„No Dior, no Dietrich!“, was that an ultimatum? Maybe. Let us dig deeper. But how rude am I! I reckon an introduction is due. Hi, my name is Erick B. Salas, and welcome to the first post of Anatomy of a Costume, a blog where I will be dissecting every seam, hemline, and sleeve of the most iconic garments in film history and their impact on today’s runways. Now… let us go back to the main thread. What do Dior, Dietrich, and Hitchcock have in common?

Some weeks ago, I was entertaining my eyes with the 2027 Resort Collections, and I could not help but notice something mysterious in Anderson’s work for Dior. A cinematic vibe was in the air. A modern take on the Old Hollywood style. The film-noir aesthetics of the runway design. Everything was pointing to an event that happened in the 50s, when three of the most talented minds in fashion and film collided on screen: Marlene Dietrich, Christian Dior, and Alfred Hitchcock. After a little research, I could confirm that, indeed, the new-ish creative director of Maison Dior, Jonathan William Anderson, used the 1950 film „Stage Fright“ as a primary inspiration for his debut on the Cruise Circuit. But… why? Bear with me; we will get there.

Mr. Hitchcock, do you want me? Get me Dior.

Picture this. The year is 1949, and Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most influential directors of all time, is about to start the production of his first big movie under a fresh new contract with Warner Bros. The film was „Stage Fright“, a murder mystery classic, and he already had some big names in mind for the cast. We will talk later about the film in general and what I think about it as a whole project. So… let us go back to the main story. Hitchcock had his eyes on no less than Marlene Dietrich for the role of Charlotte Inwood, an extravagant stage actress and singer haunted by her husband’s murder.

By this point, Dietrich was already a superstar, considered a film, fashion, and cultural icon. Hitchcock was also a well-known and successful director. Still, he needed a strong comeback after the movies produced by his independent venture (Transatlantic Pictures) resulted in critical and financial fiascos. Frau Dietrich was indeed interested in the project, but she had a specific wish regarding her costumes. It is well known that she made the involvement of Christian Dior, as the designer of her garments, a condition of signing. „No Dior, no Dietrich“, rumor has it, was the exact phrase she used. After negotiations, Monsieur Dior was included in the final contract, and she even managed to keep the costumes afterward. A smart diva, wasn’t she?

But… was Dior already a big name in the fashion world when he worked on the costumes for „Stage Fright“? Yes, he was. Christian Dior founded his brand in 1947 and became a global sensation overnight with the introduction of the „New Look“, reshaping post-war fashion in a matter of months. But more on that later. Dior was not a stranger in the world of costume design either, having collaborated on other films and stage productions. However, such a task was not among his favorites. 

„In my opinion, the art of the costumier is essentially different from that of the couturier“, widely quoted as coming from his 1956 autobiography. According to Dior, costume design required a quality of improvisation, leading to a sacrifice of craftsmanship, which was different from his character. Regardless of his take on costume design, he agreed to dress his loyal client and delivered us some iconic looks. It is important to mention that Dior only made Dietrich’s wardrobe. The primary film costume designer was Milo Anderson, a U.S. designer known for his productive tenure at Warner Bros during the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. To be honest, if we want to be more precise, Dior did not purposely design any garment for the movie. Dietrich selected some of the existing Haute Couture collections to be tailored to her body. But enough of historical facts for the moment (you need to excuse me; I love history), and let us dive into the fabrics of some of those designs. 

From the „New Look“ to a blooming garden.

So… for future reference, in each of my articles I will choose some of my favorite looks from the film and do my best to analyze them. Let us proceed. The first garment that caught my senses appears in one of the musical acts. Dietrich dazzles us with her version of „The Laziest Gal in Town“, while wearing a Grecian-style gown, hugged by a voluminous robe. The robe is covered in what seem to be ostrich feathers, easier to identify due to the individual long fronds radiating from a central line. Holding those beautiful feathers, we find a strong satin structure, duchesse satin maybe, heavy enough to hold the weight and form. During the whole act, Dietrich keeps the robe on, but also gives us some of what lies underneath. A beautiful Greco-Roman draped dress à la Madame Grès (do not tell Monsieur Dior I said that) with a well-fitted foundation, most probably in charmeuse (a light satin), embellished with a sheer draped fabric on top; I would say chiffon or georgette. This Greek goddess-esque silhouette was directly referenced by J.W. Anderson in his new Resort Collection, but I will show you that in a second.

