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Walking with the Muses: A Memoir
An exciting account of the international adventures of fashion model Pat Cleveland—one of the first black supermodels during the wild sixties and seventies. “Taking her reader through fifty years of fashion from the intersection of the Civil Rights Movement, the disco era's decadence, and the grandeur of Hollywood’s late 70s renaissance, Cleveland provides a glimpse at some of design’s most important moments—and her own personal history.” —Vogue “Pat Cleveland is to fashion what Billie Holiday is to the blues; a muse for all ages.” —EssenceChronicling of the glamorous life and adventures of Pat Cleveland—one of the first black supermodels—this compelling memoir evokes the bohemian lifestyle and creative zeitgeist of 1970s New York City and features some of today’s most prominent names in fashion, art, and entertainment as they were just gaining their creative footage. New York in the sixties and seventies was glamorous and gritty at the same time, a place where people like Warhol, Avedon, and Halston as well as their muses came to pursue their wildest ambitions, and when the well began to run dry they darted off to Paris. Though born on the very fringes of this world, Patricia Cleveland, through a combination of luck, incandescent beauty, and enviable style, soon found herself in the center of all that was creative, bohemian, and elegant. A “walking girl,” a runway fashion model whose inimitable style still turns heads on the runways of New York, Paris, Milan, and Tokyo, Cleveland was in high demand. Ranging from the streets of New York to the jet-set beaches of Mexico, from the designer drawing rooms of Paris to the offices of Vogue, here is Cleveland’s larger-than-life story. One minute she’s in a Harlem tenement making her own clothes and dreaming of something bigger, the next she’s about to walk Halston’s show alongside fellow model Anjelica Huston. One minute she’s partying with Mick Jagger and Jack Nicholson, the next she’s sharing the dance floor next to a man with stark white hair, an artist the world would later know as Warhol. In New York, she struggles to secure her first cover of a major magazine. In Paris, she’s the toast of the town. And through the whirlwind of it all, she is forever in pursuit of love, truth, and beauty in this “riveting, celeb-drenched account of her astonishing life in fashion” (Simon Doonan, author of The Asylum).
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2016
21 people are currently reading
524 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 22, 2016
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the first 2/3 of the book were wonderfully detailed while the last 1/3 felt rushed.
Pat is totally relatable with no ounce of "aren't I so awesome." You see through the eyes of one who worked hard to get where she is, but who also exudes awe and gratitude for all of the mind-bogglingly awesome things she's experienced in her life.
You are also *there* during her times of trauma: racism, threats of bodily harm, rape, but also share in her spiritual seeking.
How and what she wrote about her mother is just wonderful.
Beautiful, creative, artistic soul inside and out and someone I would love to meet and have long conversations with.
Pat is totally relatable with no ounce of "aren't I so awesome." You see through the eyes of one who worked hard to get where she is, but who also exudes awe and gratitude for all of the mind-bogglingly awesome things she's experienced in her life.
You are also *there* during her times of trauma: racism, threats of bodily harm, rape, but also share in her spiritual seeking.
How and what she wrote about her mother is just wonderful.
Beautiful, creative, artistic soul inside and out and someone I would love to meet and have long conversations with.
July 19, 2016
Like sitting at the feet of a real American princess as she recounts her fairy-tale life. (Bear in mind that American princesses are often faced with varying amounts of poverty, abuse, and racism.) All sorts of delightful folks show up in Pat Cleveland's life story, along with all sorts of delightful dresses, locations, and friends. Super cool.
July 26, 2016
This is a wonderful book! Pat Cleveland lets the reader into her colorful life, with its many ups and downs. For me, it was like reading a Who's Who in not only the fashion world but also for Black entertainers, with mentions of the likes of Josephine Baker, Katherine Dunham, Eartha Kitt and many others. I enjoyed reading about her mother, Lady Bird Cleveland, who was a great artist in her own right. I usually read fiction novels but have been a Pat Cleveland fan for a while so this was a nice departure from my usual reading fare. Highly recommended!
