Watch How Classic Hollywood Designed its Costumes

In the 1940s and ‘50s, Hollywood was an industry of glamour, and a well-oiled manufacturer of dreams. Its costume designers created sparkling gowns and over-the-top ensembles that would be impractical to wear in real life, but fit in perfectly within the fantasy worlds imagined by the movies. Perhaps no costume designer was more highly regarded during this era than Edith Head, who was nominated for a Costume Design Academy Award every year from 1949 to 1967. By the time she died in 1981, Head had won eight Oscars (the most won by a woman).

In the 1950 documentary The Costume Designer, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences went behind the scenes with Head as she researched and designed her fantastical and glamorous costumes. The documentary details the Hollywood costume designer’s creative process and, of course, showcases some pretty amazing outfits. The film provides a fascinating glimpse into 1950s costume design. Check it out above.

Banner Image Credit: Oscars, YouTube