Style Essentials--Marlene Dietrich Finds Her Key Light in 1932's SHANGHAI EXPRESS

The 1930s are fascinating for all that happened in film during that decade. In the early part of the era, film was continuing to evolve into being an art form. And until 1934, when the Production Code was in full force, filmmakers had the freedom to be provocative and pretty much do whatever they wanted. Shanghai Express (1932), Josef von Sternberg's cinematic masterpiece, is both--a work of art that is also provocative for its questionable characters and sublime sensuality. His muse Marlene Dietrich plays Magdalen, a woman who has become famous as the courtesan Shanghai Lily. She travels on the train from Peking to Shanghai with fellow courtesan Hui Fei (Anna May Wong) while China's Civil War rages on around them. Other passengers include government officers and rebels, missionaries and gamblers, and an opium dealer. Another is Captain Donald "Doc" Harvey (Clive Brook), once in love with Magdalen but who left her years ago over a misunderstanding. The two are clearly still in love, but try to resist their sexual tension. One of the most interesting aspects of the movie is how the external war mirrors the one that goes on inside the train. Nothing is as it seems in this proto-noir where the cinematography's shadows and exotic costumes evoke the mysterious mood. All the elements take the audience on the journey right along with the passengers in Shanghai Express.  

The journey of this film begins many years before it was made with the story of its director and star. Much has been written about the relationship between von Sternberg and Dietrich who first met in Berlin while she was a struggling young actress and he was a colleague of her husband Rudolf (Rudi) Sieber. Though still rather raw and untrained, there was something about how Marlene's aristocratic attitude mixed with an understanding of the seedier side of the city that entranced the young director. He saw the potential in the slightly overweight German girl and helped her make the most of her time in front of the camera.  He fell in love with her while making her a star in Germany with 1930's The Blue Angel, a film that made such an impact that Hollywood quickly came calling.  Paramount signed them to a contract and the lovers moved to Los Angeles to make movies for the studio--first, the iconic Morocco (1930), which premiered that same year, and then Dishonored (1931). Though The Blue Angel and Morocco both launched the actress and gained the world's attention, it's really 1932's Shanghai Express that made her a superstar. 

By this fourth film with Marlene, her onscreen persona had evolved from sassy cabaret singer to mysterious femme fatale.  Von Sternberg now also knew just how to shoot her.  Evoking the feel of German Expressionism, he used shadows and light to draw angles in her slightly rounded face. Even Marlene marveled at the transformation:

He has changed the tone of my hair with light, using a backlight so skillfully that it touches only the tips of my hair, causing a glow like a halo....He hollows my cheeks with shadows, widens the look of my eyes, and I am fascinated by that face up there on the screen...[I] look forward to the rushes each day to see what I, his creature, will look like.

Though the lighting was really the result of the prodigious talent and loving eyes of von Sternberg, he was not a member of the guild and therefore could not be given credit. The equally talented Lee Garmes had worked alongside the director since Morocco, and was the official cinematographer for each of their productions (along with an uncredited assist from another cinematography god James Wong Howe). Since the lighting on Shanghai Express was so extraordinary, lighting that would later influence much of the look of film noir, Garmes ended up winning the Oscar that year for Best Cinematography. Obviously, it's an award we can appreciate should be shared by von Sternberg as well.

In addition to lighting Marlene to perfection, von Sternberg also had her dressed to draw out her unique sultry appeal. On The Blue Angel, he had turned the styling over to Marlene; Rudi convinced him to have faith in her instincts, and she did not disappoint.  She drew inspiration for Lola Lola's costumes from those who made up Berlin's nightlife, including her favorite "whores" in the city who combined frilly panties with garters and a top hat. The costumes for Morocco, their first American production, were much more from von Sternberg himself.  It was he who decided that Marlene would appear in a tuxedo for her first cabaret act in the film; this was tremendously titillating to audiences as it hid the legs made so famous in The Blue Angel and introduced the androgyny that Marlene would become famous for.  But with Morocco, an important member had been added to the team who was helping bring their full vision to life--Paramount costume designer Travis Banton. 

