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The Magic of Edith Head

© Anne Paxton

Would you like to look younger, prettier, slimmer? Would you like to attract a new man, hold on to the current one? Would you like to get a better job, earn more money? Would you like your husband to move up the ladder of success, attract more friends? All this and more were promised to women all over America if they simply listened to the advice of Edith Head, possibly the most famous Hollywood designer in history.

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.