Edith Head - by Jay Jorgensen (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

All About Eve. Funny Face. Sunset Blvd. Rear Window. Sabrina. A Place in the Sun. The Ten Commandments. Scores of iconic films of the last century had one thing in common: costume designer Edith Head (1897 -- 1981). She racked up an unprecedented 35 Oscar nods and 400 film credits over the course of a fifty-year career.

Never before has the account of Hollywood's most influential designer been so thoroughly revealed -- because never before have the Edith Head Archives of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences been tapped. This unprecedented access allows this book to be a one-of-a-kind survey, bringing together a spectacular collection of rare and never-before-seen sketches, costume test shots, behind-the- scenes photos, and ephemera.

Review Quotes

The Independent (UK), 10/4/10
"There's fierce, and there's Edith Head. The name to drop in the golden age of Hollywood, Head was wardrobe consultant on Rear Window and All About Eve, to name a couple of classics.
This stunning new book chronicles her 50-year career with sketches and archive material."

Harper's Bazaar, October 2010
"It's a must-have book for connoisseurs of fashion and film alike."

Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL- Library Journal's Xpress Review 10/29/10
"The golden age of Hollywood sparkled with glamorous stars and extravagant cinematic productions. Costume designer Edith Head won five Oscars and epitomized--along with actors she clothed such as Barbara Stanwyck, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn--the star quality of these heady days. Jorgensen (editor, Peterson's Photographic magazine) captures a behind-the-scenes look at the world and work of this dedicated, prolific artist. He includes background information and gorgeous color photographs and illustrations of the costumes she meticulously designed. While incorporating biographical information about Head, Jorgensen focuses primarily on the clothes, which perfectly personified the characters in films like All About Eve, Roman Holiday, and Sunset Boulevard.

Verdict For fans of classic Hollywood movies and students of fashion, photography, and film. Those who want a more in-depth look at the personal life of this iconic Hollywood figure should read David Chierichetti's Edith Head: The Life and Times of Hollywood's Celebrated Costume Designer.

BookPage, December 2010
"...scrupulously researched and handsomely assembled work... Filled with pithy anecdotes and never-before-seen sketches, Edith Head is the book for the costume design enthusiast.

Films in Review
"The book is a treat. A spectacular repository of on-set pictures of Ms. Head at work, plus her costume designs, and even a recipe for Chicken and Potatoes Casa Ladera (her home in the 50s), we get a full-bodied picture of her career . . . . fun . . . beautiful." Sight & Sound"This spectacular one-of-a-kind book surveys Head's work in words and pictures, bringing together rare, never-before-seen sketches, fabric samples, costume tests and behind-the-scenes photos from the Edith Head archives." Guardian
"[Author Jay Jorgensen's] pictures are a revelation. He has excellent images of Head's designs, at their best when based on character rather than dazzle." Rage Monthly
"Edith Head: The Fifty-Year Career of Hollywood's Greatest Costume Designer is a beautifully done book. The flow of the chapters, the extensive photos comprised of stars and the costumes alone are quite remarkable and create a fascinating read for Hollywood fashion aficionados."

About the Author

Jay Jorgensen is a film and fashion historian and collector. He is the author of Edith Head: The Fifty-Year Career of Hollywood's Greatest Costume Designer. Jorgensen is also a photographer whose work has been showcased in magazines such as People and TV Guide. He lives in Palm Springs, California.