Banton was known as a genius along with his Paramount colleague Howard Greer. Both Banton and Greer started their careers in fashion at the prestigious Lucile couturier. After Lucile, Banton then worked for two other couturiers in New York--Hattie Carnegie and Madame Frances. At Hattie Carnegie, he worked  closely with other talented designers who would eventually work in film, such as Jean Louis. And at Madame Frances, Banton found international fame when Mary Pickford chose one of his designs as her wedding dress for her 1919 marriage to Douglas Fairbanks. In 1924, Greer reached out to Banton and invited his friend to join him in Hollywood.  Together, the two would become known for creating the studio's "Paramount Polish."   

The great Travis Banton (above)

and with his muse Marlene Dietrich at Paramount

Though Banton had begun his time at Paramount in the 1920s, and had an early hit with Clara Bow in It (1927), he was very much a visionary whose style was perfectly suited for the 1930s. Banton, along with Adrian at MGM, is largely responsible for establishing much of the era's style. Out went the short boxy-cut dresses favored by flappers and in came slinky body-hugging bias cut gowns. Stars like Carole Lombard and Kay Francis were perfect models for Banton's signature style as was Marlene Dietrich. He created clothing of the highest quality and helped take Marlene's persona to the next level, both on and off the screen. In a moment of modesty, she once professed, "Both [von Sternberg and Banton] created my film image....[I] merely had to slip into it."

Like Morocco, Shanghai Express has highly influential costume design. One outfit in particular is so important, it both opens and closes the film. Though it may not seem significant, even the choice of its color--black--was somewhat groundbreaking. At this time in film, black was challenging to photograph; it often came across as flat and could be difficult to distinguish the details. But Marlene, who chose the slimming color because she was feeling (rightly or wrongly) heavier than usual, had faith in von Sternberg as a master cinematographer and forged ahead.  

It was also Marlene who had the inspiration to use feathers to make the character of Shanghai Lily her most exotic. That decision started everyone in the Paramount costume design department scrambling to find the right birds. Boxes of feathers from all over the world poured into Banton's studio, including ostrich, egret, bird of paradise, black swan, heron, eagle, marabou, and crow. They were all inspected and quickly dismissed for a variety of reasons ranging from size to stiffness to weight. Finally, a box of tail feathers from real Mexican fighting cocks arrived and their "black-green iridescence was so intense it shimmered through the tissue paper they were wrapped in."  In a rare moment of emotion, Marlene ran to Travis and kissed him on both cheeks exclaiming, "A dream! Black, with its own light!"

Then came the hunt for the perfect veil. Marlene loved the mystery that her veiled looks had achieved in Morocco and Dishonored and was determined to do it again. Bolts and bolts of fabric were brought in from the vast store at Paramount. It took hours of testing different black veils in the salon, so many that the floor began to look like it was covered in a mass of spider webs.  It was dark outside when Marlene finally tried the 41st bolt of fabric--"Black 41." As she held it in front of her, Travis let out a loud "whoop" when he saw her "face sprang to life" with the veil's "horizontal lines, like shadows cast by venetian blinds." Absolutely perfect for the mood of the movie.  

Now the look of Shanghai Lily was really coming together. They made a hat with the veil attached to the black iridescent cock feathers. Then Banton designed a long bias cut gown of black crepe that was "bordered in feathers [that] crested onto her neck, tumbled along her shoulders, [and] down her arms." This gown, like all others for Marlene, was perfectly fitted to her. She adored fittings and approached them with the endurance of an athlete; she would stand still for 12-hours a day, day after day, never stopping to eat or even go to the restroom.  She was so tireless that Banton's assistants were switched out in shifts so they were not exhausted.  Accessories were then added; Marlene did not like her hands and frequently wore "fitted gloves of the thinnest kid" leather to disguise them, so the gown was paired with ones from Hermés and a matching Art Deco purse. It was all finished with a rope of crystal beads that cascaded down the front of the gown and helped to further elongate the look. 