Now let us move on to the next garment from another musical act in the film. Dietrich is performing the famous French song „La Vie en Rose“ in a fit-and-flare silhouette (fitted waist, full skirt) corresponding to the „New  Look“ introduced by Dior in 1947. But… why is this look new? The so-called „New Look“ refers not only to one garment but the entire first collection of the French Maison. All the looks in the collection shared a common design philosophy: sloping, soft shoulders, a tightly cinched waist, and lavishly full mid-calf or full-length skirts, completely rejecting wartime fabric rationing. Another reason I decided to pick this design is flowers. Have a closer look, dear reader: this day gown (which I would suspect is made out of a cotton-based fabric like sateen or piqué) has some gorgeous flower-like appliqués. Flowers and a full garden in general are one of the staple references of Maison Dior, and all thanks to Catherine Dior, aka Miss Dior. She was Christian Dior’s younger sister and an active member of the French Resistance during WWII. Miss Dior was actually arrested by the Gestapo and taken to various concentration camps, managing to survive such horrors and being released in 1945. After the war, she devoted herself to gardening, but not only as a hobby. She held a government permit as a „mandataire en fleurs coupées“, a licensed cut-flower broker. Anyhow, Erick, the history buff, is getting lost a bit. Let us go back to the main thread. Dior paid homage to his beloved sister’s passion, and flowers became an essential theme in his creative process. 

The third, and last, look from the film I want to introduce is actually my favorite, the Bar Suit. This one is a Dior classic, and Frau Dietrich used to wear it quite regularly in her personal life. In the movie, it appears right at the end, when the mystery is being solved, and the future and reputation of Dietrich’s character are on a tightrope. Dior designed the Bar Suit for his debut collection as well. It was named after the bar at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, where society women would gather. The original look was actually not strictly a suit, because the two pieces were made out of two different fabrics, an ivory silk jacket and a pleated wool skirt. The design that appears in the movie, on the contrary, is indeed a suit. Both parts are made out of the same material, most probably a wool flannel or a fine wool gabardine. For her final scene, Dietrich then wears a fitted, double-breasted jacket, with notched lapels, a dramatically cinched waist, and internal boning and padding to let the peplum flare over the hip. Together with the Bar Jacket, the actress completed the look with a pencil skirt, a white fox fur stole, a pearl necklace, and a veiled hat. In the following section, I will show you how J.W. Anderson has managed to give the Bar Jacket a modern twist, making it a must-have in the wardrobe of any Dior enthusiast.

Monsieur Anderson… show us what you got.

As aforementioned, this Resort collection is the first one from Anderson in his tenure at Dior and took place on May 13th at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The runway was styled with vintage cars and antique-style lamps evoking an old film set. I am sure this was already giving some clues to the guests on what was about to happen. But all their suspicions got cleared up in their show notes, literally written as a movie script centered on our story: Hitchcock, Warner Bros, and Dietrich negotiating over Dior. The whole collection was explicitly conceived as a tribute to that story and delivered a vast range of looks, from classic Dior grey in wool coats and relaxed flannels to lush silks and floral-trimmed tassels. Anyhow… in this section I will present to you my favorite ones, but I would recommend you check the recording of the show on your lunch break; it’s a snack. We will start with two similar draped dresses referencing that Grecian gown we discussed a few minutes ago. In both, Anderson plays with satin, I would dare to say a light silk charmeuse, gathering the excess fabric into a soft twist or knot at the hip.  The main difference between the two is in the bodice. Let us focus on look number four, in blush pink or pale rose. A more restrained approach, with a straight, simple neckline on thin straps, leaving the visual drama to the skirt. And now we check on the right, in off-white or champagne (I need to practice my Pantones more). The bodice here is a more dramatic wrap in V, cutting deep and crossing asymmetrically at the chest. Both garments are embellished with delicate flower appliqués, referencing again Miss Catherine Dior. By the way… Dior Beauty is launching a new campaign right now on their socials, honoring her with a lot of interesting facts celebrating her birthday (August 2nd), and also related to the famous fragrance of the same name, if you want to have a look.

