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Creating the Illusion: A Fashionable History of Hollywood Costume Designers
Marilyn Monroe made history by standing over a subway grating in a white pleated halter dress designed by William Travilla. Hubert de Givenchy immortalized the Little Black Dress with a single opening scene in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A red nylon jacket signaled to audiences that James Dean was a Rebel Without a Cause. For more than a century, costume designers have left indelible impressions on moviegoers’ minds, yet until now, so little has been known about the designers themselves and their work to compliment and enrich stories through fashion.
Hollywood Costume Design presents the history of fashion on film, showcasing not only classic moments from film favorites, but a host of untold stories about the creative talent working behind the scenes to dress the stars from the silent era to the present day. Among the book’s sixty-five designer profiles are Clare West, Howard Greer, Adrian, Walter Plunkett, Travis Banton, Irene, Edith Head, Cecil Beaton, Bob Mackie, Theodora Van Runkle, and Colleen Atwood. The designers’ stories are set against the backdrop of Hollywood: how they collaborated with great movie stars and filmmakers; how they maneuvered within the studio system; and how they came to design clothing that remains iconic decades after its first appearance. The array of films discussed and showcased through photos spans more than one hundred years, from draping Rudolph Valentino in exotic “sheik” dress to the legendary costuming of Gone with the Wind, Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, Bonnie and Clyde, Reservoir Dogs, and beyond.
This gloriously illustrated volume includes candid photos of the designers at work, portraits and wardrobe tests of stars in costume, and designer sketches. Drawing from archival material and dozens of new interviews with Oscar-winning designers, author Jay Jorgensen offers a highly informative, lavish, and entertaining history of Hollywood costume design.
Hollywood Costume Design presents the history of fashion on film, showcasing not only classic moments from film favorites, but a host of untold stories about the creative talent working behind the scenes to dress the stars from the silent era to the present day. Among the book’s sixty-five designer profiles are Clare West, Howard Greer, Adrian, Walter Plunkett, Travis Banton, Irene, Edith Head, Cecil Beaton, Bob Mackie, Theodora Van Runkle, and Colleen Atwood. The designers’ stories are set against the backdrop of Hollywood: how they collaborated with great movie stars and filmmakers; how they maneuvered within the studio system; and how they came to design clothing that remains iconic decades after its first appearance. The array of films discussed and showcased through photos spans more than one hundred years, from draping Rudolph Valentino in exotic “sheik” dress to the legendary costuming of Gone with the Wind, Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, Bonnie and Clyde, Reservoir Dogs, and beyond.
This gloriously illustrated volume includes candid photos of the designers at work, portraits and wardrobe tests of stars in costume, and designer sketches. Drawing from archival material and dozens of new interviews with Oscar-winning designers, author Jay Jorgensen offers a highly informative, lavish, and entertaining history of Hollywood costume design.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2015
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252 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 2, 2016
Fashion, especially Hollywood fashion, can be over the top, and this book about that subject is, fittingly, over the top. An oversized coffee table book of over 400 pages, with photos on every page, it is a treat. Each chapter is a brief biography of a designer, starting with the beginning of movies and coming up to the modern era. I was a little surprised at home many movies inspired clothing trends in real life- including the classic ‘flapper’ look of the 1920! I also learned that not being historically accurate is not a new thing (which I’d been noticing myself, watching TCM a lot), and that there was So. Much. Chiffon. used for decades. This book is a giant treat for the costume lover!
January 25, 2016
First things first: I bought this book for the photos and they are gorgeous: film-stills, glamour-shots, photos of the designers at work - often full page and if possible in colour. If you want to look at beautiful and interesting movie costumes from the silent era right up to 2014, this is the perfect book.
Each featured designer is being introduced by an essay, sometimes a very short one, very famous artists like Edith Head get several pages. The texts are a curious mix of facts, anecdotes, descriptions of the design-process, information concerning specific movies and plain gossip. They just scratch the surface of every designer or film they mention, but as this book mainly does want to give you an overview of decades of costume design in Hollywood (films and tv), I think it was the right approach. There are other books that go into more detail for those who are interested.
Recommended for movie-fans and everyone who enjoys photos of iconic costumes.
Each featured designer is being introduced by an essay, sometimes a very short one, very famous artists like Edith Head get several pages. The texts are a curious mix of facts, anecdotes, descriptions of the design-process, information concerning specific movies and plain gossip. They just scratch the surface of every designer or film they mention, but as this book mainly does want to give you an overview of decades of costume design in Hollywood (films and tv), I think it was the right approach. There are other books that go into more detail for those who are interested.