Von Sternberg was not shown the outfit until it was completely done, which shows the level of trust he had in both Banton and Dietrich. When he finally saw Marlene standing there on the raised platform in the designer's studio, surrounded by mirrors that reflected the glamour from all angles, he hid his own excitement. He simply said,  "A superb execution of an impossible design. I congratulate you all." And with that, he walked from the room. Cheers immediately erupted from the exhausted staff and everyone celebrated with champagne.

This is the backstory of only one of the costumes from this film. Still others included luxurious fabrics like fur, velvet, and gold mesh, so you can imagine the amount of work that went into the entire production. The same can be said of the wardrobes for the rest of the films that von Sternberg, Banton, and Dietrich did together. That said, Shanghai Express is one of the most recognized and influential of Marlene's costume design--it made an impact on fashion at the time and has continued to be a source of ongoing inspiration for designers. Giorgio Armani (Italy), Jean Paul Gaultier (France), and Vera Wang (America) are just some of who have referenced Marlene's style from this film in their fashion collections in recent years. Feathers alone have been a huge trend on and off the runways for the past few Fall Fashion Weeks. Cosmetic companies, too, have paid homage to the look of Shanghai Express--from the styling in advertising (Revlon) to the name of a lipstick (Nars).  

Though Shanghai Express is filled with genius talent in its director Josef von Sternberg, costume designer Travis Banton, and star Marlene Dietrich, it really took every one of them and their extended team to make this movie the masterpiece it is.  It's one of those classics that has made a lasting impact in film history and an enormous legacy in fashion. Von Sternberg loved to use locations, lighting, and costumes to emphasize the exotic eroticism of his leading lady, and they all come together to perfection in Shanghai Express. Whether you love it because it's Pre-Code, proto-noir, or has an even broader appeal for you, it is an excellent example of how movies in the 1930s offered escapism to their Depression-weary audiences.

Escape for yourself onboard the Shanghai Express.

The mysterious train journey begins in Peking

A full-length view of the iconic look of Shanghai Lily 

that opens and closes the film

The black bias-cut crepe gown was accented with cock feathers

along with a crystal necklace and matching Art Deco kid leather gloves and purse by Hermés

This time, the feathers are from white egret

and used on the hat in order to help break up the otherwise all black ensemble

Marlene loved this look so much she wore it offscreen

as seen in this photo from 1931 with her car and chauffeur (in uniform, of course)

A dangerous message is sent by someone on the train while en route 

and decoded for the audience

Magdalen steps outside the train in a velvet gown and fur to find "Doc"

and they review some of their past together

Marlene was a master at mixing the masculine with the feminine

as she shows while borrowing her former lover's hat

The fur creates a portrait collar--popular in the 1930s--

that perfectly frames Marlene's beautiful face and hair

1930s stars like Marlene and Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night (1934)

made men's pajamas popular for women during the era

She also lounges in an extremely feminine Asian-inspired silk robe...

exotic locales and their style--like Egypt and Asia--were very popular during the Art Deco era

To take on the bad guys,

Magdalen dons another bias cut gown with what I imagine is a gold mesh "collar" and sleeves

More examples of the stunning cinematography of Shanghai Express

Anna May Wong is an amazing supporting player in the drama... 

she wears costumes designed by Edith Head who, at that time, assisted her mentor Banton

Feathers are of course found in several outfits in this film,

including this black chiffon negligee trimmed in stripped, clipped ostrich feathers

The front and back of this exquisite ensemble,

which is clearly meant to seduce her old flame

Finally, (somewhat) safe in Shanghai...

Magdalen's journey ends in the same outfit she wore when it all began

It looks like it may be the end of Shanghai Lily,

but may be a new beginning for Magdalen

Sources

Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers. Ed. Georgina O'Hara Callan. London: Thames and Hudson, 1998. Print.

Dietrich. Ed. Paul Duncan. Hong Kong: Taschen, 2007. Print.

