Son-In-Law, marrying Nudie's only daughter Barbara Lee Cohn. Manuel incorporated motifs from the American West, Eastern Europe, Native American cultures, and his own home country, Mexico, into the designs. Cohn and Cuevas clothed everyone from Cosmic American country-rocker Gram Parsons to the Man in Black, Johnny Cash.

Cash became very popular and he says, “Man, I’m going on the road and I’m going to need clothes.” So I measured him and he said, “I want nine suits.” And I hurried up and made the outfits. And here’s this voice on the phone that you can never forget, you know: “Hello. This is Johnny Cash.” (Laughing) I said, “Yes, John.” He says, “I got the suits that you sent me.” He says, “How come they are all black?” So I thought I’d kid him. I said, “Well, there was a special on black fabric.” (Laughing) And, sure enough, three, four months later, when he was through with the tour, he said, “I want you to make me clothes every week. And I want you to dress my band.” He says, “The color is never in question anymore.”