Famous designers who have costumed films: From Christian Dior to Miuccia Prada

In the famous opening scene of Blake Edward's 1961 romantic comedy, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', Holly Golightly (played by Audrey Hepburn) is seen getting out of a yellow cab in a cocktail gown, holding a coffee and croissant in her hand as she looks into the windows of the luxury jewellery store, Tiffany and Co.. The sleeveless, black satin dress has arguably become one of Givenchy's most recognisable creations. 

Following Coco Chanel's introduction of the concept in the 1920s, the iconic dress presented audiences with a modern rendition of the little black dress and it has been considered as one of the most influential dresses in the history of 20th-century fashion and costume design.

The original, shorter version of the dress was never actually worn in the film. It now resides in the house of Givenchy archives while another copy is housed at the garment museum in Madrid. A third sold at a Christie’s auction in 2006 for a price of 467,200 pounds.

The timeless dress is still influencing fashion today as Natalie Portman wore one of the three original versions in a cover photo for Harper’s Bazaar in November 2006. 

Pierre Balmain has dressed some of Old Hollywood’s brightest stars, from Katherine Hepburn to Sofia Loren and Jane Fonda. In 1956, he created some of the looks that Brigitte Bardot wore in Roger Vadim’s 'And God Created Woman'. Extraordinarily sexy yet innocent at the same time, the outfits not only encapsulated Bardot’s character, Juliet Hardy, but the essence of '50s and '60s glamour.

The beauty of the costumes Balmain created for this movie is not found in the exuberance of luxe glamorous gowns and sparkling evening dresses but in the simplicity of the casual, daytime looks that emulated the silhouettes that were popularised in the '50s.

Sensual without being revealing, the looks he designed included a button-down shirt dress and a red wiggle dress. Form-fitted and cinched at the waist, the elegant lines expressed the female form in a tasteful yet powerful manner that embodied the free-spirited personality of Bardot's character.   

Gabrielle Chanel designed the dresses that Delphine Seyrig wore in Alain Renias’ 1961 production of 'Last Year at Marienbad'. The costumes have stood the test of time as the movie was recently digitized and restored, with the help of Chanel, using the original negatives from the 1960s.

The costumes were envisioned by Renias to not be role-specific, but instead, to be reminiscent of a real-life wardrobe, to provide for imagery that had a timeless, modern allure. Gabrielle Chanel offered a selection of Haute Couture looks that were representative of that era’s contemporary fashion. The avant-garde costumes showcased a wonderful mix of both '20s and '60s styles, it was light yet sophisticated. Think chiffon and layers of tulle, delicate lace and dramatic feathers. Of course, in true Chanel fashion, there had to be a few little black dresses in the mix. 

Yves Saint Laurent was enlisted by director Luis Buñuel to costume Catherine Deneuve in her breakthrough role as Séverine Serizy in 'Belle Du Jour'. Just 6 years after establishing his eponymous label, Deneuve’s character was dressed in iconic Yves Saint Laurent styles and silhouettes. Think fitted, military-style coats in dark wools, leather coats trimmed in fur, tennis outfits and slightly flared, A-line dresses.

Deneuve initially wanted to wear miniskirts that were popular during that era, but tailored, figure-hugging, minimalist styles were chosen instead, with skirts that were cut above the knee. All to ensure that the film’s visuals did not end up being too specific to the period. 

It worked as the ultra-chic, sophisticated styles have survived through the decades. Yves Saint Laurent worked well with the director and the costumes are an ode to the classic modernity of his designs, they also helped bring an aspect of surrealism to the film, which was typical of Buñuel. This collaboration reflected how the connection between designer and director can create spectacular imagery, the costumes perfectly juxtaposed the two distinct identities that Deneuve's character portrayed. 

The sand-toned safari-style dress with patch pockets, fly front zip, epaulets and gold chain belt in the movie is particularly interesting, as in the sixties, Yves Saint Laurent marked a turning point in safari style with this iconic design. The patent leather coat she wears with knitted sleeves would not look out of place on any runway today either. 

When Christian Dior debuted his first collection in February 1947, Hollywood stars were extremely taken by designs, one of whom was German-American actress, Marlene Dietrich. Possibly one of the most popular film and music stars of the era, she famously said to Hitchcock, "No Dior, no Dietrich" when negotiating her role in the movie.

This sparked the stunning collaboration, where Christian Dior created a luxuriously glamourous, elegant and sophisticated wardrobe for Dietrich’s character, Charlotte Inwood. The styles and cuts were reminiscent, of course, of Dior’s New Look that was born during the post-war period. Cinched in at the waist, exaggerated shoulders and hips, the looks featured full-skirted dresses and stylishly chic day suits.