The Magic Of Edith Head
Edith Head, who ran the Costume Design Department at both Paramount and Universal Studios, could possibly be considered the first designer for the every day woman. The life of Edith Head would have fit right in with the moviemaking industry that she worked for. It is hard to believe that this renowned Academy Award winner nominated for thirty-five Costume Design Oscars began her career as a French teacher married to an alcoholic husband. Though in the beginning of her career Edith knew little about design she was a graduate of University of California and received her M.A. from Stanford. Design came into Edith’s life when the school she taught French at asked her to also teach an art class. Edith had only just begun taking art classes when she noticed an ad in the newspaper from Paramount Pictures had placed asking for an artist who could draw clothes and sew. She was nowhere near prepared for such a job and even confessed to a fellow student that she had no idea how to even draw a human silhouette, but the salary was too desirable to pass up. So she gathered her fellow classmates’ drawings and put together a portfolio for her interview. When she showed the drawings to her interviewer she simply stated “This is what we draw in class.” Edith was hired on the spot, but it didn’t take long for the Costume Department to realize her lack of talent with her pencil, but Edith was a fast learner, so instead of firing her they made her to the assistant to the head of costume design Howard Greer.
From Greer Edith learned the secrets to making Hollywood’s elite beautiful—at least beautiful on screen. For the next forty-four years Edith would dress most of the world’s most beautiful and famous actresses. The list begins with Barbara Stanwyck. Edith created the tight-waist dresses to fit Stanwycks’s body type for such films as the Lady Eve. Audrey Hepburn was one of her highest achievements in creating a look that everyone wanted to copy. Audrey’s model thin body was the perfect mannequin to display her wonderfully tailored clothes. Though Edith can claim fame for Roman Holiday, it was Givenchy who influenced most of Hepburn’s outfits in Sabrina. That, however, did not prevent Edith Head for accepting the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the same film. Edith had seen enough competition within her own studio to know that it is always best not to share credit when it comes to your job. She did thank Givenchy in her acceptance speech, but only her name is engraved in the statue. The only woman Edith claims to have regretted never dressing was Marilyn Monroe. Edith was loaned out to Twentieth Century Fox for All About Eve. Edith dressed Bette Davis, while her assistants dressed the rest of the cast. She recalls seeing Monroe, who was a starlet at that time, at the fittings and they became acquaintances, but Monroe, always concerned about her sex appeal, never asked Edith to dress her professionally or personally. Monroe entrusted herself to designers she felt were more experienced and had the formal training that Edith lacked.
In the book Edith Head’s Hollywood she philosophized about herself “I knew I could never be the greatest costume designer, but I knew there was no reason I couldn’t be the smartest.” (pg. 118) Edith knew that with each decade fashions change and so did studios attitudes toward designers. The 1960’s brought sweeping change for the studios; television was now a serious competitor for audiences. Many designers at other studios were considered too expensive to keep on and were either fired or they left to make more money elsewhere. Edith, having no desire to work retail, knew that the only way to keep her job was publicity and lots of it. Publicity was attention and attention mixed with a product such as a movie featuring Edith Head designs would definitely bring in money. Paramount continued to encourage Edith to promote their movies (or her movies as she like to refer to them as) on the TV show Art Linkletter’s House Party and showcased different movie costumes in her travelling fashion show. House Party would bring Edith directly in touch with her fans. Each episode she would walk up and down the aisles of the audience giving advice to each woman. Advising women to cut their hair, go on a diet, not to wear polka dots, etc. She was sometimes harsh and blunt with them, but they always appreciated the honesty. She was their one link to not only the glamour secrets of the stars, but they believed Edith knew the secret to their own personal glamour.
