Designer | Jean Louis |
---|---|
Year | 1946 |
Type | Black strapless dress |
Material | Satin |
In the 1946 film Gilda , Rita Hayworth wore a black dress made by American costume designer Jean Louis. [1] It was used in a scene in which the character of Gilda sings the song "Put the Blame on Mame", improvising a quick striptease, choreographed by Jack Cole. [2] [3] The dress has helped consolidate the image of the femme fatale , as well as being universally recognized as an icon of fashion and cinema. [3] [4] The Independent named it as one of the Ten Best Fashion Moments in Film. [4]
Jean Louis, Columbia Pictures costume designer, collaborated with the actress Rita Hayworth in nine films from the 1945 until 1959. Louis is considered "an essential ingredient in the formula that created the image of Rita Hayworth". [1]
To create clothes for Gilda, Jean Louis was inspired by Portrait of Madame X , the famous socialite in Paris. [3] [5] According to Life magazine, the wardrobe designed by Jean Louis for Rita Hayworth had a value of about $60,000, a large figure for the time. [1]
In 1946, the image of Rita Hayworth in the Gilda black dress was imprinted on the first nuclear bomb to be tested after the Second World War, as part of Operation Crossroads. The bomb, nicknamed "Gilda", was decorated with a photograph of Hayworth cut from the June 1946 issue of Esquire magazine. Above it was stenciled "Gilda" in two-inch black letters. [6]
In April 2009, the dress was to be sold at the auction of the Forrest J. Ackerman estate. In the description of the lot it was specified that the dress still had the label "property of Columbia Pictures" and "Rita Hayworth" sewn inside. [5] The initial price was estimated between $30,000 and $50,000, but the lot was withdrawn before it reached the auction. [5] [7] Later, in September 2009, the dress appeared mysteriously in an auction on eBay with a starting price of $30,000. [1]
The scene with the black dress has been referenced in several films. Jessica Rabbit in the Disney film Who Framed Roger Rabbit , performs "Why Don't You Do Right?" similarly to Rita Hayworth in Gilda. For the 23rd James Bond film Skyfall (2012), costume designer Jany Temime referenced the dress while creating an outfit for Bond girl Sévérine. [8]
The strapless dress [3] is a sheath in black satin with a straight neckline, leaving the shoulders bare. [4] In the scene in which it appears, the dress is paired with a pair of full length satin opera gloves. [9]
To be able to wear the dress, Hayworth had to wear a corset, because just a few months prior she had given birth to her daughter and had not yet regained her pre-pregnancy figure. [10] In addition to the dress, Jean Louis made a harness, worn under the dress. [10] The harness consisted of stays—one in the centre and two on the sides. [11] In addition, the soft plastic had been molded around the top of the dress. [11]
Rita Hayworth was an American actress. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined the term "The Love Goddess" to describe Hayworth after she had become the most glamorous screen idol of the 1940s. She was the top pin-up girl for GIs during World War II.
Edith Head was an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making her the most awarded woman in the Academy's history. Head is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential costume designers in film history.
Gilda is a 1946 American film noir directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. The film is known for cinematographer Rudolph Maté's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis's wardrobe for Hayworth, and choreographer Jack Cole's staging of "Put the Blame on Mame" and "Amado Mio", sung by Anita Ellis. Over the years Gilda has gained cult classic status. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".
Ladies' evening gloves or opera gloves are a type of formal glove that reaches beyond the elbow.
Jean Louis was a French-American costume designer. He won an Academy Award for The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956).
"Happy Birthday, Mr. President" is a song sung by actress and singer Marilyn Monroe on May 19, 1962, for President John F. Kennedy at a gala held at Madison Square Garden for his 45th birthday, 10 days before the actual date. The event was co-hosted by Arthur B. Krim and Anna M. Rosenberg, who sat next to the President during the star-studded event.
William Travilla, known professionally as Travilla, was an American costume designer for theatre, film, and television. He is perhaps best known for designing costumes for Marilyn Monroe in eight of her films, as well as two of the most iconic dresses in cinematic history.
The gown-and-glove striptease is considered a very traditional form of the striptease. This routine developed in America and spread to Europe. The performer, usually female, is dressed elegantly in an evening gown with a back zipper and elbow length opera gloves. She then removes the gloves one at a time, in a slow teasing manner, before similarly removing the gown. This type of dance is exemplified by actresses like Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946) and Natalie Wood in Gypsy (1962) and by current neo-burlesque performers like Dita Von Teese, Bonnie Delight, Bettsie Bon Bon and Havana Hurricane.
In fashion, a sheath dress is a fitted, straight cut dress, often nipped at the waistline with no waist seam. When constructing the dress, the bodice and skirt are joined together by combining the skirt darts into one dart: this aligns the skirt darts with the bodice waist dart. The dress emphasizes the waist as its skirt portion is fitted. While the sheath dress can come in many patterns and lengths, it often is worn with short sleeves and reaches knee length.
Audrey Hepburn wore a "little black dress" in the 1961 romantic comedy film Breakfast at Tiffany's. The garment was designed by Hubert de Givenchy, and is worn during the opening scene of the film. The dress has been described as one of the most iconic clothing items of the twentieth century.
Marilyn Monroe wore a white dress in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, directed by Billy Wilder. It was created by costume designer William Travilla and worn in the movie's best-known scene. The image of it and her above a windy subway grating has been described as one of the most iconic images of the 20th century.
Angelina Jolie wore a white satin dress with a plunging neckline designed by Marc Bouwer at the 76th Academy Awards on February 29, 2004. It has been described in subsequent years by fashion and celebrity publications as a memorable and stylish selection that was reminiscent of classical Hollywood style. It was the second time that Jolie wore a Marc Bouwer dress to the Oscars. In 2000 she accepted her Oscar for Girl, Interrupted in a frock designed by Bouwer.
Marilyn Monroe wore a shocking pink dress in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, directed by Howard Hawks. The dress was created by costume designer William "Billy" Travilla and was used in one of the most famous scenes of the film, which subsequently became the subject of numerous imitations, significantly from Madonna in the music video for her 1985 song "Material Girl".
Virginia Van Upp was an American film producer and screenwriter.
A strapless dress or top is a garment that stays put around the upper body without shoulder straps or other visible means of support. It is usually supported by an internal corset and/or brassiere, with the tightness of the bodice preventing the dress from slipping out of position.
Helen Hunt was a hair stylist in Hollywood movies from the 1930s up to 1967, when she worked on Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. She was the chief hair stylist for Columbia Pictures.
Keira Knightley wore a green dress in the 2007 romantic war drama film Atonement. The garment was created by costume designer Jacqueline Durran with director Joe Wright, and is worn during the film's climactic scene. The dress, combining period and modern elements, was praised by media publications upon Atonement's release, and is regarded as a standout in film fashion.
Julia Roberts wore a red dress in the 1990 romantic comedy film Pretty Woman. The ensemble was created by costume designer Marilyn Vance, and is worn during a "transformative" scene in the film where Roberts' character, Vivian Ward, accompanies her love interest to a night at the opera. 30 years after the film's release, Vogue Paris referred to the off-the-shoulder evening gown as “iconic”, and stated that it contributed to making the romantic comedy "legendary".
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