My final project explored the glamorous and dark side to Hollywood in the height of the Golden Age. In the characters I designed and developed I aimed to expose an element of this dark side through each character, individually dealing with dark issues that are attached to Hollywood but keeping up the façade of the Hollywood tinsel. Through the costumes created I feel I have achieved this as both are elegant, glamourous, and luxurious costumes, which deflected away from the dark issues that the Hollywood world has caused and created. 

I researched and explored 1950’s Hollywood. An era of costume and history I found fascinating particularly the amazing gowns worn by huge Hollywood stars, such as, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. As well as the historical context of this decade and how it was such a pivotal time in fashion history. Using this research, I began creating my own designs that fitted my adapted story based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh. Vile Bodies follows the lives of young bright socialites in 1920’s London, who are the celebrities of that decade, with extravagate parties, gossip and social climbing. Exposing the raw elements of the high-class lifestyle along with the tragic endings that came from it.

I looked closely into Haute Couture dress making, inspiring my two costume creations and how they were put together. I kept them traditional to couture with majority of the garments being hand sewn and using high quality fabrics.