Sheryl Lee Ralph and Ivy-Victoria Maurice attend the Glamour x Tory Burch Luncheon Celebrating the Emmys at Holloway House on September 10, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.Photo:Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Glamour x Tory Burch
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Glamour x Tory Burch
ForSheryl Lee Ralph, fashion runs in the family.
Before theAbbott Elementaryactress, 66, became a household name, she was a little girl who watched her mother, Ivy Ralph, create fashion magic in Jamaica.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Ralph says her mother, in turn, influenced her stylist daughter,Ivy Maurice, aka “Coco.”
“It’s interesting about the way children learn and pay attention,” theDreamgirlsstar tells PEOPLE, adding that her mother “was noted for changing this dress for men throughout the Caribbean, especially Jamaica, in trying to fight the idea of colonialism, the need for the shirt and tie.”
“And she said, ‘Men must dress better. They shouldn’t have to dress in a way that makes them sweat. It’s not respectable,’” Ralph adds. “And she created something called a Kariba. So, my daughter was always in my mother’s atelier. She was always in the workroom, the cutting room. And I just don’t know how it came to her, but she’s good at this. She gets it.”
The Tony Award nominee tells PEOPLE that Coco “totally elevated” her style.
She added that she has “given me a look that other women look at and say, ‘Oh my God, I need to try that,’ or, ‘Why didn’t I try being more colorful?’ or, ‘I can add just a little bit of sparkle.’ And I’m like, ‘My God, this is my child,’" she tells PEOPLE. “I did not waste one dollar on her education. Not one dollar was wasted.”
Victoria Maurice and Sheryl Lee Ralph attend the 54th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 25, 2023 in Pasadena, California.Unique Nicole/FilmMagic
Unique Nicole/FilmMagic
WhenRalph attended the Critics Choice Awardsin January, she was quick to pay kudos to her daughter, 28, who styled her for the event.
“I Styled my Mom@thesherylralphfor the@CriticsChoice,” Maurice captioned the post. “What do you think? 😍”
WhenTitanicstar Frances Fishercommentedon Maurice’s fashion work, Ralphreplied, “Yes, my daughter @Coco_Maurice has been my stylist of choice on this whole campaign!”
“I said, ‘You get my style, Coco.’ I said, ‘You get me, you get the style, and let’s do this. And she’s been winning — I’ve been on every best dressed list, includingThe New York Timesand I thank my child. Every birthing pain was worth it!” Ralph gushed.
source: people.com
