Edith Head | Clothes on Film

Author Caroline Young has just released a fascinating new book entitled Hitchcock’s Heroines (published by Insight Editions). It celebrates and studies the women in Hitchcock movies; their influence, semblance and iconography. What’s more, Young also examines the role costume design plays with these women, both the characters and the actresses who played them, and how they can be interpreted as far more than just ‘icy blondes’. Here we have an extract of the book exclusively for Clothes on Film: Kim Novak’s grey suit the colour of San Francisco fog in Vertigo, Grace Kelly as the too-perfect woman in Rear Window, and Janet Leigh’s black and white sets of underwear to…

Costume’s big week. Every dress worn by Best Actress Academy Award Winners We featured this lovely infographic by Mediarun on our Facebook page. Roll on Sunday! Funny Face Good article on the classic film by Pamela Hutchinson, including a telling quote summing up just how little Audrey Hepburn really understood about costume design: “His (Givenchy) are the only clothes on which I am myself.” Bobi Garland Bobi Garland is Director of the Research Library and Costume Archive at Western Costume. You are about to find out why she is indispensible to the industry. Costume Designers Guild Awards Ladies and gentlemen, the winners. Toy Story An enthralling theory on the true…

When Clothes on Film visited The Muppets Most Wanted set back in March of 2013, we were given a tour of the bustling ‘wardrobe’ (their words) department, as overseen by costume designer Rahel Afiley. You can read more about that HERE, but after chasing Ms. Afiley around the room while she was trying to work, we managed to get a bit more out of her about using designer fashion, i.e. Vivienne Westwood, in the film. As always we are pushing the same old costume/fashion debate, though in this instance hearing from a costume designer on the front line is rather enlightening. Focusing specifically on Miss Piggy, for she is the…

Costume news you may have missed. Edith Head Google’s delightful doodle to celebrate the birth of Edith Head on 28th October 1897, showcasing illustrations of her work from A Place in the Sun, White Christmas, Sex and the Single Girl, To Catch a Thief, The Birds and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Costume preview via Trish Summerville and The New York Times – no spoilers. Look out for our own coverage soon. Julien’s Auctions The estate of William Travilla. Get your credit card(s) ready. Columbo New costume Tumblr by Nicolas Magand. Mark this as essential reading forever. Duck Dynasty Well what did YOU wear for…

This week’s costume biggies. The Great Race Karen Noske analyses the exceptional work of Edith Head for Natalie Wood. Breaking Bad Emma Fraser looks at Lydia’s blue coat (and her influence on Todd’s clothing) in recent episodes. Downton Abbey Caroline McCall keeps the Downton ladies covered up. Kristin M. Burke The veteran costume designer tackles the increasing problem of internet haters critiquing work they do not understand. Cinema and Clothes By Dal Chodha, with a teeny contribution by yours truly. Rush Much better interview with costume designer Julian Day than the last one we linked to. Masters of Sex Ane Crabtree on her late 1950s designs for the Showtime drama.…

Why does Tippi Hedren wear a green suit in The Birds, and what does it mean?

Analysing the sometimes tense relationship between fashion and costume design.

In honour of the The Wolverine and his black on black Yakuza uniform, a round up of posts featuring memorable black costumes at Clothes on Film.

Costume designer Jacqueline West talks exclusively to Clothes on Film about her period recreation work on Ben Affleck’s Oscar favourite Argo.

Armour and indecisiveness: Audrey Hepburn is more than a little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Edith Head’s costume design for Vertigo demonstrates the power of clothes in forming identities on-screen.

Hollywood costume comes to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum in the most exciting exhibition of its type ever announced.