Dietrich, Marlene. Marlene by Marlene Dietrich. New York: Grove Press, 1987. Print.

Mendes, Valerie and Amy de la Haye. Fashion Since 1900. 2nd ed. London: Thames and Hudson, 2010. Print.

Riva, Maria. Marlene Dietrich. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. Print.

This article is a proud participant of
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hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association (CMBA)--
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Cinema Style - All About Costume Designer Jean Louis

UPDATE: Sometimes life just takes you in a different direction. As of July 2019, publisher GoodKnight Books invited me to write Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s. Thankfully I was able to use all the research I did for Jean Louis' biography in this new book instead. He appears three times - for Gilda (1946), Dead Reckoning (1947), and The Lady from Shanghai (1948). I hope you'll enjoy it!

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This week we celebrated the birthday of legendary costume designer Jean Louis and I am thrilled to announce that I have been invited by his family to write his authorized biography.

For the past few years, it has been my great pleasure to get to know the family of Jean and Loretta Young (they were married late in life) and am proud to now call them friends.  They respect my commitment to shining a light on the work of costume designers from the Golden Age of Hollywood and know of my deep affection for Jean.  As a result, they have asked me to preserve Jean's legacy by writing the first biography on his life and career.  I will be given their full cooperation on the project and unrestricted access to his photos, sketches, and more.  I am honored to do so as Jean is one of the greatest designers of all time and responsible for some of the most iconic costumes in film.  Countless designers--both in film and fashion--have been influenced by Jean Louis, yet far too few even know his name.  Obviously, I plan to right that wrong.

Many know that I am deep into writing my first book--THE STYLE ESSENTIALS: HISTORY OF FASHION IN FILM 1920s-1980s--and I will continue to do so.  But I began to understand the need to start Jean's biography sooner rather than later due to the number of people who are still with us that I'd like to speak to about his incredible life.  I plan to work on both books together.

If you have some connection Jean Louis and would like to share pictures, personal experiences, or know the location of his designs, please do not hesitate to contact me at Kimberly@GlamAmor.com.

It truly feels like the stars are in alignment because this month we celebrate Jean's birthday (October 5th) as well as one of his great stars Rita Hayworth (October 17th).  For those who would like to watch their films, the recently launched classic film channel getTV is putting the spotlight on Rita this month.  And, because getTV's programming comes from the Columbia library, you can always find films that feature the work of the studio's longtime costume designer.

But first, I offer you this brief illustrated introduction to the great Jean Louis.

From Paris to New York

Jean Louis Berthault was born in 1907 in the style capital of the world--Paris.  There he attended the prestigious École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (School of Decorative Arts).  After graduation, he started his career in the early 1930s as a sketch artist for the Agnes-Drecoll couturier.  In 1935, he used settlement money from an auto accident to fly to New York City.   While on holiday, he was encouraged by friends to share some of his sketches with the best fashion designers in the city.  It was Hattie Carnegie who saw the greatness of his talent and hired him.

At that time, Hattie Carnegie (real name: Henrietta Kanengeiser, below) was America's reigning fashion queen and beloved coast to coast.  She began as a couturier with hats and custom-made clothing, but in 1928 she prophetically decided to start an affordable ready-to-wear line of clothes for the masses. As a result, her business not only survived the Great Depression, but thrived throughout it.  Every woman wanted to be fashionable no matter what her budget during these challenging years and Hattie Carnegie made this possible.  She was at her height in the 1930s and by the 1940s, her store had grown and had different departments for furs, hats, handbags, jewelry, vintage furniture, china and glass, cosmetics, and perfume.  The brand became known for being able to dress women "hat to hem."  The only thing she didn't sell was shoes.