January 18, 2017
This was an excellent book about Pat Cleveland's modeling career and life in general. I think she was very honest about a lot of things that happened and shared some very intimate moments with the readers. The end wrapped up quickly , but maybe that was because that was all she had to say. She took the reader on a ride and it was time for them to get off. She found love!
Many of her stories reminded me of my time working in Paris as a model/dancer/make-up artists in the 80's. Those were fun times. I would read it again. It's one of those books you hold on to if you are into the field.
Many of her stories reminded me of my time working in Paris as a model/dancer/make-up artists in the 80's. Those were fun times. I would read it again. It's one of those books you hold on to if you are into the field.
March 9, 2017
pretty good memoir but feels rushed at the end.
January 27, 2019
If you like reading about NYC's pop culture, club and fashion past, you will love these Muses.
Cleveland's book is a very enjoyable romp through NYC's fashion and design worlds in the years leading up to the late 70s, when it all went more mainstream with the enormous success of Saturday Night Fever, The Bee Gees, Interview magazine and Studio 54. All of that's already well-documented; it's her vivid and lovingly detailed account set before that—during the 60s and early 70s—that made this book so interesting and such a good read. La Cleveland takes you back to a bygone era when young people were either dropping out of or joining the establishment, talented fashion illustrators like Antonio Lopez were imbued with a god-like status (she says runway shows didn't allow photographers back then), and working models could still afford swanky apartments overlooking Central Park.
It's all told with lots of quirky/funny touches, like Diana Vreeland's ooh-la-la Rigaud candles, her huge, trusty pink suitcase that she lugs all over Paris, and a memorable look back at a weekend spent at tres gay Fire Island Pines (which she erroneously refers to as Fire Island), proving that some things never change. I appreciate Cleveland giving heaps of credit to the gay men who mentored her look, her style, her walk and more. True, she was born with good bones (literally) and raised by a creative, talented, hard-working and supportive single mom (also in NYC), but it was the gays who basically shaped her entire modeling career.
Parts of the book seem a bit embellished ("the handsome matador threw a rose from the bullring and I caught it!"), but hey, some people really do lead charmed lives.
And here's another Muses tidbit: the storyline from the Diana Ross ‘70s campfest Mahogany—about a poor girl who becomes a fledgling fashion designer and then somehow morphs into an in-demand international model—is loosely based on Cleveland's life. Who knew?
You can catch Pat doing her runway thing on Youtube; they're a hoot and joy to watch. She really knew how to make what she was wearing come alive!
Cleveland's book is a very enjoyable romp through NYC's fashion and design worlds in the years leading up to the late 70s, when it all went more mainstream with the enormous success of Saturday Night Fever, The Bee Gees, Interview magazine and Studio 54. All of that's already well-documented; it's her vivid and lovingly detailed account set before that—during the 60s and early 70s—that made this book so interesting and such a good read. La Cleveland takes you back to a bygone era when young people were either dropping out of or joining the establishment, talented fashion illustrators like Antonio Lopez were imbued with a god-like status (she says runway shows didn't allow photographers back then), and working models could still afford swanky apartments overlooking Central Park.
It's all told with lots of quirky/funny touches, like Diana Vreeland's ooh-la-la Rigaud candles, her huge, trusty pink suitcase that she lugs all over Paris, and a memorable look back at a weekend spent at tres gay Fire Island Pines (which she erroneously refers to as Fire Island), proving that some things never change. I appreciate Cleveland giving heaps of credit to the gay men who mentored her look, her style, her walk and more. True, she was born with good bones (literally) and raised by a creative, talented, hard-working and supportive single mom (also in NYC), but it was the gays who basically shaped her entire modeling career.
Parts of the book seem a bit embellished ("the handsome matador threw a rose from the bullring and I caught it!"), but hey, some people really do lead charmed lives.
And here's another Muses tidbit: the storyline from the Diana Ross ‘70s campfest Mahogany—about a poor girl who becomes a fledgling fashion designer and then somehow morphs into an in-demand international model—is loosely based on Cleveland's life. Who knew?