To continue, I bring you… more Bar Jackets! Sorry, I cannot help it. I love them. One day I will have one in my wardrobe. The most important part for me here is the modern take on such an iconic look. Behold, on your left, in look six, we have a fringed tweed jacket in a taupe-grey with maybe some bronze woven through it, single-breasted with the typical contrast black lapel. And instead of a demure pencil skirt underneath, Anderson pairs it with wide distressed jeans. Chef’s kiss. I want the full look. On the other side, on look seven, we have a more conventional, more formal approach with a skirt. Again, not a suit because the fabrics are not the same: the skirt is a dove-grey or pewter-grey with a subtle shimmer to it. The color of the jacket here reads as darker, denser charcoal-grey tweed with black flecks. What they have in common, though, is the fringe treatment, matching exactly the jacket and skirt hems.

To finish, I have a couple of special mentions. Check the juxtaposition on look eight. Isn’t it gorgeous? Rigid, matte dark tweed above meeting fluid, pale, shining satin below. What I love the most about it is the asymmetrical fringed raw hem cutting across the body. The jacket (not a Bar-style silhouette, worth noting) is a dark, dense houndstooth tweed with a shawl collar. Underneath, a pale powder-blue satin skirt with a matching blue, feather-like fringe cascading down. And to change colors drastically, we welcome… daffodil yellow on look nine! I had to show this garment because it is so different from the aesthetics of the movie. Dior was not known for a low-waisted approach. The drop-waist silhouette is a general nod to 1920s-30s glamour. Anderson is reaching here into Old Hollywood more broadly with this sheer, flowing, rosette-adorned gown. Given how fine and consistent the pleating is, I would say a plissé-pleated chiffon or georgette was used. This dress actually has two extra siblings (one in purple and the other in black), and they are inspired by Californian poppies, a wink to the local flora, which I am sure Miss Dior would have approved. 

And… what about the actual movie?

At the end of all my articles, I will always talk about the movie in general. No more about fashion, I promise. I will also discuss whether I liked it or not (I will try my best to be impartial). And do not panic; I will not spoil the film for you. So… let us get into it. „Stage Fright“ tells the story of Eve Gill, an aspiring actress who gets caught in the middle of what seems to be a crime of passion. Her friend and crush, Jonathan Cooper, is being hunted by the police, implicated in the murder of the husband of celebrated actress Charlotte Inwood (Dietrich). Convinced of his innocence, Eve sets out to protect him and uncover the truth, pulling her into a mystery where nothing turns out to be quite what it seems. 

Do I recommend it? Sure. It is an engaging murder mystery. The performances are amazing. Dietrich is a goddess as always, but don’t forget we also have Academy Award winner Jane Wyman as Eve and the great Richard Todd as Jonathan. Personally, I adored the performance of Alastair Sim as Commodore Gill, Eve’s father. There was always a fun father-daughter complicity between them. Furthermore, I find it interesting that „Stage Fright“ was one of the first films to use the „lying flashback“. Meaning, before this point in cinema history, when a flashback was shown in a film, it was guaranteed to be a true memory. Not anymore. Hitchcock introduced the unreliable narrator to cinema. 

Is it the best Hitchcock? No. My personal favorites are Psycho and Rebecca (though I have not seen all of his repertoire). By today’s standards, „Stage Fright“ does have pacing issues, dragging in the middle. Additionally, I found some tonal inconsistency in its shifts between comedy and suspense. Also, by the final act, one could pinpoint the culprit before the intended plot twist. In conclusion, I will give it a three out of five stars. Put it on your list if you are planning a cosy afternoon of Old Hollywood thrillers.

My dearly beloved, we did it! Thank you so much for reading my article. In the words often attributed to the Maestro Hitchcock: „To make a great film you need three things: the script, the script, and the script“. So I hope you approve of my first script, and I will see you soon for more Anatomy of a Costume.