Hattie never could sew, but she was a great editor and able to spot and cultivate talent.  Many legendary designers trained under her.  Norman Norell was one of the first and became the head of her new ready-to-wear line.  Others who started their careers at Hattie Carnegie include Travis Banton, Pauline Trigere, James Galanos, and Jean Louis.  Interestingly, all of them spent time as costume designers for film.  Even with this incredible collection of talent, Jean was well known among the designers at Hattie Carnegie.  One reason for this was his design of the 'Carnegie suit' in 1937.  Hattie's slogan was that "the woman should wear the clothes, not the clothes wear the woman," and Jean's design for the 'Carnegie suit' perfectly captured this.  It worked for anyone who wore it and allowed for each woman's personal style.  It also transcended the eras--it was as popular in the 1950s as it was when it first came out in the 1930s.

Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, in the 1930s in what looks to be a Carnegie suit (above)

and the suit still wowing women in the 1950s

At Hattie Carnegie, Jean developed a loyal clientele. This included royal style icon Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, who frequently wore his designs.  It also included Hollywood royalty, such as Constance Bennett and Joan Crawford.  It was Irene Dunne who bought one of his first designs--a blue satin evening gown--and remained a customer the rest of her life.  Another was Joan Cohn, wife of Columbia president and production director Harry Cohn.  In 1944, she suggested that Harry put Jean under contract at Columbia as an assistant costume designer.  Jean readily accepted the position, especially because it allowed him to work again with his mentor and former Carnegie colleague Travis Banton. Banton briefly worked at Columbia after his time at 20th Century Fox, and taught Jean the distinct differences between designing for life and designing for film.  Jean's first work at Columbia would be for friend Irene Dunne in the appropriately named Together Again (1944).  The film world would never be the same.

The Columbia Years

Once Banton departed for Universal in 1945, Louis was made the head costume designer at Columbia.  He was then given the rare honor of full screen credit for his "Gowns by Jean Louis."  His overarching style was sleek and simple, but very elegant.  Superfluous details never complicated his designs.  It's for these reason that his clothes remain so timeless today.  During his career, he would help establish the style of several actresses.  One of the first at Columbia was Rita Hayworth, who he worked with in 1945's Tonight and Every Night.  But it was their next movie, the the now iconic Gilda (1946), that turned her into an international superstar. As that character and in Jean's gowns, Rita became known as the "Love Goddess" all over the world.  Her black satin strapless "Put the Blame on Mame" gown, in particular, is widely considered one of the ten best costumes of all time.  It is also one of the most influential on fashion designers--you would be hard-pressed to find an awards show red carpet today that doesn't have at least one dress that owes some of its design to Gilda.  Jean's next movie with Rita The Lady from Shanghai (1947) was another film noir with a stunning wardrobe for the screen siren.  They would go on to do 10 pictures together.

After Rita decided to depart from Columbia (and then even America so she could marry a prince), the seductive Kim Novak stepped up as the studio's new star.  Jean was with her from the very beginning, even designing a special wardrobe for her screen test at the request of head Harry Cohn.  Bell, Book and Candle (1957) and Pal Joey (1958, with Rita) are just two of the films that Jean and Kim did together, and her clothes reflect both the sweet and sultry sides of her personality.  Both movies were Oscar nominated for their chic costume design along with ones he did for Judy Holliday, who was another star at Columbia.  Louis transformed her into dancer "Billie" Dawn for the Oscar nominated Born Yesterday (1950), a particular triumph as Judy was not naturally glamorous and seemed "completely disinterested" when she was dressed for the costume tests.  Yet onscreen, in Jean's gorgeous clothes, she found the character and "even he was amazed at the changes."  Perhaps it's an especially sweet victory then, after 14 nominations, that Jean finally hit the jackpot with Judy's film Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) and won his one and only Oscar.

