The Old Hollywood costume designer Edith Head

Edith Head (1897-1981) was an American costume designer who worked with the most famous Hollywood actresses and directors like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder. Between 1924 and 1967, she worked at the Paramount Pictures in the costume department. In 1967, she left Paramount to join Universal Pictures.

She worked on many Hitchcock movies like “The rear window”(1954) and “To catch a thieft”. Furthermore, she created clothes for Audrey Hepburn for the movie “Roman Holiday” (1954). Hubert de Givenchy and her contribuated to the marvellous movie directed by Billy Wilder “Sabrina” (1955).

Besides, she is also famous for her participation to the movies “All about Eve”, “A place to the sun”, “Funny face” and “Butch Cassidy and the kid” (1969). She won 8 Oscars for best costume design : “The heiress”, “Samson and Delilah”, “All about Eve”, “A place in the sun”, “Roman Holiday”, “Sabrina”, “The facts of life” and “The sting”.

Edith Head’s sketches :

all-about-eve-1950-002-00n-tr7-edith-head-design-for-bette-davis

rear-window-1954-001-00m-di4-edith-head-design-for-grace-kelly

13a-edith-head-rear-window-sundress-sketch

She dressed the magnificent Grace Kelly :

Grace Kelly in “The rear window” with James Stewart

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft”

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft” with Cary Grant

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft”

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft” with Cary Grant

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft”

Grace Kelly in “The rear window” with James Stewart

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft”

Grace Kelly and Edith Head

Grace Kelly in “To catch a thieft” with Cary Grant

Grace Kelly won an Academy Award for “The country girl” in 1955

Grace Kelly

She created elegant clothes for Audrey Hepburn :

“Roman holiday”

“Funny face”

“Sabrina” by Billy Wilder

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn and Edith Head

“Roman holiday”

“Funny face”

“Roman holiday”

“Sabrina”

“Roman holiday”

“Sabrina”

“Roman holiday”

In “A place in the sun”, she designed glamorous gowns for Elizabeth Taylor :

Eizabeth Taylor

“A place in the sun”

Edith Head and Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor

She dressed the greatest movie stars such as Natalie Wood :

Natalie Wood in “This property is condemned”

Natalie Wood

Edith Head and Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood

Barbara Stanwyck was also dressed by her, namely for the great movie “Double indemnity” directed by Billy Wilder :

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