Louis, Jean, 1907-1997 (1907-1997)
Dates
- Existence: 1907-1997
Biography
Jean Louis Berthault, born in 1907, was an Academy Award-winning designer who created some of the most memorable costumes and fashions worn by Hollywood stars of the 1940's, 50's and 60's. After training in Paris with the designer Drecoll, he came to the United States in 1936 where he was hired as one of the lead designers at Hattie Carnegie alongside Norman Norell and Claire McCardell. The following year he designed the Carnegie suit, one of the first fashions to become popular as an American name design. Louis became known for designing costumes and garments for famous Hollywood celebrities including Lana Turner, Vivien Leigh, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Betty Grable, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo and Katharine Hepburn. He was responsible for the glittering ''beads and skin'' dress worn by Marilyn Monroe for her performance of ''Happy Birthday'' to President John F. Kennedy in Madison Square Garden in 1962. He became the head designer at Columbia Pictures in 1943, then moved on to Universal studios later on. At Columbia, where he became a mentor to James Galanos who was working as his assistant, he was the only costume designer at the time to be given full film credit. In the early 1960's, Mr. Louis severed his relationship with the studios, opened a salon in Beverly Hills, California, where he continued to design for the movies on a freelance basis. Over the course of his career, he was nominated for 13 additional Academy Awards. Louis retired in 1988, and passed away in 1997 in Palm Springs, California, at the age of 89.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Jean Louis, 1961-1964, 1961-1964
This folder contains drafts of a biography of Jean Louis, press releases for the Fall 1963, Spring 1964, and Fall 1964 Jean Louis collections, a letter to Eleanor Lambert pertaining to Jean Louis's new headquarters in 1961, and a clipping from the May 4, 1964 Philadelphia Inquirer with an article about Jean Louis.
Jean Louis, 1963-1965, 1963-1965
This folder contains 9 black and white 8x10 photographs of looks, mostly evening wear, by Jean Louis from 1963 and 1965. Many of the looks are modeled by Mrs. Bing Crosby.
Jean Louis interview, circa 1980s, circa 1980s
The Oral History Project of the Fashion Industries began informally in the late 1970s, and was officially funded by a grant from the Educational Foundation for the Fashion Industries beginning in 1981. The project was guided by an industry advisory committee chaired by Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, Jr., and was largely guided by then director of the Gladys Marcus Library at FIT, John Touhey.