Iconic film noir style for Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946)

and The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Transforming Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday (1950)

and the Oscar-winning The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)

Kim Novak in her favorite color purple for Pal Joey (1957)

and ever seductive in Bell, Book and Candle (1958)

The Universal Years and Beyond

In 1958, Jean followed Banton's example once again and went to head the costume design department at Universal. There he immediately met another star who he would help define her signature style--Doris Day.  Pillow Talk (1959) was the first of their films together along with her three-time co-star Rock Hudson.  This marked a turning point for her.  "He created a sophisticated allure for Doris that launched a new phase of her career," wrote journalist Tom Vallance.  With this wardrobe, Jean highlighted her phenomenal figure with colorful tailored wiggle dresses and brought out the sexuality in her virginal onscreen persona.  Friend James Garner--who starred with her in The Thrill of It All (1963, also designed by Jean Louis)--said Doris "exuded sex" while still maintaining her image of the All American Girl.  Pillow Talk is so influential that I have chosen it as one of The Style Essentials and it is one of my personal favorites as well.  It started a look she would continue in subsequent films, no matter what costume designer was assigned to the production.  Irene (Lover Come Back), Morton Haack (Please Don't Eat the Daisies), and Ray Aghayan (Glass Bottom Boat) all followed Jean's lead with her.  Jean would return to work with Doris again on her third picture with Rock Hudson Send Me No Flowers (1964).

Another actress he loved and worked with while at Universal was Lana Turner.  Next to Rita, Lana is perhaps the best example of Jean Louis style.  In an era when costumes were becoming more realistic in film, Jean continued to be known for glamour and frequently designed for Lana.  Costumes in these lavish films--particularly those by producer Ross Hunter, which included Pillow Talk--really showed Jean's gift with color.  It was one of his great talents and something that drew me personally to his designs.  "He had the most amazing discerning eye for color," recalls his daughter-in-law Linda Lewis.  "It was a 6th sense for him."  Another of my favorite movie wardrobes is Jean's colorful confections for Lana in Imitation of Life (1959).

In addition to his time at Universal, he also started to freelance for other studios around 1960 and would continue to do so until 1973.  This included the costume design for blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe for her last films The Misfits (1960) and the sadly unfinished Something's Got to Give (1962).  But his best known costume for Marilyn--and indeed one of the most iconic of all time--is not from film at all.

Jean Louis helps Doris Day find her signature style in Pillow Talk (1959)

and The Thrill of It All (1963)

Giving Lana Turner glamour in Ross Hunter productions

Imitation of Life (1959, above) and Madame X (1966)

With Marilyn Monroe in her last productions The Misfits (1961)

and the unfinished Something's Got to Give (1962)

Acts of Illusion

Jean was not only known for his glamorous costumes onscreen, but offscreen as well.  He was a genius for creating drama for actresses on the stage.  First, in 1950, he designed Dorothy Lamour's stage costumes at the London Pallidum where a subtle striptease revealed her signature sarong underneath.  But his most famous moment on stage came in 1962 when he literally sewed Marilyn Monroe into a flesh-colored marquisette gown covered in 2,500 graduated rhinestones.  In it she sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in front of 15,000 people.  It is an iconic gown that everyone knows today.

Marilyn's dress was inspired by stage costumes Jean created for Marlene Dietrich and her Las Vegas cabaret act during the 1950s and 1960s.  Much like he did for Rita in the 1940s, Jean first created a body stocking for Marlene that perfected her figure underneath; it is one of the reasons she seemed so age-defying over the years.  He then slipped a gown of nude silk chiffon with strategically placed sequins over the foundation garment.  Because he matched the fabric so closely to the color of her skin, it gave the illusion of her wearing nothing at all.  Eventually, Jean designed an entire wardrobe of these 'illusion gowns' for her act in various colors with sequins or beading.  Her show became so popular that she would tour the world performing in Jean's custom-made costumes.  His gowns for both Marilyn and Marlene have had such a lasting impact that they continue to influence many designers today. 

Marilyn in her iconic "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" gown at Madison Square Garden 1962

Marlene Dietrich in one of her many illusion gowns for her Las Vegas cabaret act during 1950s and 1960s

Lovely Loretta

In addition to film, Jean also contributed to iconic television.  He and his wife Maggie were both great friends with Loretta Young since he designed for her on the Columbia picture Paula (1952).  She then launched The Loretta Young Show in 1953, which was groundbreaking at the time (she was both producer and star) and it became known for its fashion.  Audiences tuned in week after week to see what she was wearing in her entrance and watch her signature 'twirl.'  It is widely reported that Jean created all of her television costumes, but this is simply not true--many designers were involved, including Werlé and Travilla.  Jean would not work with her again until The New Loretta Young Show debuted in 1962, and then he designed all 26 episodes of the series until it ended in 1963 (that time period is reflected in the photo below).

