Hollywood Couture: An Analysis of High-End Fashion in Film

Cristóbal Balenciaga and Christian Dior were two of the leading, Parisian fashion designers during the Golden Age of Couture from 1947-1957. Through innovative designs, beginning with Dior\u27s New Look from 1947, both Balenciaga and Dior had a great impact on society. By influencing many Hollywood film costume designers, couture styles effectively set new trends throughout the world. These connections lead to the question: How did French couture fashion designers Christian Dior and Cristóbal Balenciaga influence film costume design from the emergence of the New Look in 1947 through the appearance of the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany\u27s? Through the analysis of costume designs from various films, the undeniable relationship between couture fashion design and film costume design becomes evident. The films Sabrina (1954) and Breakfast at Tiffany\u27s (1961) serve as paradigms for the thesis, while the films On the Town (1949), Giant (1956), and Pillow Talk (1959) all support the relationship between fashion and film. Finally, That Thing You Do! (1996) exemplifies a film that looks back on the 1960s and demonstrates the influence of high-end fashion during the mid-twentieth century