Recommended for movie-fans and everyone who enjoys photos of iconic costumes.
February 28, 2016
This is one of the finest examples of researched design. This is an informative and masterful volume of designers who have impacted the landscape that is known as 'Hollywood.' Without these amazing designers and costumes, our movies would be horribly uninteresting. Jay has researched well. This is a book that should be required in all film schools and universities in America.Jay Jorgensen
July 2, 2020
Books like this can so often go wrong: not enough illustrations to convey a sense of what you're looking at, not enough text to feel you learned anything, badly written (dull), etc. ... but not here. This was a fun, entertaining, instructive read, in a great big form that really showed off the costumes, and gave room for a considerable amount of information.
At first I was a little daunted by some of the biographical matter—I could care less if Famous Designer A was born to hard-working almond farmers in the midst of the Depression, etc—but then something strange happened ... these stories kicked into a sort of mythic fairy tale quality. The hero's humble upbringing. Their surprising encounter (which propels them into Hollywood costume design). The encounter with the monster (controlling producer, irrational actor, etc.). Their thrilling success, and inevitable fall (or if you're William Travilla, your later thrilling success on TV).
Falls shy of 5 stars because I didn't laugh or cry or marvel at the prose--it's well done and engaging, but not a masterpiece.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
At first I was a little daunted by some of the biographical matter—I could care less if Famous Designer A was born to hard-working almond farmers in the midst of the Depression, etc—but then something strange happened ... these stories kicked into a sort of mythic fairy tale quality. The hero's humble upbringing. Their surprising encounter (which propels them into Hollywood costume design). The encounter with the monster (controlling producer, irrational actor, etc.). Their thrilling success, and inevitable fall (or if you're William Travilla, your later thrilling success on TV).
Falls shy of 5 stars because I didn't laugh or cry or marvel at the prose--it's well done and engaging, but not a masterpiece.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
July 24, 2020
Pros: Amazing curated compilation of biographies, stories, fashion and pictures. The oversized coffee table book is a wonderful way to let the imagination fly, to the stimulate the imagination -- but with enough brutal honesty. It's easy to push aside the fantasy of Hollywood movies and mystic for reality. It's important to realize that historical Hollywood and the folks that made the films were hardworking, strove for perfection, a bit (mentally) unsteady in some cases, egotistical and magical. The perfect quote from Edith Head: "What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the public to believe that every time they see a performer on the screen, he's become a different person."
Cons: Nothing. It's sad to see that all but one of the pictures (one of Anna Mae Wong) seem to be Caucasian. Am sure that is the direct mirror of what Hollywood was at that time.
Cover: 5 out of 5 :: Fantastic
Cons: Nothing. It's sad to see that all but one of the pictures (one of Anna Mae Wong) seem to be Caucasian. Am sure that is the direct mirror of what Hollywood was at that time.
Cover: 5 out of 5 :: Fantastic
December 25, 2020
A great introduction into costume design! A must read for all fashion and film lovers like me. Some things I already knew of, others were new to me and will most definitely be sharing these facts.
I wish there was more discussion of the actual garments created and the creative process behind them in addition to the biographical history of the individual designers. Right when there was an indulgence into the personal relationship between the designer and actress or director, the passage ended. But there is information here that you cannot find elsewhere unless you do through an internet rabbit hole. The photographs are wonderful given the grand size of the book but I do also wish that the garments described in the passage was accompanied by a picture of said dress. I found myself google searching the described dresses and then return to reading.
Excellent descriptions were given of the designers lives, I felt like l could picture them in each phase of thier lives. The last chapter, the one with the interviews with current designers was the best.
I wish there was more discussion of the actual garments created and the creative process behind them in addition to the biographical history of the individual designers. Right when there was an indulgence into the personal relationship between the designer and actress or director, the passage ended. But there is information here that you cannot find elsewhere unless you do through an internet rabbit hole. The photographs are wonderful given the grand size of the book but I do also wish that the garments described in the passage was accompanied by a picture of said dress. I found myself google searching the described dresses and then return to reading.
Excellent descriptions were given of the designers lives, I felt like l could picture them in each phase of thier lives. The last chapter, the one with the interviews with current designers was the best.