You can catch Pat doing her runway thing on Youtube; they're a hoot and joy to watch. She really knew how to make what she was wearing come alive!
September 13, 2020
Fashion model Pat Cleveland has written an entertaining memoir of her early modeling career. I wanted to read it because I love books about fashion, whether fact or fiction. This claimed to be fact, but was full of eyebrow-raising adventure, eyeball-rolling drama, and heavy duty name-dropping as it described not only Pat's rise to fame as a model, but also the growth of the American fashion industry including the models and designers who became household names. In addition, Pat describes her experiences as a woman of color and her desire to see an African American woman on the cover of Vogue.
Pat's bubbly and genuine personality come through in this never-a-dull-moment chronicle of her life as a young girl (born in 1950) living in glamorous and gritty New York City with her single mother, to her early fashion experiences as a teen in the US, to her European travels with the famous and nearly famous as a young twenty-something, and the memoir concludes in the early 1980's.
During these years, through anecdotes and memories, Pat describes the clothes and shoes she wore, the shows she walked in, and the behind the scenes energy it took to produce the high end designer fashion shows. She explains how she developed her look - with the help of many gay fashion friends, and the encouragement and support she received from her friends in the worlds of fashion, design, and entertainment - Halston, Stephen Burrows, Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali, and many more!
Lots of photos enhance the book, and I was glad to know that Pat is still modeling today.
"Walking Girl" is a term for a runway model, and this book was published with two titles. The version I read is called Walking with the Muses.
Pat's bubbly and genuine personality come through in this never-a-dull-moment chronicle of her life as a young girl (born in 1950) living in glamorous and gritty New York City with her single mother, to her early fashion experiences as a teen in the US, to her European travels with the famous and nearly famous as a young twenty-something, and the memoir concludes in the early 1980's.
During these years, through anecdotes and memories, Pat describes the clothes and shoes she wore, the shows she walked in, and the behind the scenes energy it took to produce the high end designer fashion shows. She explains how she developed her look - with the help of many gay fashion friends, and the encouragement and support she received from her friends in the worlds of fashion, design, and entertainment - Halston, Stephen Burrows, Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali, and many more!
Lots of photos enhance the book, and I was glad to know that Pat is still modeling today.
"Walking Girl" is a term for a runway model, and this book was published with two titles. The version I read is called Walking with the Muses.
June 29, 2018
My daughter got the book at college when Pat came to speak for Black History Month. What a perfectly classy and delightful person & speaker!! Such an inspiration to all, particularly the fashion students, with her message "don't ever give up on your dreams, or yourself!" She was every bit as adorable & sweet today as her second grade photo! (So is Paul.)
I found the book and her life amazing; in her overcoming the hard times & some very bad people, and in her tremendously hard work to make her career and life what it became. Clearly, she had not only the incredible help of a wonderful mother and other great "muses" but God surely was watching out for her as well.
I understand some saying the end wasn't "in-depth" enough, but the book was focused on her fashion life...being quite the volume in and of itself. I felt she kept her later personal life, just that, personal. That was good by me. I so appreciated what she did share; giving us such a rich glimpse of history, the world, people, fashion, determination, family & Love!
Thank you Pat!
I found the book and her life amazing; in her overcoming the hard times & some very bad people, and in her tremendously hard work to make her career and life what it became. Clearly, she had not only the incredible help of a wonderful mother and other great "muses" but God surely was watching out for her as well.
I understand some saying the end wasn't "in-depth" enough, but the book was focused on her fashion life...being quite the volume in and of itself. I felt she kept her later personal life, just that, personal. That was good by me. I so appreciated what she did share; giving us such a rich glimpse of history, the world, people, fashion, determination, family & Love!
Thank you Pat!
March 11, 2025
I don't even know where to begin! What a lovely spirit she is! It sucks that she's run into people who took advantage of her light, sweetness and kindness.
That aside, I reeeally enjoyed this book! I remember seeing her as a child in Essence and Ebony magazines (household staples). Then, more recently, watching The Battle of Versailles documentary. She's just so interesting. When I found out she'd written a book, oh, of course I knew gonna read it!
