Hollywood Costumes Design Books

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 w... [Read More]

"An attractive and informed guide. It includes an extensively cross-referenced list of films on which leading couturiers worked, a superb collection of stills, and a brief history of costume on the screen." — George L. George, MillimeterThis handsome book, the first comprehensive reference work on costume design in films, is a remarkable tribute to the men and women who "dress" a film. Substantially revised and updated, it not only presents a splendid record of costume designers' contributions... [Read More]

127 full bleed reproductions of photographs, 79 in full color, photographs by Keith Trumbo. Covers six decades of costume production in movies, including costumes once worn by and being worn by stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Shirley Temple, Carole Lombard, Jean Harlowe, Claudette Colbert, Fred Astair, Bette Davis, Vivian Leigh, and many others.

History as revealed and interpreted by Hollywood costume designers for motion pictures

The very first book on the subject of costume illustration for the movies, Hollywood Sketchbook, contains over 500 previously unpublished drawings. More than just pretty pictures, each drawing provides a blueprint for the creation of a costume and a character. This gorgeous volume affords the viewer a rare peek inside the portfolios of a century of costume designers and illustrators including Theadora Van Runkle (Bonnie and Clyde, The Godfather: Part II), Piero Tosi (The Leopard, Death in Venice... [Read More]

Hollywood costume book

Bill Travilla became a Hollywood star in his own right, thanks in large part to his premier client, actress Marilyn Monroe. Best known for designing Monroe's costumes in eight films--including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire--Travilla also lit up the silver screen with designs for Tom Mix, Ann Sheridan, Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford, Jane Russell, Paul Newman, and Joanne Woodward, among others. When the golden era of Hollywood ended, Travilla focused on running his own coutu... [Read More]

  Featuring the most beloved costume designs from the past 100 years of Hollywood films, Hollywood Costume celebrates, for the very first time, the costume designer’s contribution to the telling of the cinematic story. Published in conjunction with an exhibition launched at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London that the New York Times called “extraordinary,” the book showcases the talents of renowned designers such as Adrian, Edith Head, and Sandy Powell, among many others, whose work s... [Read More]

From the lavish productions of Hollywood's Golden Age through the high-tech blockbusters of today, the most memorable movies all have one thing in common: they rely on the magical transformations rendered by the costume designer. Whether spectacular or subtle, elaborate or barely there, a movie costume must be more than merely a perfect fit. Each costume speaks a language all its own, communicating mood, personality, and setting, and propelling the action of the movie as much as a scripted line ... [Read More]

300 Cosplay Design Tricks. How to build a professional costume quick and cheap.