TWO GOOD

In the golden age of the Hollywood studios, every major studio had at least two costume designers on staff. While the studios banked on the publicity value of their number one designers - like Adrian, Travis Banton, Irene, and Orry-Kelly, their number two designers were also highly talented and produced outstanding costumes and fashions for many stars. And many of the number two designers also became number one. Edith Head replaced Travis Banton at Paramount in 1938, and Helen Rose replaced Irene at MGM in 1949, both after working several years at those studios. And the studios were also privileged to have excellent free-lance costume designers in Hollywood that supplemented their talent pool.
                              


Maureen O'Sullivan wears a stunning gown of black bugle beads and chiffon designed by Dolly Tree, for Hold That Kiss, 1938.

                                                                             
                                                                                 
Adrian cast a large shadow at MGM in the 1930s, but Dolly Tree also created beautiful and glamorous gowns and contemporary fashion for many films. She dressed Jean Harlow in her last movies, and Myrna Loy actually preferred her over Adrian. Dolly Tree had extensive experience working in England, on Broadway, and with Fox Studios before she went to MGM.

                                                                                    


Edward Stevenson designed this gown for Irene Dunne in Joy of Living, 1937

                                                              
Edward Stevenson had been the top designer at First National before they were bought out by Warner Brothers and the job was given to Orry-Kelly. Stevenson then went to RKO where he was number two to either Walter Plunkett or Bernard Newman. Plunkett himself sometimes felt like the number two at RKO when the most glamorous jobs were given to Bernard Newman. He left soon after Newman arrived but eventually came back. Edward Stevenson in turn became the head designer at RKO, where he designed Irene, Gunga Din,Dance Girl, Dance, Citizen Kane, and Out of the Past, among many others. The talented Renie then came to RKO to become the new number two.  




Edward Stevenson designed this gown for Barbara Stanwyck in The Mad Miss Manton in 1938. Although Edith Head is credited for coming up with the wide waistband at the front and narrowing at the back to help Stanwyck's long waisted figure, Stevenson did it before her in this 1938 film. Miss Head's contribution came in 1941 with The Lady Eve.

                                                                                        
                                                                                   
Milo Anderson was number two to Orry-Kelly at Warner Brothers for many years. The studio was very busy in the 1930s, and Anderson worked on such notable movies as 42nd Street,  Captain Blood, and The Adventures of Robin Hood. When Orry-Kelly left Warner's in 1943, Anderson became the head designer.

At 20th Century-Fox, Charles LeMaire was the titular head designer, although a stable of costume designers actually created most of the movie costumes. In the 1950s, Billy Travilla worked there as a designer, as did Mary Wills and Kay Nelson.



Loretta Young is pictured here in a beautiful gown designed by Gwen Wakeling for Wife, Doctor and Nurse in 1937. Although Wakeling was the head designer at Fox for a period, she mostly moved around to the different studios.

Robert Kalloch designed this outfit for Ida Lupino in Let's Get Married. Kalloch was a very talented designer who worked at Columbia, MGM, and freelance. He was never comfortable with the pressure of being a head designer and thus moved around to various studios until his early death.

                                                                                                                                                                    
Several excellent designers worked at different studios for relatively short stints, or worked free-lance. These designers included Rene Hubert, Gwen Wakeling, Donfeld, Howard Shoup, Moss Mabry and Irene Sharaff. All these designers came from the four quarters of the U.S and even abroad. They worked in Hollywood and L.A., influencing each other, and during Hollywood's Golden Age, influenced world fashion more so than did the Parisian couturiers. Look for their names in the opening film credits - they deserve to be recognized.