Words by Suzy Lafosse

Did you know that the character of legendary super suit designer Edna Mode from “The Incredibles” was partially based on real world costume designer Edith Head? Can you tell me which of the above quotes was said by which icon? (You will find the answer at the end of the blog 😉)

Fans of old Hollywood movies may already be familiar with Edith Head. If you don’t know the name you have almost definitely watched one of her films - she made nearly 1000 of them!  Her career in film spanned more than 50 years with 27 Oscar nominations and 8 wins, the most wins by a woman in the history of film so far. The only female costume designer working in a field heavily dominated by men, she was also one of the first people to turn herself into a publicly recognisable brand. Yet despite this the significance of her work is still debated as her design style was often more conservative than many of her male peers.

 She exemplifies what it means to know yourself, to be your own biggest cheerleader and not to limit yourself based on other people’s opinions. As a student of costume design I always found her story of perseverance and playing to her strengths to be interesting and inspiring, and I hope you will too. 

 This post is a long one, but she lived such an interesting life it was impossible for me to cut anything out! So, grab yourself a cup of tea, curl up in your favourite spot and enjoy.

Born in California in 1897, few details are known of Head’s early life. She had very little education until attending high school but made up for this when she did go, successfully graduating and going on to University. Educated women had few career options at the time, so Head embarked on a career as a teacher at a prestigious Hollywood girl’s school. To increase her income she started teaching art, despite her considerably basic knowledge of the subject. To stay ahead of her students, she enrolled in an art college. 

Head’s art college study led her in 1923 to apply successfully for the position of illustrator in Paramount Pictures’ wardrobe department - she would later admit to ‘borrowing’ her college classmates’ sketches for her portfolio (not something I would encourage trying!). 

Despite having no formal training in fashion or theatre and her limited skills as an illustrator being quickly discovered, Edith developed a close relationship with Paramount’s top costume designers Howard Greer and Travis Banton, and they become her mentors.

“What we do is a cross between magic and camouflage. We ask the public to believe that every time they see an actress or actor that they are a different person.”

Head’s early years at Paramount were spent sketching, doing inventory management and attending dress fittings with senior designers. Eventually she was tasked with designing costumes for the studio’s B-pictures and ‘horse operas’ (Westerns) and given responsibility for dressing the B grade actors on the bigger pictures, with Travis Banton dressing the main stars. It is difficult to accurately know how many films she worked on during this time - only the (male) lead costume designers were credited. Edith herself has said fondly about this period that

“Travis gave me more responsibility than I ever had. He let me do Westerns on my own. In the big pictures he’d do the leading lady --- Marlene Dietrich for instance --- and I’d do the others.”

Banton’s contract was not renewed in 1938, yet Head was not initially considered the best replacement. Paramount executives spending a year searching for a celebrated designer until in 1939 she was elevated to head costume designer at Paramount – at a fraction of the wage Baton had received and after a year acting in the role. Regarded as a sensible and strategic choice, there was no fanfare and no announcement of her as the new principal designer. Edith quietly became ‘the first woman designer in the business [and] the first designer with a mining camp instead of a European background’. 

Edith Head’s unusual pedigree and her lack of fashion training meant that her costumes were often considered conservative in comparison with designers from other studios. Much was made of the fact the Head herself dressed extremely conservatively, choosing tailored suits (bespoke, of course) in shades of cream, black, brown or grey. Head’s understated approach to her own costume was deliberate: she was keen to ensure that the star she was dressing would see only themselves. Head herself recognised that although she was not the most flamboyant of designers, she had other skills which were critical to her success in Hollywood:

“After working with Howard Greer and Travis Banton, I knew that I was not a creative design genius. I was never going to be the world’s greatest costume designer but there was no reason I could not be the smartest.” 

Head’s realisation of the importance of possessing skills outside the realm of costume design is encapsulated by her comment that

“to win [in Hollywood] you’d have to be a combination of psychiatrist, artist, fashion designer, dressmaker, pincushion, historian, nursemaid and purchasing agent.”

When I first read this quote, it resonated very strongly with me. In my work as a costume designer, I often had to take on roles that were not strictly in my job description, but which all made me a better, more employable designer. Even though you may have skills that others don’t appreciate, or think are necessary doesn’t mean they aren’t important, and they can make you unique and effective in your field.

