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In the 1970s, Bill Belew was in big demand. He was busy doing television shows and movies, so he would give Gene the blank suits and Gene would design them himself. Gene designed most of the suits from 1972 until Elvis' death. He designed the more elaborate suits such as the Aloha, Peacock, Sundial,
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The lighting was still in its early stages. And we found that the color that worked the best was white. It allowed them to change the colors on him, where as black would absorb all the color. And it was hard to highlight him. And we experimented with blue which was one of his favorite colors. Red.
205:). In 2008 the Peacock suit was sold at an online auction for $ 300,000. This made it then the most expensive piece of Elvis clothing sold at auction. Another of his creations, the so called the “Aqua Blue Vine” broke that record selling for US$ 325,000 at a 2016 Graceland organized auction.
166:, and the bell-bottomed jumpsuit outfits with high Napoleonic collars, pointed sleeve cuffs, wide belts and capes, decorated with gems, metal and rhinestone studding, sequins and embroidery. Belew also designed the suit Elvis is wearing on the
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While he made costumes for plays, musicals, operas, ballets, TV specials and TV series, Belew is particularly famous for the stage outfits he made for Elvis. He created the tight-fitting black leather outfit that Elvis wore in the
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But it just ended up that white was the best thing and, of course, you know, you want the star to be the person, you know, and not the wardrobe.
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The elaborate embroidery, which was getting a more prominent role on the jumpsuits in 1974–1977, was the work of Gene
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110:(May 20, 1931 – January 7, 2008) was an American costume designer who created stage outfits worn, among others, by
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Among the most famous of Belew's Elvis jumpsuits are the
American Eagle (created for the 1973
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392:"Bill Belew: Celebrity costumier who created jewelled jumpsuits for Elvis"
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In an interview Belew explained why most of the jumpsuits were white:
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Belew died at the age of 76 from diabetes-related complications in
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During the 1970s Belew designed Elvis' offstage wardrobe, as well.
421:"He Took the Crown of Costume King When Elvis Put on His Jumpsuit"
489:"The King and I: How I designed a jumpsuit fit for Elvis"
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Guralnick, Peter (1999). "The
Bluebird of Happiness".
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who encouraged Belew to work as a costume designer.
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588:. BK Enterprises, Costume Co, Inc. Archived from
364:. BK Enterprises, Costume Co, Inc. Archived from
273:"Designer was called 'man who dressed the King'"
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451:Elvis Presley: the man, the life, the legend
293:Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley
491:. London: Guardian News and Media Limited.
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536:"Elvis' peacock jumpsuit sells for $ 300K"
319:"Bill Belew, the man who dressed the King"
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168:famous photo of President Nixon and him
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427:. Dow Jones & Company. p. A12
196:Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
567:from the original on 25 November 2009
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495:from the original on 11 January 2010
454:. New York: Atria Books. p. 5.
243:Elvis Fashion: From Memphis to Vegas
321:. Salon Media Group. Archived from
563:. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
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241:Mundy, Julie; Graceland (2003).
67:Desert Regional Medical Center,
419:Miller, Stephen (2008-02-02).
271:Dennis McLellan (2008-01-17).
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561:"Elvis Jumpsuits: All Access"
448:Keogh, Pamela Clarke (2004).
534:Ilnytzky, Ula (2008-01-27).
515:"Interview with Bill Belew"
487:Swash, Rosie (2010-01-08).
317:Thomas, Mike (1999-12-18).
213:Tiger, and American Eagle.
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627:American fashion designers
296:. Boston: Little, Brown.
164:1968 NBC Comeback Special
16:American costume designer
83:Parsons School of Design
70:Palm Springs, California
425:The Wall Street Journal
245:. New York: Universe.
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398:. London. 2008-01-27
348:The Washington Post
108:William Lewis Belew
33:William Lewis Belew
542:. Associated Press
368:on 3 December 2009
474:Guralnick P. 299
277:Los Angeles Times
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370:. Retrieved
366:the original
362:"Bill Belew"
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344:"Obituaries"
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327:. Retrieved
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62:(2008-01-07)
43:May 20, 1931
622:2008 deaths
617:1931 births
172:Oval Office
148:the Osmonds
140:Joan Rivers
85:in New York
611:Categories
596:2009-11-10
571:2009-11-10
546:2009-11-10
520:2009-11-09
499:2010-01-08
431:2009-11-09
402:2009-11-10
372:2009-11-10
329:2009-11-10
225:References
90:Occupation
39:1931-05-20
23:Bill Belew
540:USA Today
396:The Times
154:. It was
79:Education
565:Archived
493:Archived
176:Napoleon
120:The Band
170:in the
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72:, U.S.
50:, U.S.
456:ISBN
298:ISBN
247:ISBN
57:Died
29:Born
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