Unfortunately, even she could not stop the winds of change when Paramount merged with Gulf+Western in 1966. Edith’s contract expired in 1967 and was not renewed. Universal Studios immediately signed her and after forty-four years of service to Paramount, Edith packed her Oscars and sketched pads and moved to Universal Studios. Many of the films she did at Universal were forgettable, but instead of waiting around for a great film Edith began calling directors and producers recommending herself for their films. It paid off with many wonderful films such as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Sweet Charity, and The Sting.. Her last picture, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, was a fitting end for Edith. The Steve Martin film, a comedy set in the 1940’s, had Edith designing clothes she had made in the beginning of her career for such films as Notorious and The Lady Eve. Edith had come full circle. In 1981, two weeks after the movie was completed Edith passed away. Stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Natalie Wood and many others attended her funeral. Bette Davis gave the eulogy, calling Edith the queen of fashion. Edith outlasted many other designers during the turbulent years of the movie studios, but her work ethic and love of fashion kept her in the public’s view for over fifty years. She was last and most brilliant of her kind and to this day she is remembered, but sorely missed.
From Greer Edith learned the secrets to making Hollywood’s elite beautiful—at least beautiful on screen. For the next forty-four years Edith would dress most of the world’s most beautiful and famous actresses. The list begins with Barbara Stanwyck. Edith created the tight-waist dresses to fit Stanwycks’s body type for such films as the Lady Eve. Audrey Hepburn was one of her highest achievements in creating a look that everyone wanted to copy. Audrey’s model thin body was the perfect mannequin to display her wonderfully tailored clothes. Though Edith can claim fame for Roman Holiday, it was Givenchy who influenced most of Hepburn’s outfits in Sabrina. That, however, did not prevent Edith Head for accepting the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the same film. Edith had seen enough competition within her own studio to know that it is always best not to share credit when it comes to your job. She did thank Givenchy in her acceptance speech, but only her name is engraved in the statue. The only woman Edith claims to have regretted never dressing was Marilyn Monroe. Edith was loaned out to Twentieth Century Fox for All About Eve. Edith dressed Bette Davis, while her assistants dressed the rest of the cast. She recalls seeing Monroe, who was a starlet at that time, at the fittings and they became acquaintances, but Monroe, always concerned about her sex appeal, never asked Edith to dress her professionally or personally. Monroe entrusted herself to designers she felt were more experienced and had the formal training that Edith lacked.
In the book Edith Head’s Hollywood she philosophized about herself “I knew I could never be the greatest costume designer, but I knew there was no reason I couldn’t be the smartest.” (pg. 118) Edith knew that with each decade fashions change and so did studios attitudes toward designers. The 1960’s brought sweeping change for the studios; television was now a serious competitor for audiences. Many designers at other studios were considered too expensive to keep on and were either fired or they left to make more money elsewhere. Edith, having no desire to work retail, knew that the only way to keep her job was publicity and lots of it. Publicity was attention and attention mixed with a product such as a movie featuring Edith Head designs would definitely bring in money. Paramount continued to encourage Edith to promote their movies (or her movies as she like to refer to them as) on the TV show Art Linkletter’s House Party and showcased different movie costumes in her travelling fashion show. House Party would bring Edith directly in touch with her fans. Each episode she would walk up and down the aisles of the audience giving advice to each woman. Advising women to cut their hair, go on a diet, not to wear polka dots, etc. She was sometimes harsh and blunt with them, but they always appreciated the honesty. She was their one link to not only the glamour secrets of the stars, but they believed Edith knew the secret to their own personal glamour.
Unfortunately, even she could not stop the winds of change when Paramount merged with Gulf+Western in 1966. Edith’s contract expired in 1967 and was not renewed. Universal Studios immediately signed her and after forty-four years of service to Paramount, Edith packed her Oscars and sketched pads and moved to Universal Studios. Many of the films she did at Universal were forgettable, but instead of waiting around for a great film Edith began calling directors and producers recommending herself for their films. It paid off with many wonderful films such as Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, Sweet Charity, and The Sting.. Her last picture, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, was a fitting end for Edith. The Steve Martin film, a comedy set in the 1940’s, had Edith designing clothes she had made in the beginning of her career for such films as Notorious and The Lady Eve. Edith had come full circle. In 1981, two weeks after the movie was completed Edith passed away. Stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Natalie Wood and many others attended her funeral. Bette Davis gave the eulogy, calling Edith the queen of fashion. Edith outlasted many other designers during the turbulent years of the movie studios, but her work ethic and love of fashion kept her in the public’s view for over fifty years. She was last and most brilliant of her kind and to this day she is remembered, but sorely missed.
posted by FancyPants at 10:35 PM
2 comments