September 23, 2016
This is an encyclopedic, gorgeously illustrated coffee table size book on noted movie costume designers, from the dawn of American motion pictures to the present
The book is organized into four chapters "The Silent Era," "The Golden Age," "The Modern Era," and "Conversations on Design in the Modern Era" - within each are sections dealing with individual designers. Names the reader may be familiar with include Natacha Rambova, Valentino's wife, and Erte, in the Silent Era, and more well-known names such as Coco Chanel, Bonnie Cashin, Cecil Beaton in the Golden Era, and Bob Mackie in the Modern Era. Chapter Four is interesting in that the reader gets some glimpses into how "franchise" films are put together these days, how they may be years in the making (such as films based on graphic novel characters) and so forth.
Readers have seen these wonderfully inventive designs, which are key factors in the presentation of a movie, since they were born, and this book gives some wonderful insights into the heyday of the studio system, as well as the development of the movie industry early in the 20th century - it is easy to overlook costume design, or design in general, in cinema, since the movie-goer may be transfixed by a performance or the unfolding of plot. However, the look of a film, and costume are key elements - how the many team-members who contribute to a film, such as the screen-writer, the director, the producer, the actor, may give feedback to the designer - is also examined.
Most of the volume focuses on the Golden Age - and since most of the personalities and designers from that era are gone, it may seem elegiac after a while, almost like a collection of obituaries. That is, until you realize that the designers under discussion, who often had interesting life stories, have left permanent testimonies to their art form, and many times, may have contributed to fashion trends and iconic costumes, such as the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz etc.
This TCM-published book was the perfect book for me since I love TCM and remain a cable TV customer in order to continue to receive TCM. There really is something about the world of old movies - both the design and the world-view - that is, to me at least, missing these days. I suppose people expect more special effects these days, and studios are happy to supply product to satisfy this demand. The past is gone, and I was part of the generation that destroyed the perhaps phonier, more "genteel" era. I was part of the generation that rebelled against things like skirts for girls in school, wearing crinolines and white gloves, makeup or having your hair styled. The things that went into movies since their inception, or "genteel" society, we rebelled against, and won. Since our time, the norm has been jeans, and if it were up to us, we would still have simple long hair and no makeup. There was a slight reversion to a more styled look in the 80s - actually, the destruction of past styles was never complete even in the heyday of the rebellion ("youth-quake") in the 60s or 70s. But now, 50 or 60 years later, you can look back and somehow appreciate the instant social signifiers, and possible social armor, that a well-tailored suit conferred. All this is absolutely finished these days, especially with the advent of casual dress at work. People do not seem to care to wear dress clothing these days unless absolutely necessary; the preferred style is casual. So a glimpse into a former world of tailored clothing, the social structure that enabled it, even an artificial glimpse into it via the movies - is always interesting. I lived through an era where it was destroyed. When I was a child, I was put into ladylike hats, gloves, outfits for holidays and church. As an adolescent, I began to rebel and prefer wearing Levis. When I was in HS, we managed to get the NYC Board of Education to let us girls wear pants to school - but that was just the tip of the iceberg. The contradictions were extreme between what the older generation thought of as "style" and what we considered our uniform "anti-style." Demographically, the baby boom generation had the edge - and so our style, which upended the established norm in so many ways - still, in many ways, prevails. At one time, as a child, I had to carry embroidered handkerchiefs in a small handbag in my gloved hands with me to church, where my family and I would be judged by all the other similarly dressed families, as to who was up to snuff and so forth. I still have a couple of those handkerchiefs - and once in a great while, I'll look at them, emblematic as they are of the destroyed dreams that my parents' generation had for their kids, that they would turn out to be obedient "divots" following the exact same socially accepted path as everyone else in their generation. Well, it did not exactly turn out that way for many of the kids I grew up with, although some did follow the conventional "story-line"of life. Probably, although we didn't realize it at the time, we didn't want to be like our parents, considering what our parents generation values had led to - war, near-mutually assured mass destruction, slavery/Jim Crow, inequality, fascism. We didn't want their world, once we understand what their world meant. And the easiest way to break the pattern, to destroy (for one example) the patriarchy, was to overturn social norms including social signifiers like makeup, hairstyles, white gloves/crinolines/embroidered handkerchiefs, etc.
