It's formal,
but is it fabric?

Pageant women have been wearing leather for generations, but rarely above the ankles. Though some girls in swimsuit contests have been known to sport leather bikinis (giving a whole new meaning to the term "tan lines"), pageant formalwear has always been a fabric affair.

Cyndde Griffith changed all that. She designs and makes gowns out of leather. Cowhide, to be specific, in all kinds of colors. She makes them not just for beauty queens, but for brides, prom-goers, entertainers, anybody who wants haute couture with the suppleness of a second skin.

After years of working at her shop in rural Ohio -- making leather accessories from belts to purses, as well as gowns -- Ms. Griffith has founded Leather Legends Couture and is seeking a national market.

Several retailers have expressed an interest in her creations, and her work will be featured in the 2000 Miss Ohio Pageant fashion show.

Ms. Griffith's gowns are durable, naturally, but also designed to be comfortable. "They can be made very thin."

And because leather "breathes," it is not uncomfortably hot. She has known some customers who actually enjoyed the feel of it compared to conventional fabrics.

In terms of image, leather carries a lot of baggage. Some people associate it with free-spirited bikers and youthful rebels. (Remember the early Marlon Brando?) Some people think of leather as "kinky," the kind of thing worn by naughty women in movies that nobody admits to watching. But Ms. Griffith's creations look so elegant that they shatter the stereotypes. She says women who see her gowns see leather in a whole new light.

Leather Legends specialties require a lot of work to make, especially the more expensive ones, with their extensive embellishments. Ms. Griffith can add lace, beads and sequins, just about anything that the customer requests. She can sew handmade silver ornaments into the gowns. She can even add diamonds. Leather has come a long way since Calamity Jane's buckskins.

Now that you've seen Ms. Griffith's gowns, you can form your own opinion. But first ask yourself one question If we hadn't told you they were leather, would you ever have guessed?

Photographs courtesy of Cyndde Griffith

P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u

It's formal,but is it fabric?

It's formal,
but is it fabric?