Then, in the late 1960s, Jean would finally step out and design his own fabulous fashion line while continuing to do films freelance at the studios. His label was called "Jean Louis, Inc." and sold through his Beverly Hills boutique as well as better department stores across the country.  Not surprisingly, he was especially popular with sophisticated women in California and New York.   During this decade, he also was responsible for updating the United Airlines uniforms, which made all the attendants look beautiful and set that certain Modern style we still admire today.  Loretta remained one of the best models of his work, though, as you will see in the photos here.  She once said, "I love his clothes because they are understated high fashion and yet seductive at the same time." I couldn't have said it better.

After his dear wife Maggie passed away, Jean and Loretta remained very close and were married toward the end of their lives in 1993.  He was a loyal friend and Linda Lewis described him as "a soft-spoken and quiet man, but with a lovely sense of humor."  He also had great style, which was as important to him personally as it was when dressing his stars.  I frequently speak of the great partnerships between costume designers and actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood--Adrian and Joan Crawford, Edith Head and Grace Kelly, Helen Rose and Elizabeth Taylor.  Jean Louis and Rita Hayworth should be added to that elite list.  Travis Banton is another with his strong partnership with Marlene Dietrich during her early days at Paramount.  Interestingly Jean, his good friend, would have that kind of relationship with her in the later days of her career.

But obviously, we can't stop there as countless others owe something to Jean.  As we discussed, Kim Novak, Doris Day, Lana Turner, Judy Holliday, and Marilyn Monroe are all examples of his design genius.  We should also include Irene Dunne, Rosalind Russell, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn, Deborah Kerr, Julie Andrews, Shirley MacLaine, Shirley Jones, Ann-Margret, Gloria Grahame, and Lizabeth Scott.  Just to name a few.  Carol Channing, who he designed for in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) said, "Jean loved each one of us....He saw us as perfect as the way God made us."

Though he passed away in 1997, the legacy of Jean Louis lives on and on.  His impact can be found in film as well as fashion--Jean is responsible for multiple examples of iconic costume design and it continues to influence many artists today.  As I share in my Cinema Connection series, fashion designers frequently take inspiration from his work.  Michael Kors, Vera Wang, Zuhair Murad, Giorgio Armani, Georgina Chapman (Marchesa), Sarah Burton (Alexander McQueen), and Zac Posen are some who have paid homage to Jean in their collections.  Another is my friend Ali Rahimi, designer for the Mon Atelier couturier, who cites Jean Louis as a major influence.  Jean's vision has been personally meaningful to me as well.  And, to be sure, many more are inspired by his designs likely without even knowing his name.

I know that this is but a brief introduction to the greatness of Jean Louis and his vast talent, but I look forward to sharing much more with you later when I finish writing the book.

I cannot wait.

Loretta Young in Jean Louis

Jean and Loretta happily married in the 1990s

Many thanks to

Chris and Linda Lewis

Other Sources

Biography.com

DorisDay.net

DorisDayMagic.com

FilmReference.com

Hattie Carnegie--FashionEncyclopedia.com

Hattie Carnegie--OnThisDayinFashion.com

History.com

Holtzman, Will.  Judy Holliday.  New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1982.

Independent.co.uk

JWA.org

Leese, Elizabeth. Costume Design in the Movies.  New York: Dover Publications, 1991.

NYTimes.com

PrettyCleverFilms.com

Shipman, David.  Judy Garland: The Secret Life of an American Legend.  New York: Hyperion, 1992.

TheMarilynMonroeCollection.com

Time.com

VintageFashionGuild.org

Images as noted ©GlamAmor and thanks to Linda Lewis