THE AUTHENTICITY OF MOVIE COSTUME SKETCHES

There is sometimes confusion, and even indifference, as to whether a movie costume design sketch is the real thing. This sometimes happens when costume sketches come up for sale, either by auction or through private sale. As with other Hollywood movie memorabilia, the prices can be breathtaking. Unfortunately, whether the costume design sketch was made as part of the film's original production, or whether it was rendered years or even decades later as an illustration of a movie costume, is information that is rarely provided. Why would this differentiation matter? And why does it happen? After more than twenty years of collecting and studying movie costume sketches, I would like to provide some guidelines.



A costume sketch for Gloria Swanson for the costume worn in her first appearance in the film Sunset Blvd. The costume fabric lining was changed for the film.

                                                                       

Since early in the twentieth century, costume designs for films have mostly started as design sketches, usually rendered in watercolor or gouache on paper or illustration board. The costume sketch was the costume design. It not only represented the designer's intent, but it was shown and passed around to the film's director, producer, and the star or actor it was designed for. It often had their approval initials, fabric samples, production number, scene number, and costume change number, as well as information on the back as to budget, costs, accessories, and sometimes which costume fitter worked on it. The costume sketch then went to wardrobe, where it was passed around from fitter or draper to seamstresses and beaders. The costume sketch was usually painted to be beautiful, because the star was beautiful and the costume was to make them beautiful, as well as to further their role. This is also where the star could fully visualize themselves in the role. And part of the job of the sketch was to appeal to star and director to get their approval. But sketches were not meant to be art - they were working tools. Sometimes parts of the costume in the sketch were scratched out with pencil. The sketches could be signed by the designer, or not. Often the designer used a sketch artist to do the costume sketches. This was often done because the designer didn't have the time to do a well-rendered sketch.

                                                             

This is a costume sketch for Eva Marie Saint in Raintree County by Walter Plunkett. Although Plunkett was a good artist, a separate sketch artist rendered this sketch.

                                                                             
                                                                                

An original costume design sketch could be modified while the costume was being fabricated in Wardrobe (or after the Studio system, wherever the costume was made). Sometimes the costume was made but never used in the film, or its scene was edited out, or the costume could only be partially seen. Regardless, these costume sketches, whether used or not, should be considered original production costume sketches whenever they were made as part of the movie costume design process.


There exists a variety of "costume sketches" that should not be confused with original production costume sketches. These were often done by the costume designers themselves or by their own sketch artists years after the original movie was released and all the costumes had been made. There were several reasons for these to be produced. Some designers like Edith Head and Helen Rose did charity fashion shows late in their careers, featuring their famous costumes. Since the original costume sketch no longer survived or was not in their possession, another one was made to display at these shows. These were often illustrated with more eye appeal than the original, and now featured bold designer signatures and the names of the stars they were for and the film titles. In the Studio days, it was well known who the designer was on any given film, so signatures were irregularly added. Sometimes in retirement a designer liked to revisit their creations and had the leisure to paint their most famous or favorite costume designs. Walter Plunkett recreated many of his in this manner and had some printed as lithographs. Other designers recreated their own most famous costume sketches to give as gifts or to sell at benefit auctions. The intent of the designers here was never to deceive. And during the lifetimes of the classic era designers, costume sketches had little financial value anyway. When a film wrapped, there was no need to re-do costume design sketches - everyone moved on to the next film.

                               
                                                                              
These re-do "costume sketches," since they were done long after the costumes were made and the films produced, had the luxury of being more or less exact replicas of the costumes as seen on the film, and often in the star's iconic pose from the film. But since they were not part of the original production of the movie nor of the design process of the costumes, they are not costume design sketches at all but rather illustrations of the costumes as seen in the films. That these sketches are signed by the designer does not make them original costume designs. They may be beautiful and worthy of framing and hanging on a wall as art, but they should not be described as original costume design sketches. Since these tend to be done picturing the most  iconic gowns or costumes, one can spend many thousands of dollars on such  illustrations. Perhaps that is perfectly satisfactory to some, but I'd like to know if the sketch is original, and if it isn't , how many more like it might be around?



This is not a costume sketch. It is a lithograph printed from a painting that Walter Plunkett did after he retired. It illustrates the velvet curtain dress Vivien Leigh wore in  Gone With The Wind.

                                                                                                                                                           
Having the extra trappings in an original costume design sketch, such as fabric samples, scene numbers, approval signatures, and budget figures, are for the collector a matter of taste and degree of curiosity vis-a-vis a clean sketch. But nothing can replace the knowledge that the original sketch was handled personally by the star, by the director, by the producer, and not least, by the skilled artisans that actually made the costume that was depicted. The sketch that was made subsequent to the movie's production is a shadow of these things.



This is a costume sketch for Jane Wyatt in Our Very Own, designed and rendered by Mary Wills. The sketch also has her signature and costume notes.

                                                                   
How can one tell the difference between an original movie costume sketch and a later illustration or some other kind of fashion sketch? Sometimes it may not be possible, but there are signs. Stay tuned for the next post.