Cynthia (Gaba girl) facts for kids
"Cynthia" was a special mannequin created in 1932 by a talented artist named Lester Gaba. She wasn't just any mannequin; she looked incredibly real, almost like a human! Lester Gaba made her so lifelike that people started treating her like a real person. This made both Gaba and Cynthia very famous. Cynthia even appeared on the cover of Life Magazine and was invited to important events, like a royal wedding in 1937. Cynthia's popularity and Gaba's new, lighter mannequins changed how stores used mannequins to show off clothes.
Contents
History
The Start of Cynthia
In 1932, the artist Lester Gaba created Cynthia for Saks Fifth Avenue, a famous department store. She was a plaster model, weighing about 100-pound (45 kg). What made her special was that she looked very real. She even had small human details like freckles, slightly pigeon toes, and feet that were different sizes.
Cynthia's Rise to Fame
Lester Gaba took Cynthia around New York City for a photo shoot with Life Magazine. Cynthia even appeared on the magazine's cover! It was a funny way to show how real mannequins could look. Gaba made Cynthia even more human-like. She started getting invitations, fan mail, and gifts. She even went to special events. Gaba would joke that Cynthia had laryngitis to explain why she didn't talk during her public appearances.
The Gaba Girls and New Mannequins
After Cynthia, Lester Gaba created many other famous mannequins called "Gaba Girls." These were life-sized mannequins made from carved soap. They were modeled after well-known young women in New York. The Gaba Girls were much lighter, weighing about 30 pounds (14 kg). This was a big change from the usual 200-pound (91 kg) mannequins in New York stores. Because the Gaba Girls and other realistic mannequins were so popular, they became a new and important way for stores to attract customers.
Cynthia's Amazing Popularity
Cynthia herself became incredibly famous. Fancy jewelers like Cartier and Tiffany sent her jewelry. Famous designer Lilly Daché made hats just for her. Top fashion designers sent her their newest clothes, and fur companies sent her mink coats. Cynthia received tons of fan mail and was photographed by famous photographers like Alfred Eisenstaedt.
She even had her own credit card from Saks Fifth Avenue! Cynthia had a special box seat subscription at the Metropolitan Opera House. She also had her own newspaper column and a successful radio show. In 1938, she went to Hollywood to appear in the movie Artists and Models Abroad. In 1939, she was back in New York to see the play Madame Bovary at the Broadhurst Theater.
Cynthia's Retirement
Cynthia's fame came to a sudden stop when she accidentally fell from a chair in a beauty salon and broke into pieces. The newspapers reported her "death," and Lester Gaba seemed very upset. However, he was able to put her back together again. In December 1942, Gaba joined the army. Cynthia then retired from public life. It wasn't until 1953 that she made a brief return on a TV show. But her magical fame was gone, and Cynthia was soon stored away for good.
