Who was Dovima?
Sep 2, 2015 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Photograph by Edgar de Evia
There are many partnerships that went on to alter the course of vintage fashion history (Givenchy and Audrey is a brilliant case in point). Another dynamic duo is the photographer Richard Avedon and 1950s supermodel/face of a generation: Dovima.
In all my fashion and beauty research I kept coming across her stunning features and I’ve been meaning to learn more about the woman behind the effortless poses and knowing glances. Checking out her large volume of work, I have to say that her unique look would give Tyra a run for her money any day. There is no talk of smizing when you had talent like Dovima’s. One glance, one beautiful placement of her elegant arms and a brilliant moment was captured. It’s no wonder she was one of Richard Avedon’s favorite muses. He’s credited with calling her “the most remarkable and unconventional beauty of her time.” Frankly, I’m keen to agree with him. I’ve always been drawn to a strong name (see the lovely Sandwina for proof), but there’s so much more to a person than their name. So this post aims to answer the question I’ve been circling around for months: who was Dovima?
Fun Fact: Audrey, Dovima, Givenchy, and Avedon all partnered in the film Funny Face.
Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba was born in the mid 1920s in the epicenter of the American fashion industry: New York City. She was discovered by a Vogue editor while out for a quick bite with her first husband. Dovima’s unique features thoroughly mesmerized the editor and by the next day she was on her first photo shoot! This immediate success paved the way for a momentous career that would catapult Dovima to the rank of highest paid model for her time (at her peak she earned $60/hour – a very large sum in that day and age). Dovima, along with a handful of special ladies, ruled the mid-century fashion scene. Yet by the early 1960s she walked away from the camera’s gaze, leaving a legacy of beauty during her prime.
When asked about her looks, she was eternally modest. You see, she took a while to see the beauty everyone else instantly recognized. (Kind of silly how universal of an affliction insecurity is, so take this as a reminder to embrace your unique beauty!) For Dovima, her big worry was her teeth. She was painfully insecure about her smile and during her first photo shoot, she made a point to keep her mouth closed. Funny enough, that simple action gave her test shots an ethereal quality – something intriguing that no one could easily pinpoint. The very thing she was most concerned about became the characteristic that opened up a whole new chapter in her life. Dovima worked through the Ford Model Agency and her sophisticated style helped the relatively young agency gain traction in a time when Europe still dominated the fashion trade.
Image by cszmurlo
Familiarize yourself with her most iconic photographs. Get to know this amazing lady!
Recognize this dress? It became an icon in 1955 for two reasons: it was featured in Avedon’s famous work “Dovima with the elephants” & this dress was the first piece designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Dior.
I’ll leave you with a quick word about that alluring name – rumor has it she took it from the first couple letters of her first three names. If I did that the result would be much less sophisticated: Reanoe. (Yep, no grand modeling successes in my future – ha!) While this alias is forever associated with her work as a model, the name wasn’t actually created for that purpose. As a child she had rheumatic fever and Dovima became the name for her imaginary play mate – the friend who saw her through this scary time. Given the horror stories we’ve all heard about the reality of “behind the scenes” fashion, having a friend to see you through would be a big relief for any model. I personally think it’s special that she brought something into this new life that held meaning to her during her youth. Pretty sweet and poetic, don’t you think?
For our readers: check out this review of “Dovima with the elephants” and tell us what you think… what do you think about the sash in the photo?
Where do you get “Reanoe” ? DOrothy VIrginia MAgaret = Dovima