Ola Hudson facts for kids

Ola Hudson (born Ola Oliver; October 12, 1946 – June 5, 2009) was an American fashion designer. She was also a costume designer, creating outfits for many famous musicians. These included the Pointer Sisters, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson, David Bowie, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr.

Ola Hudson was the mother of Saul Hudson, who is better known as Slash. Slash is the lead guitarist for the famous rock band Guns N' Roses. Some of Ola Hudson's amazing designs are kept in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Early Life and Education

Ola Oliver was born in Los Angeles, California, on October 12, 1946. From a young age, she loved dance and art. She studied modern dance at the Lester Horton School of Modern Dance. She also learned from talented dancers like Bella Lewitzsky and Linda Gold.

Her passion for dance took her overseas. She continued her studies at the Institute of Dance in Paris. She also trained at Le Loft in Switzerland and the Max Rivers School in London.

Family and Personal Life

While in London, Ola met and married Anthony Hudson. In 1965, their son, Saul Hudson (who became Slash), was born in the United Kingdom. Later, Ola returned to Los Angeles and worked in Hollywood.

In 1972, she had another son named Albion. Her family joined her in Los Angeles around 1975. Ola Hudson passed away on June 5, 2009, after a battle with cancer.

Designing for Stars

Ola Hudson's design company was called Ola Hudson Enterprises, Incorporated. She was known for her unique and often simple fashion style. She once said, "It's getting right down to basics," about her designs.

She also created special clothing collections for well-known stores. These included Arpeja, Henri Bendel, Right Bank Clothing, and Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills.

Retro Styles and Famous Clients

Ola Hudson was famous for her "retro" designs. These outfits often featured details from the 1940s. The popular music group the Pointer Sisters wore many of her retro creations.

In 1974, her designs were shown at a special event called Los Angeles Space-Age Designs: Past-Present-Future. She also designed clothes for dancer Linda Gold.

Ola Hudson designed costumes for movies and music. She created outfits for the film The Man Who Fell to Earth. She also designed for the music tour Station to Station. One of her most famous designs was the black pants and waistcoat. David Bowie wore this outfit for his "Thin White Duke" look in 1976. Some of these items are now part of the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.