Ironically, that world - of social theatricality perhaps - is still fascinating, even to me, although I was admittedly a social rebel from childhood on. This volume describes the key role played by costume design in producing films - for anyone interested in film studies, or cultural studies, it's worth reviewing, if not actually reading the entire volume like I did.
The book is organized into four chapters "The Silent Era," "The Golden Age," "The Modern Era," and "Conversations on Design in the Modern Era" - within each are sections dealing with individual designers. Names the reader may be familiar with include Natacha Rambova, Valentino's wife, and Erte, in the Silent Era, and more well-known names such as Coco Chanel, Bonnie Cashin, Cecil Beaton in the Golden Era, and Bob Mackie in the Modern Era. Chapter Four is interesting in that the reader gets some glimpses into how "franchise" films are put together these days, how they may be years in the making (such as films based on graphic novel characters) and so forth.
Readers have seen these wonderfully inventive designs, which are key factors in the presentation of a movie, since they were born, and this book gives some wonderful insights into the heyday of the studio system, as well as the development of the movie industry early in the 20th century - it is easy to overlook costume design, or design in general, in cinema, since the movie-goer may be transfixed by a performance or the unfolding of plot. However, the look of a film, and costume are key elements - how the many team-members who contribute to a film, such as the screen-writer, the director, the producer, the actor, may give feedback to the designer - is also examined.
Most of the volume focuses on the Golden Age - and since most of the personalities and designers from that era are gone, it may seem elegiac after a while, almost like a collection of obituaries. That is, until you realize that the designers under discussion, who often had interesting life stories, have left permanent testimonies to their art form, and many times, may have contributed to fashion trends and iconic costumes, such as the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz etc.
This TCM-published book was the perfect book for me since I love TCM and remain a cable TV customer in order to continue to receive TCM. There really is something about the world of old movies - both the design and the world-view - that is, to me at least, missing these days. I suppose people expect more special effects these days, and studios are happy to supply product to satisfy this demand. The past is gone, and I was part of the generation that destroyed the perhaps phonier, more "genteel" era. I was part of the generation that rebelled against things like skirts for girls in school, wearing crinolines and white gloves, makeup or having your hair styled. The things that went into movies since their inception, or "genteel" society, we rebelled against, and won. Since our time, the norm has been jeans, and if it were up to us, we would still have simple long hair and no makeup. There was a slight reversion to a more styled look in the 80s - actually, the destruction of past styles was never complete even in the heyday of the rebellion ("youth-quake") in the 60s or 70s. But now, 50 or 60 years later, you can look back and somehow appreciate the instant social signifiers, and possible social armor, that a well-tailored suit conferred. All this is absolutely finished these days, especially with the advent of casual dress at work. People do not seem to care to wear dress clothing these days unless absolutely necessary; the preferred style is casual. So a glimpse into a former world of tailored clothing, the social structure that enabled it, even an artificial glimpse into it via the movies - is always interesting. I lived through an era where it was destroyed. When I was a child, I was put into ladylike hats, gloves, outfits for holidays and church. As an adolescent, I began to rebel and prefer wearing Levis. When I was in HS, we managed to get the NYC Board of Education to let us girls wear pants to school - but that was just the tip of the iceberg. The contradictions were extreme between what the older generation thought of as "style" and what we considered our uniform "anti-style." Demographically, the baby boom generation had the edge - and so our style, which upended the established norm in so many ways - still, in many ways, prevails. At one time, as a child, I had to carry embroidered handkerchiefs in a small handbag in my gloved hands with me to church, where my family and I would be judged by all the other similarly dressed families, as to who was up to snuff and so forth. I still have a couple of those handkerchiefs - and once in a great while, I'll look at them, emblematic as they are of the destroyed dreams that my parents' generation had for their kids, that they would turn out to be obedient "divots" following the exact same socially accepted path as everyone else in their generation. Well, it did not exactly turn out that way for many of the kids I grew up with, although some did follow the conventional "story-line"of life. Probably, although we didn't realize it at the time, we didn't want to be like our parents, considering what our parents generation values had led to - war, near-mutually assured mass destruction, slavery/Jim Crow, inequality, fascism. We didn't want their world, once we understand what their world meant. And the easiest way to break the pattern, to destroy (for one example) the patriarchy, was to overturn social norms including social signifiers like makeup, hairstyles, white gloves/crinolines/embroidered handkerchiefs, etc.