Head was not known for flamboyant design but developed a strong reputation for her uncanny understanding of the human body and how to dress it for the best possible outcomes. Quick to identify any perceived flaws in the actresses she was dressing, Head was also very quick and skilled in finding solutions to hide them. Working with star Barbara Stanwyck, who had always considered her waist too long and her derriere too low, Head utilised optical illusion to alter her figure, raising the waist on Stanwyck’s gowns and having the waistband wider at the front than at the back. Her techniques earned her the enduring respect and admiration of many, in some instances resulting in lifelong friendships. Stars such as Grace Kelly, Mae West and Barbara Stanwyck not only developed strong friendships with Head, but they also commissioned her to make clothing for them outside their work at the studio.

Edith Head created a ‘brand’, exploiting publicity to maintain her career and importance at the studio. Over the decades, her influence and presence went far beyond her work in film.

Throughout the 1940s and 50s Head offered advice to the public through columns in popular Hollywood magazines offering assistance with the most suitable fashions for a particular body type. Her fan mail was so substantial that in some instances it exceeded that of many of the most significant stars! 

In 1945 she participated in a new radio show – Art Linkletter’s House Party – during which she offered on-the-spot advice to members of the audience on how to dress. Head’s fashion critique quickly became one of the most popular segments on the program although she acknowledged:

“I wasn’t always nice to those ladies. I tried to be, but sometimes I’d have to be blunt. They didn’t know how they looked best and I did … My segment was one of the most popular spots on the show. Do you know why? Because every woman in the world – and every man, for that matter – wants to look better.” 

From the 1940s Head organised fashion shows, utilising some of her most recognised and popular costumes. By 1970 she was presenting 18 shows a year. She said,

“now I’m a part-time designer and full-time travelling Hollywood museum.”

Head published two books, The Dress Doctor in 1959 and How To Dress For Success in 1967 - both of which are still in print today! - and in the 1970s she collaborated with Vogue to produce a series of dress patterns for home seamstresses based on some of her best-known designs. 

This diversity meant that despite any changes in the studio system Head was always able to maintain her career and adapt to the times. After 44 years at Paramount Pictures, Edith Head was ‘let go’ with no acknowledgement of the contribution she had made to Hollywood costume for almost half a century. The year her contract ended with Paramount; Head moved to Universal Studios to work alongside her long-time friend Alfred Hitchcock. Head never retired, her last film Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid premiering just weeks before her death in 1981. 

Edith Head was one of the longest working and most award-winning designers. Her tenacity, ambition and contribution to Hollywood costume cannot be underestimated - she was the first female chief costume designer, retaining that position for almost 30 years. Her role in opening the world of fashion to ordinary women cannot be ignored - a style maven for more than half a century, she established herself as a marketable, profitable, and approachable brand. Costume Design is now a field heavily dominated by women and Edith undeniably paved the way for modern superstar designers such as Colleen Atwood, Catherine Martin and Jacqueline Durran. She was by no means a perfect person, however, and I think it is important to acknowledge that even our inspirations can have flaws. 

Edith Head for me typifies the message that you should always say yes to new opportunities even if they scare you or you do not think you’re the most qualified person for the job. Her story is an example of how you can use your skills to carve your own niche in the world. Just because you do not have the same talents as someone else does not mean you cannot be successful in your own right.

I hope you have enjoyed this little history lesson. I leave you with these two pieces of advice from the one and only Edna Mode:

“Luck favours the prepared.”

And remember

“No Capes!”

Edith Head and Burlesque – Bonus Story!!

Edith Head was responsible for designing the costumes in the film Ball of Fire (1941) starring Barbara Stanwyck. In the film Barbara Stanwyck plays a nightclub performer and many sources claim that her outfits were heavily inspired by Burlesque stars of the time, including Betty Rowland, the original “Ball of Fire”. 

One outfit exemplifies how inspired Edith was by Betty Rowland.

Writer Dee Lawrence wrote about the outfit “At least a year prior to the film’s release. Betty was headlining at a downtown Los Angeles burlesque theatre, the Follies, when Edith Head came in to see her show. Edith came backstage after Betty’s set to check out the famed burlesque queen’s wardrobe. One particular piece interested her: a floor-length cream silk crepe and sequinned-panelled skirt with a matching long-sleeved cropped blouse. The skirt was slit up to the hip with a series of fringed panels, and both the skirt and blouse unhooked at the sides with large brass hooks and eyes – easy on the fingers but requiring the skill of a professional to remove gracefully.”

Despite filling a lawsuit against the movie studio, Betty said that the copy was flattering and that having the famous studio designer look to Betty for her fashion sense was a signal that she had “arrived.” The lawsuit was later dropped.