Edith Head was the lead designer at Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures for the most time any designer ever has had that honour. She is probably the most famous Hollywood designer that we have ever heard of. With her new ideals and her different sense of style, she was the first American designer who designed clothes for the normal woman.
It is tough to imagine that this woman who was nominated for almost 55 Oscars for her dresses started of her career knowing nothing about fashion. Her first job was that of a French teacher. She was married to an alcoholic. She did her undergraduation from the University of California and her masters from Stanford. She joined an art class at the school she taught French and when she saw an ad by Paramount Pictures in the newspaper for a person who could sew and draw as well, she decided to give it a shot. She got together pictures from her classmates and prepared a portfolio. When the bosses at Paramount Pictures saw the drawings, she was instantly given the job. But they soon realised that she could not draw but they also realised that she was a quick learner. So they made her an assistant to Howard Greer, the then lead designer at the studio.
And soon her career moved upwards. She learnt the secrets that made stars look great on screen. She went on to dress the rich and famous for almost the next 44 years of her life. Her first star customer was Barbara Stawyck. She made dresses that fit really tight at the waist especially for her to go with her figure for the movie Lady Eve. Edith Head’s dresses are mainly remembered on Audrey Hepburn. It was the style that everyone wanted to copy. She rose to be a style icon and all because of Edith Head. Audrey Hepburn was probably the most perfect mannequin to design on. All her clothes in Roman Holiday were created by Edith Head. There was so much competition within the studios that she worked for that she learnt very early in her life to never share credit with anyone else.
She has done it all but has always had one regret. She never got to design for Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn liked to enhance her sex appeal and so she did not trust Edith Head who did not have enough formal training as the other designers. But apart from that, Edith new how to work with the times. That was the reason she survived the movie industry for so long. With the immense competition from the television industry and then retail, many designers either quit or were fired. To keep her job, she got herself lots of publicity. She never let herself be forgotten. A movie was made on her and she also constantly promoted the studios’ movies on TV shows and during fashion weeks. Her TV show was a self help guide for women on how to give themselves a makeover. She may have been blunt but was always appreciated for her honesty.
Her last movie was ‘Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. She passed away soon after. She was probably the most brilliant designer there has ever been. She is sorely missed.
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