She Was A Mannequin Who Became A New York Socialite And Global Superstar In The 1930s
In the 1930s, an unlikely individual became a New York socialite and a global superstar. Cynthia was a department store model who went on to have her own television talk show and become an icon in the fashion world.
However, Cynthia wasn’t actually a living, breathing person. She was a mannequin. So, how did a mannequin end up achieving the status of an A-list celebrity?
Cynthia was created by Lester Gaba, the son of a shopkeeper in Hannibal, Missouri. Before Cynthia, Gaba dreamed of making it to the big city and becoming a great success.
He gained fame as a soap sculptor and moved to Chicago. Then, in 1932, he moved to New York and established himself in fashion and retail.
Back then, mannequins were still incredibly heavy and looked unrealistic. Since they were made of wax, they melted in the summer heat. Gaba helped to pioneer the style of modern mannequins. He made them both stylish and realistic.
He claimed that his mannequins could hardly be distinguished from human women, and they contained imperfections like freckles. They were also based on a number of socialites and came to be called the “Gaba Girls.”
What really made Gaba’s career was a 5’6″, 100-pound mannequin that he named Cynthia. He brought her to nightclubs and social events.
She received attention everywhere she went and was rarely seen without a cigarette in her hand. Her popularity made her highly sought after by the country’s finest stores.
She was gifted jewelry from Cartier and Tiffany, wore the finest hats from Dior, and donned elaborate furs and lavish dresses. Saks Fifth Avenue even issued her a credit card.
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In 1937, Cynthia was even invited to the wedding of Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor. She was featured on the covers of magazines, and gossip columnists started writing about her as if she were a flesh-and-blood socialite.
Cynthia’s fame wouldn’t last, though. By the next decade, she had faded from the public eye. It didn’t help when she slipped out of a salon chair while getting her hair done and broke apart into hundreds of pieces.
Gaba tried his best to put her back together and restore her popularity, but she would never reach that same level of stardom again.
In 1942, Gaba was enlisted into the army, so he sent Cynthia to Missouri to stay with his mother. Without Gaba around, there was no way for Cynthia to continue her celebrity career.
In the 1950s, he attempted to reintroduce Cynthia to the spotlight, but the public was no longer as fascinated by the fashionable mannequin.
Thanks to Gaba, we still see her influence everywhere. Hopefully, Cynthia is in one piece and is living her best life out there somewhere.
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