In 1958 when Bill Harrah was opening Harrah’s Stateline
Club, he thought it would be a good time to spruce up the employees as well as
the casino and ordered purchasing director Bob Martin to interview designers. Harrah
and Martin were most impressed with Travilla’s submissions and hired the
designer to create an exclusive line of uniforms for the 2500 employees of
their four venues in Reno and Lake Tahoe - a first for any Nevada casino.
Outfits would be needed for men and women dealers, cocktail
waitresses, bartenders, cashiers, Keno and Bingo personnel, change and jackpot girls,
waitresses in the coffee shops, restaurant, theatre-restaurant waiters and bus
boys and special blouses for the parking lot attendants. Each look would be
made from imported heavy-textured silk known as “Shogu” and washable Swiss
cottons in pinks, whites, and black, accented with a soft "Harrah's
Green." With three to six uniforms each, the final cost was well over the reported $175,000, with the total closer to $250,000.
Coffee Shop Waitress - Pink
textured Swiss cotton coat dress
with a portrait neckline and white accents.
The new look would
premiere at the grand opening of Harrah Reno's new $3.5 million 750-seat South
Shore Room and expansion of the Grand Hotel and Cafe. In June, private fashion
shows were held in both cities for the employees. According to the
Tahoe Tattler, Travilla brought four models, three women and one man.
Dealers—The blouse is made of white Stoffel cotton with a simulated weskit in black cotton satin. The slim skirt is made of textured black silk.
A shirt of white Stoffel cotton with simulated weskit in black cotton satin.
Black slacks of textured black silk.
Change Girls: A bell-sleeved white silk blouse with a jumper effect in black textured silk to match the slim skirt. A Fez of Harrah Green with a white tassel.
Travilla stressed to the workers that “these garments you seeing are not uniforms. They are ‘high-fashion outfits.’” He proved his point by having the models appear in the casino wear, then come out in the same base, but “with a wide-brimmed hat, white gloves, and a purse” to prove his point. “If you wanted to buy any one of these at a fashion shop, they would cost anywhere in the neighborhood of one hundred dollars and up."
Hostess - Black silk dress with simulated overskirt, white silk fichu, and bow.
Same dress in his 1959 fashion line.
Same design with a slim skirt from his 1957 collection.
Actual fashions were also shown to employees.
In 1948, Harrah married Scherry Teague Fagg, and apart from a brief divorce and remarriage, the couple stayed together for over twenty years. They adopted two sons, John and Tony. Scherry assisted Harrah in decorating his casinos and choosing uniforms. Naturally, he designed her wardrobe as a thank-you for helping Mr. Harrah make his selection.
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