I don't know about y'all but when I read an autobiography, I feel like I'm hanging out with that person. On that note and perspective, hanging out with Ms. Cleveland was wonderful! Not just the modeling but her life pre-modelling.
Living in NY, we hear so many stories of bad people causing harm to others. Our guard is up, all day, every day. One can easily forget that there are kind people in the world. And, here she is, another born and bred New Yorker who is just a total sweetheart. It's refreshing. This book was a delight. I wish it was longer! Thank you, Ms. Cleveland, for sharing your spectacular life with us!
That aside, I reeeally enjoyed this book! I remember seeing her as a child in Essence and Ebony magazines (household staples). Then, more recently, watching The Battle of Versailles documentary. She's just so interesting. When I found out she'd written a book, oh, of course I knew gonna read it!
I don't know about y'all but when I read an autobiography, I feel like I'm hanging out with that person. On that note and perspective, hanging out with Ms. Cleveland was wonderful! Not just the modeling but her life pre-modelling.
Living in NY, we hear so many stories of bad people causing harm to others. Our guard is up, all day, every day. One can easily forget that there are kind people in the world. And, here she is, another born and bred New Yorker who is just a total sweetheart. It's refreshing. This book was a delight. I wish it was longer! Thank you, Ms. Cleveland, for sharing your spectacular life with us!
May 15, 2023
Pat Cleveland’s Walking With The Muses is an excellent memoir with some of the best pacing I’ve come across in an autobiography. The chapters are short, mostly only a few pages each, but it is so very fitting to the fast-paced lifestyle of a young supermodel. There are many stories of other well-known stars during the same era, and it’s very interesting to hear of all the different encounters that Pat has had with them all. She speaks honestly of her opinions, but she always maintains such elegance even when she is talking about those who did her dirty.
An excellent and quick read, my only regret coming out of this book is that the tales end while Pat is still so young! I’d love to read more of what happened in her life beyond her early 30s, but still, I am glad to have picked this book up!
An excellent and quick read, my only regret coming out of this book is that the tales end while Pat is still so young! I’d love to read more of what happened in her life beyond her early 30s, but still, I am glad to have picked this book up!
July 8, 2017
A delightful memoir by a delightful woman. I occasionally pick up a celebrity biography at the library and seldom make it all the way through. This one captured my interest earlywith her tales of designing clothes with her mother, and slowly finding her role in the fashion world. She has the usual ups and downs of a young professional told with good humor. The ups were welcome and the lows were mostly explained as bad decisions by a young person. And how nice we have the Internet and can find videos of Pat and pictures of her family--including a daughter who seems a clone of the original and is now part of the fashion world as well.
May 15, 2023
So I've been wanting to get my hands on this book and read it since I saw Pat Cleveland on the Wendy Williams Show hinting about her romance with Warren Beatty in the 70s *swoon*... and it did not disappoint.
The chapters are quite short but capture her experience as a young, trailblazing woman in the fashion industry, the obstacles she faced (racism + sa trigger warnings), her interactions with fashion icons and celebrities of the time as well as the men she encountered along the way from Muhammad Ali to Mick Jagger. I only wish the last quarter or so of the book wasn't so quick paced and went into more detail! 3.5 stars!
The chapters are quite short but capture her experience as a young, trailblazing woman in the fashion industry, the obstacles she faced (racism + sa trigger warnings), her interactions with fashion icons and celebrities of the time as well as the men she encountered along the way from Muhammad Ali to Mick Jagger. I only wish the last quarter or so of the book wasn't so quick paced and went into more detail! 3.5 stars!
September 25, 2020
Checked this out from the library and let it set way too long - it's a week overdue now. Sigh.
I love Pat, she's one of the finest models to ever walk (or dance) the runway. The book really didn't cover her whole life - it's another case of long buildup and then the last 1/4 races by and only touches on things I wanted to read about.
It's definitely a view into a world of old (1970s fashion). Pat had to endure a lot (racism especially) which is disgusting and I'm glad she talked about it. Other than that, a bit slight but a pleasurable read. She still looks fantastic and is a class act.
