Edith Head Hollywoods First Woman Fashion Designer Essay

The 1930s ushered in the Golden Age of Hollywood when new technological advances brought lighting, photography, and sound to a new level of excellence. Along with these technical advances, wardrobe departments of major motion picture studios were busy as costume designers, with the assistance of skilled seamstresses, milliners, and tailors, produced stunning garments for glamorous movie stars. During the 1930s and 1940s the field of costume design was dominated by men. But, that didn’t stop Edith Head, who would become one of Hollywood’s most prolific designers, working on more than 500 films, a record for a career such as hers. One thing that separated Edith from her colleagues was that she was making clothes to suit a character; for†¦show more content†¦At this point, Edith enrolled in night classes at first at the Otis Art Institute and later at the Chouinard. Her specialties were landscapes. Edith retreated into her own world while her husband Charles Head traveled and worked. They spent little time together and their lives grew separately. It was her Catholic faith that not only kept her married but also helped her through this trying period. When Howard Greer, chief designer at what would be Paramount, placed an ad in the paper looking for a sketch artists, Edith answered. Because she had no experience in costume design she asked her fellow students at Chouinard to provide some designs which she signed, and headed off to Paramount. Greer was impressed and hired her at fifty dollars a week. She later said of the borrowed portfolio: I was studying seascape and all I could draw was oceans. I need ed a portfolio, so I borrowed sketches  ­ I didn’t steal them. I asked everybody in the class for a few costume design sketches. And I had 3 the most fantastic assortment you’ve ever seen in your life. When you get a class of forty to give you sketches, you get a nice selection. It never occurred to me that it was quite dishonest. And all the students thought it was fun, too, just like a dare to see if I could get the job. I didn’t say the work was mine. I said â€Å"This is the sort of thing we do in our school.† (Head, 19) The pay was good but the work was far from glamorous. Greer was locked in hisShow MoreRelatedThe Fashion Designers : Edith Head1657 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout Hollywood’s history, there have been several great fashion designers. One of these designers is Edith Head. She had a very long and illustrious career that lasted from 1927 to 1981, and she inspired numerous fashion trends based on her costume designs. As the head designer for both Universal and Paramount, she also worked on several popular films including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and The Sting. Edith Head was very secretive about her childhood and would often lie about it when questionedRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesAyana Jones Senior Managing Editor: Judy Leale Production Project Manager: Becca Groves Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Cathleen Petersen Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Art Director: Kenny Beck Text and Cover Designer: Wanda Espana OB Poll Graphics: Electra Graphics Cover Art: honey comb and a bee working / Shutterstock / LilKar Sr. Media Project Manager, Editorial: Denise Vaughn Media Project Manager, Production: Lisa Rinaldi Full-Service Project Management: