Way Bandy
Way Bandy | |
---|---|
Born | Ronald Duane Wright August 9, 1941 Tennessee Technological University |
Occupation | Make-up artist |
Years active | 1966–1986 |
Partner | Michael Gardine (1973–1985) |
Way Bandy (August 9, 1941[1] – August 13, 1986) was an American make-up artist. During the 1970s, Bandy became one of the most well known and highest paid make-up artists in the fashion industry.[2] Photographer and frequent collaborator Francesco Scavullo called Bandy "one of the great makeup artists of our time."[3]
Early life
Bandy was born Ronald Duane Wright in Birmingham, Alabama,[4] the second of three sons of a middle-class family.[1] Bandy later admitted that his childhood was difficult as he was not interested in "traditional masculine things—fishing, hunting, baseball" like his brothers.[1][5] As a child, Bandy preferred to read, sew and take piano lessons. His love of movie magazines and the stars featured in the pages led him to begin portrait paintings. He said, "I would make them up the way I thought they should look. That's how I learned about cosmetics—it's a direct outgrowth of my painting."[1]
After high school, Bandy attended
Career
After moving to New York City in 1966,[6] Bandy enrolled at the Christine Valmy Beauty School. It was there that he learned about proper skin cleansing and structure and became interested in makeup application. Bandy then became the school's "dermaspecialist" and was later assigned to teach makeup application techniques to students. The school was one of the first in New York to offer such a course.[7]
Around this time, Bandy set about reinventing himself. He underwent a nose job and face lift and capped his teeth. He also changed his name to "Way Bandy" explaining, "The name just came into my consciousness." After his reinvention, Bandy never publicly discussed the details of his previous life and refused to reveal his birth name or real age.[1][8] In 1969, Bandy was hired as the makeup director at Charles of the Ritz where he met photographer Francesco Scavullo. Scavullo was impressed by Bandy's "face designing" techniques and the two became frequent collaborators. In 1971, he left Charles of the Ritz to do makeup for the Broadway show No, No, Nanette.[9] After the show closed, Bandy began working as a freelance makeup artist for print, television and films. Bandy's work was featured in editorials for Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Rolling Stone. He also worked with several noted photographers including Scavullo, Richard Avedon, Hiro, Horst P. Horst, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, and Victor Skrebneski.[6]
Bandy’s career took off when he and hairstylist Maury Hopson transformed
In 1977,
Personal life
Bandy separated from his wife in 1965, but the two never divorced. He began a long term relationship with writer and antiques dealer Michael Gardine in 1973. The two shared an apartment in New York City and owned homes in
Illness and death
By the mid-1980s, the
Intensely private about his personal life, Bandy never publicly revealed that he had contracted AIDS sometime in the early 1980s, fearing the stigma of the disease would cause him to lose work. He and friend Maury Hobson had previously discussed their displeasure with the way that designer Perry Ellis' AIDS-related death had been handled and promised each other that if either died of the disease, their true cause of death would be publicly announced.[13] In June 1986, Bandy developed a persistent cough and sore throat but refused to see a doctor because he did not trust them. He instead opted to treat his ailments with natural remedies which did not help. Bandy's health continued to decline.[8]
On August 6, 1986, Bandy was scheduled to do makeup for a photo shoot at Francesco Scavullo's studio. When he arrived at the studio, he was too exhausted and delirious to work.[15] Concerned about her client's declining health, Bandy's agent Helen Murray called former Vogue editor-in-chief Grace Mirabella for advice. Mirabella contacted her husband, a doctor, who convinced Bandy to check into the hospital. Bandy relented and checked into New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center the following day.[8]
On August 13, Bandy died of AIDS-related
Legacy
Way Bandy has been cited as one of the first well known makeup artists. Hairstylist and friend Maury Hobson noted that before Bandy began his career, models applied their own makeup for photo shoots. Hobson stated, "He put make-up artists into another category. [...] He defined the career."[11] Bandy's signature techniques influenced a generation of makeup artists including Kevyn Aucoin who cited Bandy as his personal hero.[17]
Bandy is commemorated in the AIDS Quilt.[18]
Bibliography
- Designing Your Face: An Illustrated Guide to Using Cosmetics. Random House. 1977. ISBN 0-394-41908-1.
- Styling Your Face: An Illustrated Guide to 15 Cosmetic Face Designs for Women and Men. Random House. 1982. ISBN 0-394-51669-9.
References
- Diamond, Kerry; ISBN 0-743-23583-5.
- Fried, Stephen (1994). Thing of Beauty. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-70105-3.
Footnotes
- ^ ISSN 0093-7673.
- ^ a b "Way Bandy, 45, Famed Makeup Artist To Stars". chicagotribune.com. August 15, 1986. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Folkart, Burt A. (August 16, 1986). "Worked With Nancy Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor : Makeup Artist Way Bandy Dies of AIDS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "Way Bandy's death causes problems for Florida man". Gadsden Times. Gadsden, Alabama. September 9, 1986. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ a b Cheryl, Lavin (May 31, 1981). "Makeup artist wields magical beauty wand". Boca Raton News. Boca Raton, Florida. p. 2B. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Way Bandy, Makeup Artist and Best-Selling Writer, Dies". nytimes.com. August 15, 1986. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ a b "Way Bandy: Beauty Is His Business". Gadsden Times. Gadsden, Alabama. December 28, 1979. p. 9. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Polman, Dick (November 15, 1986). "Remembering Way Bandy Friends Recall The Makeup Artist, Who Died Of Aids". philly.com. p. 3. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ a b (Fried 1994, p. 122)
- ^ Norwich, William (October 12, 1997). "Francesco Scavullo showed there was no surface in the public arena that couldn't be polished". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ a b Brett, Glass (November 2008). "Where Are They Now?". Make-Up Artist Magazine (75). Key Publishing Group: 41.
- ^ a b Dullea, Georgia (May 11, 1987). "New Rituals Ease Grief as AIDS Toll Increases". nytimes.com. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ a b (Fried 1994, p. 373)
- ^ Chrisman-Campbell, Kimberly (April 24, 2015). "The Day AIDS Hit the Fashion Industry". theatlantic.com. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ (Fried 1994, p. 371)
- ^ (Fried 1994, p. 372)
- ^ (Diamond & Aucoin 2004)
- ^ "Interactive AIDS Quilt". www.aidsmemorial.org.
External links
- Way Bandy at IMDb