I love Pat, she's one of the finest models to ever walk (or dance) the runway. The book really didn't cover her whole life - it's another case of long buildup and then the last 1/4 races by and only touches on things I wanted to read about.
It's definitely a view into a world of old (1970s fashion). Pat had to endure a lot (racism especially) which is disgusting and I'm glad she talked about it. Other than that, a bit slight but a pleasurable read. She still looks fantastic and is a class act.
November 9, 2022
An extremely likable Pat Cleveland was amongst the earliest successful Black fashion models. She lived an extraordinarily exciting life working for all the major designers of her day. This is her memoir.
Like a roller coaster this supermodel’s story features the highest highs and the lowest lows. But despite adversity, she always seems to land on top. In her tumultuous life just about everyone who qualifies as rich and famous in the 60s and 70s show up for cameo appearances.
Fun to read. Definitely.
Like a roller coaster this supermodel’s story features the highest highs and the lowest lows. But despite adversity, she always seems to land on top. In her tumultuous life just about everyone who qualifies as rich and famous in the 60s and 70s show up for cameo appearances.
Fun to read. Definitely.
May 25, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Fashion has always been an interest, and when I saw this book, I knew I needed to get it. I’ve never heard of Pat Cleveland, but as she was talking about her experiences, I couldn’t help but be proud of myself for knowing about the muses she mentioned throughout this memoir. She’s an interesting person, very witty, and definitely a person who loves life and lives it to the fullest back then. I’m happy she found happiness.
February 2, 2020
Electrifying Spirit!
I greatly enjoyed reading this autobiography by such a dynamic, electrifying, beautiful and unique woman. She’s now of the people who inspire me to be my best self.
I greatly enjoyed reading this autobiography by such a dynamic, electrifying, beautiful and unique woman. She’s now of the people who inspire me to be my best self.
August 25, 2023
What a fabulous person Pat Cleveland is and what a great story! I often find in memoirs that the early parts are most fascinating and as the story continues, my interest wanes but Pat’s story held me to the end. She seems like the kind of person who knows exactly when to leave the party.
June 26, 2018
A real life Cinderella story from beginning to end, and over and over. I love her romantic and dream outlook on her own life. It’s a treasure to read these special stories.
September 26, 2022
Enjoyed this memoir abt Pat’s life, and what a fascinating life she has had! Well written as I could see her highs and lows. A beautiful woman & trailblazing model.
April 24, 2024
What an amazing and rich life Pat Cleveland has lived!!!!
September 11, 2016
I'm a big fan of memoirs by women who have lived extraordinary, fearless lives, and I enjoyed this memoir very much. I knew nothing about Pat Cleveland when I picked it up, and was amazed by her life story. She's incredibly candid about the high and low points in her life, of which there are many of each!
It's quite incredible as an American to read a book about an American woman who lived the vibrant life that Pat has lived. She encountered physical abuse, a couple of chance miracles which saved her from much worse, plenty of loneliness, was the life of the party, forged her identity as a mixed-race woman, had an incredible modeling career, captivated so many men (from Muhammed Ali to Mick Jagger - wow), overcame physical hardship, traveled the word, and did it all on her own, and on her own terms. Her mother was a single mother who walked herself to the charity hospital to give birth, and who introduced Pat at a young age to fashion and art, and to mentors who would help her learn how to fit in with all types of people.
Pat Cleveland touches on her emotional inner world in a few places in the book, and I wish she had done so a bit more. She tells stories about extremely difficult events in her life, and doesn't dwell on them or reflect on how they affected her and how she was able to move on from them. I wondered whether the lack of depth in that area was because the book had a co-writer listed, and I wondered how they worked together on the more intimate emotional parts of the book. In an article I read after reading the book, Pat is quoted as having written the book herself from many manuscripts she worked on for a number of years, so it's hard to say.