Ironically, that world - of social theatricality perhaps - is still fascinating, even to me, although I was admittedly a social rebel from childhood on. This volume describes the key role played by costume design in producing films - for anyone interested in film studies, or cultural studies, it's worth reviewing, if not actually reading the entire volume like I did.
December 21, 2018
This was a fantastic book about Hollywood costume/design that I received for Christmas, last year. It was a monster of a book because it's huge; it almost can be mistaken for a coffee table book because of its gorgeous pictures of Hollywood stars in costume. It was my escape reading all year long. There is a lot of information about how the most famous (and a lot not so famous--but the costumes are famous) costume designers came to be. So, it was pretty fascinating. The more contemporary, modern day Hollywood costume designers were also interesting but the book seemed to be running out of room and that portion was smaller. Though this says the kindle edition, I had the hardback to read. Not sure how the kindle version compares--I'm thinking that it doesn't because the pictures can't compare on paper vs. a screen.
June 22, 2020
This is a gorgeous book! Stunning photos of stars in costume from Greta Garbo to Johnny Depp and beyond. The writers include meticulous research and interesting, sometimes tragic, backstories on more than sixty costume designers, as well as the political machinations that occurred at all the studios to get a movie made. It's not just photos, but personalities, for example, this quote from William Travilla, who designed Marilyn Monroe's famous pleated halter dress in The Seven Year Itch: "When I die, I don't want to be buried or cremated, just pleat me." I especially like the pages that include a photo of the original sketch, and sometimes even the fabric swatches, next to the completed costume. It's a must-have for fans of film and fashion.
January 17, 2020
Creating the Illusion: A Fashionable History of Hollywood Costume Designers is a guide by Turner Classic Movies to the most notable Hollywood costume designers from the silent era to the modern day. It is written by Jay Jorgensen and Donald L. Scoggins, with a foreword by Ali MacGraw.
I enjoyed learning about how the designers came to work for Hollywood and how they grew their passions for design to begin with. There were countless gorgeous photos of some of the designers' best works, and some great sketches too. I liked learning about the dynamics between certain designers and certain stars.
I enjoyed learning about how the designers came to work for Hollywood and how they grew their passions for design to begin with. There were countless gorgeous photos of some of the designers' best works, and some great sketches too. I liked learning about the dynamics between certain designers and certain stars.
June 3, 2020
This book is undoubtably the epic accomplishment it appears at first glance. The scale is incredible and is a total education in the history of cinematic costume design. It’s a brilliant place to start for a wide overview.
Five stars, no question, as this goes well beyond being simply a coffee book with pretty pictures. Things I would change though would be including an image of an outfit if it has extensive discussion, which was not always the case. I would have also liked pointers on what is the most iconic film, or top films, for a designer, as a display of their style/talent. I tried to write up a list as I went, but there were times I was left guessing what films to watch.
Five stars, no question, as this goes well beyond being simply a coffee book with pretty pictures. Things I would change though would be including an image of an outfit if it has extensive discussion, which was not always the case. I would have also liked pointers on what is the most iconic film, or top films, for a designer, as a display of their style/talent. I tried to write up a list as I went, but there were times I was left guessing what films to watch.
July 1, 2025
i wish there was more about the creative process for the designers and what they used or had to do to make all of these costumes vs just bios on the designers. i think there was a better way to include both things, that being said the pictures are gorgeous
February 14, 2017
Fascinating and visually stunning!
June 8, 2016
How could this not be one of my favorite books of the year? Amazing pictures and detailed information about Edith Head, Orry-Kelly, Adrian, Dorothy Tree... and more. I think I will have to buy this one.
For another amazing book about fashion during Hollywood's Golden Age check out The Way We Wore: Styles Of The 1930s And '40s and Our World Since Then by Marsha Hunt. I was lucky enough to meet her at one of Santa Fe's Summer in the Dark Film Noir Festival's and she is still beautiful, and graceful. Pictures of her from the 1930s, and 1940s modeling the fashions of her day are well worth your hunt for this book.
For another amazing book about fashion during Hollywood's Golden Age check out The Way We Wore: Styles Of The 1930s And '40s and Our World Since Then by Marsha Hunt. I was lucky enough to meet her at one of Santa Fe's Summer in the Dark Film Noir Festival's and she is still beautiful, and graceful. Pictures of her from the 1930s, and 1940s modeling the fashions of her day are well worth your hunt for this book.
June 20, 2017
A beautifully produced book, and a valuable addition to the history of film.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews