READ THIS: Dressing Marilyn How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla by Andrew Hansford Our Coverage Sponsored by Hallak Cleaners the Couture Cleaner
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Whom You Know Highly Recommends Dressing Marilyn How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla by Andrew Hansford, and here's why:
Marilyn Madness! “Dressing Marilyn” is a great book for huge fans of Marilyn Monroe and those who just love fashion. Behind the scene information is revealed giving you greater insight to the spectacular fashion icon. William Travilla is the star behind the star, styling and dressing Marilyn for both movies and big moments. Most interesting to me was that Marilyn was sewn into many of dresses on set to create those incredible form fitting looks. So those looking for a glimpse of Hollywood glamour never told before in this way, be prepared to fall in love with Marilyn all over. This incredible story of a friendship built on glamour between star and stylist will keep you interested page after page. Thank you Andrew Hansford for telling it in an intelligent and creative way!
DRESSING MARILYN by Andrew Hansford provides a fascinating glimpse into how William Travilla designed the gowns that Marilyn Monroe is known for. The details behind each dress are described in detail: the background, the structure, the color. We learn that Marilyn was sewn into her dresses and how she felt about her clothes. The book also allows us to understand Marilyn better -- what made her the icon she was -- and to relate to her as a real person needing to be dressed by a genius. The photography is gorgeous. Each outfit is amazing. And the storyline is really interesting. A truly good read!
I'm always on the lookout for a gorgeous book that I can keep on my coffee table for guests to enjoy. "Dressing Marilyn: How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla" by Andrew Hansford is the perfect choice for me! Not only is the cover of this book exquisite, the photos inside are as well! Andrew Hansford did an amazing job of assembling unseen material, original sketches, patterns, costume test shots and lost interviews that reveal the fashion secrets of a Hollywood goddess. William Travilla was one of the most sought after designers of Hollywood's Golden Age and one of his most famous clients was Marilyn herself! Hansford reveals in this book how Travilla, with the help of the famous white dress in "The Seven Year Itch" and stunning pink dress from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" helped transform Marilyn into moviedom's most memorable sex symbol. Marilyn Monroe was clearly one of Travilla's muses and the book not only tells us but also shows us the great friendship they had. Make sure to pick up a copy of this amazing book today!
In Dressing Marilyn, How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla, readers will delight in fashion, film and fun. This insiders glimpse into the world of fashion design and the film industry is fascinating. The best parts of this book however, are the stories, details and photos of the one and only Marilyn Monroe. Not only is the personal side of Marilyn revealed, but great attention is focused on her gorgeous clothing and costumes. Broken down into chapters by each famous dress and look Marilyn was known for, readers get a behind the scenes tour of her costumes and her personality. The book also offers an intimate look into the exciting life of William Travilla and his unique relationship with Ms.Monroe. Celebrating the lives of two of Hollywood's greatest contributors, Dressing Marilyn is a great read with beautiful photos and sketches. Perfect for any Marilyn fans, fashion followers, or for any readers looking to take a journey back to the hay day of Hollywood and all of its glamour.
Movies fascinate, and concentrate decades of popular culture into bright moments that we isolate and remember. One of those moments will undoubtedly have Marilyn Monroe in at least one iconic scene, maybe with her dress blowing over a subway grate, in Times Square (The Seven Year Itch). Or maybe draped in the middle of several dozen men, doing her "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) number. Locked in our collective memory is Marilyn, as much a part of America as the flag. Born as Norma Jean, and transmogrified into Marilyn with the help of a precise team of professionals, she became a symbol for the US, and our Hollywood cinematography worldwide. It didn't happen without Billy Travilla. Wardrobe makes the actor, and William Travilla had already been on the Hollywood lot of 20th Century Fox, putting his stamp on Errol Flynn's costumes ( the Adventures of Don Juan), when he met Marilyn. Even if you don't know your movie history, you know the scenes and the films that Travilla made famous with his designs. That "Diamonds " number, picked up and redone by Madonna, will live forever. Marilyn's character was formed into her gowns, and her gowns helped create the fantasy that was Marilyn. Although Mr. Travilla went on to have a successful career post MM, with Emmys and Oscars for other gigs, the Marilyn dresses have helped place him in the spotlight once again.
What other book has chapters just about a dress? You'll love the references, quotes, and stories around these fabulous pieces. You'll love reading about old Hollywood, and the technique of design. My favorite thing about the book is the man himself, William Travilla.
Who wouldn't love a guy who says: "When I die, don't have me cremated, have me pleated"? From a popular culture buff, this book is a must.
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William Travilla was one of the most sought-after designers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, creating outfits for Jane Russell, Paul Newman, Judy Garland, and Lauren Bacall, and earning an Oscar in 1949 for his work in Adventures of Don Juan. But his most famous client was undoubtedly Marilyn Monroe.
In Dressing Marilyn: How a Hollywood Icon Was Styled by William Travilla (Applause Books, $29.99), Andrew Hansford takes fans of Hollywood glamor and fans of fashion back in time. Dressing Marilyn features previously unseen material, including original sketches, patterns, and costume test shots, along with insights from lost interviews with Travilla that reveal the fashion secrets of a Hollywood goddess.
Hansford, the manager of the Travilla archives, explains how Travilla’s life was turned upside down after meeting Marilyn Monroe, and how he became her exclusive designer and friend for many years. He takes the reader into a world of glamor and sophistication, revealing how Travilla – with the help of the white dress that was no match for a subway grate in The Seven-Year Itch, the stunning pink dress in which Marilyn sang “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and many other equally memorable creations – helped transform Marilyn into one of moviedom’s most memorable sex symbols.
“Writing about such an incredible part of America’s history -- The Glory Days of Hollywood -- teases and excites the reader to know more about this glorious time,” Hansford explained. “My focus is on Travilla’s early career and his friendship with his muse Marilyn Monroe. Never has a partnership lasted the test of time like these two, Marilyn, still the most talked about, copied, and written about star, and Travilla the man who dressed her.”
In addition to print and broadcast publicity and marketing to coincide with the book’s North American debut in April, Dressing Marilyn will be a centerpiece of festivities celebrating Marilyn Monroe on the 50th anniversary of her death in August.
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Andrew Hansford manages the William Travilla archive and was responsible for the 2008 Travilla Exhibition. He has lectured to fashion students on Travilla and his work. He lives in London.
April 2012 $29.99 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-55783-846-9
192 pages 8.5” x 11” 200 color and b&w photos throughout
Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, an imprint of Hal Leonard