For having the incredible modeling career that Pat Cleveland had, she writes with a freshness and lack of ego. It seems that she made it as a model not just by her outer beauty but also by her inner confidence, style, creativity, and imagination. Dione von Furstenberg said about Pat in an article I read after reading the book, that she modeled "moving like no one else." The book is free of these platitudes, and Pat Cleveland speaks with her own voice, allowing us to learn her story through her own eyes. The book has a wonderful fairy tale ending, which is not foretold until the last chapter. Pat Cleveland is an inspiring person for anyone wanting to live a fearless life, take risks, have fun, and be a real person while doing so.
It's quite incredible as an American to read a book about an American woman who lived the vibrant life that Pat has lived. She encountered physical abuse, a couple of chance miracles which saved her from much worse, plenty of loneliness, was the life of the party, forged her identity as a mixed-race woman, had an incredible modeling career, captivated so many men (from Muhammed Ali to Mick Jagger - wow), overcame physical hardship, traveled the word, and did it all on her own, and on her own terms. Her mother was a single mother who walked herself to the charity hospital to give birth, and who introduced Pat at a young age to fashion and art, and to mentors who would help her learn how to fit in with all types of people.
Pat Cleveland touches on her emotional inner world in a few places in the book, and I wish she had done so a bit more. She tells stories about extremely difficult events in her life, and doesn't dwell on them or reflect on how they affected her and how she was able to move on from them. I wondered whether the lack of depth in that area was because the book had a co-writer listed, and I wondered how they worked together on the more intimate emotional parts of the book. In an article I read after reading the book, Pat is quoted as having written the book herself from many manuscripts she worked on for a number of years, so it's hard to say.
For having the incredible modeling career that Pat Cleveland had, she writes with a freshness and lack of ego. It seems that she made it as a model not just by her outer beauty but also by her inner confidence, style, creativity, and imagination. Dione von Furstenberg said about Pat in an article I read after reading the book, that she modeled "moving like no one else." The book is free of these platitudes, and Pat Cleveland speaks with her own voice, allowing us to learn her story through her own eyes. The book has a wonderful fairy tale ending, which is not foretold until the last chapter. Pat Cleveland is an inspiring person for anyone wanting to live a fearless life, take risks, have fun, and be a real person while doing so.
November 30, 2024
I definitely would have married Warren. The pace was everywhere - fast, slow, fast, too slow, too fast. It was good at description. God knows how she was able to remember all those fine details! That really bought the book over the edge. The challenge was in the story. It was hard to find one central theme as there were many. At times there was too much fashion, and not enough self reflection. I appreciated the gossip, the insights, and oh the travel. I lived vicariously through her adventures. That was fun. Otherwise, if you are looking for a deep, dark, lesson-jammed book this isn't it. If you want fun, casual reading with depth here and there, while you seethe in jealousy, this is the one.
March 2, 2017
I adore Pat Cleveland and so, I was very eager to read this book.
It was a quick read filled with photos and facts about her life that I didn't know previously. I did find it to be flimsy in certain parts, it lacked some of the depth and self-reflection that I was expecting. Also, the latter portion of the book felt a bit rushed to me. Despite that, I still enjoyed the book. I find Pat to be even more of an inspiration, after learning more about her life. I would recommend Walking With the Muses to anyone who is interested in fashion, the 70s, and Pat.
August 5, 2016
Living Life like it's Golden
Pat Cleveland is a master storyteller. Her candid memoir sheds light on the planning and work that go into the art of modeling. She is a native New Yorker with roots in Harlem ! A very good read.
Pat Cleveland is a master storyteller. Her candid memoir sheds light on the planning and work that go into the art of modeling. She is a native New Yorker with roots in Harlem ! A very good read.
September 9, 2016
Vain and vapid. I couldn't finish it, there was too much disregard and brushing over of serious events for me to believe she has any depth as a writer.
July 15, 2019
Fantastic page-turner. Ms. Cleveland made me wantto be her! What a glamorous life for a regular woman. I recommend this book for your boo club: there's lots to talk about.
June 8, 2020
Just a great slice of life book from one of the world’s
famous fashion models; two thumbs up.
famous fashion models; two thumbs up.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews