Gowns by Travilla

He was better than Helen Rose.

The "I'll Plant my Own Tree" gown was a stunner.

He designed one of the most iconic movie gowns of all time - Marilyn's pink silk gown in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - which was his third (I think) attempt, after a couple outfits that looked entirely different, more like bathing suits.

I know he fucked Marilyn and was married for many years to Dona Drake, but was he completely straight?

He won an Emmy for doing costumes for Dallas.

[quote]I know he fucked Marilyn and was married for many years to Dona Drake, but was he completely straight?

No. His life partner was Bill Sarris who was also his business partner in his private label. They began their relationship in 1954 and it lasted until the designer's death in 1990.

OP must be a Nolan Miller fan.

Travilla was straight?

I preferred the tailored designs of Orry-Kelly.

Ever since I read that Edith Head demanded credit for Givenchy's designs for "Sabrina", it left a sour taste in my mouth about her.

He’s okay. He did Marilyn in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Seven Year Itch so he’s not all bad.

Odd that he’s straight though.

Did Truvilla give good gown?

[quote]IOP: Gowns by Travilla Sucked

Talk to the hand, bitch.

Well, OP, on second thought....

R5 Which I don't understand. His designs did not suit the world of Dallas or Knots Landing and just did not work.

Helen...

I like Helen rose designs.

r15 thanks for posting that

Scrolled down to #6 and #7. Gorgeous. I love sleeves.

That dress on Taylor is perfect, too. It's sleeveless which I'm generally not a fan of, but in my eyes, a woman either has to have plumpish fuller upper arms or extremely toned arms to get away with sleeveless and/or strapless.

And be young, of course.

When I see a "Gowns By" credit in a film, I know it is my kind of movie. At this point, I don't even care who they are by, just that they are.

I am fond of the fussy Orry Kelly, though.

His daughter with Dona Drake, Nia Travilla, was a veterinarian and dog breeder (schnauzers) who died in 2002.

Was her middle name Mia?

Making Betty tap in wedgies...

I guess the old queen really did design some iconic gowns!

It wasn't him that made this schmata immortal, though...

Giving credit where credit is due...

R22 Judy's outfit at the Palace in 1967 was the one Travilla designed for her for Valley Of The Dolls, right? The Helen Lawson pantsuit.

[quote] "Judy's outfit at the Palace in 1967 was the one Travilla designed for her for Valley Of The Dolls, right? The Helen Lawson pantsuit."

Yes. She took her clothes with her when she left the set. They had to be remade anyway, because they never would've fit Hayward's 5'3" frame, as Judy was only 4'11".

[quote] "He designed one of the most iconic movie gowns of all time - Marilyn's pink silk gown in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - which was his third (I think) attempt, after a couple outfits that looked entirely different, more like bathing suits."

He also designed the famous halter gown from "The Seven Year Itch", which Diana Vreeland later said was purchased off the rack. It has never been proven.

But the story behind the "Diamonds..." gown is interesting.

^Garland was "gifted" the pants suit by Fox according to newspaper reports. She then purchased copies in red and another in white at a cost of $1500 each. Here she is wearing the white version on Carson in 1868. She also wore it in her Talk of the Town appearance the year she died.

^1968.

[quote] I know he fucked Marilyn ...

How do you know this, R4?

Thanks for that, R25. I wasn't aware that she had two others made. $1500 is now around $12k, accounting for inflation. And I personally think the "gifting" story was created to save face.

That being said, I'll have to see if I can find other clips of her wearing them, because I'm a geek like that. I happen to think the original copper/gold/brown version is stunning, amd that pairing it with the green scarf was the perfect choice.

They were better than Gowns by Fred Travalena.

When he worked on Dallas, he really made Pam and Sue Ellen dress as if they were in Dynasty. The link shows Sue Ellen in a turban, In the scene she changed into this outfit to go to the movies with Pam.

He kept Barbara Bel Geddes in the sack dresses, however, which was odd.

[quote] He kept Barbara Bel Geddes in the sack dresses, however, which was odd.

They were just so happy the real Miss Ellie was there, the producers didn't care what she wore. If she wanted her wardrobe provided by Sears and Roebuck well by golly they ordered from the catalog.

Travilla got along with everyone BUT Victoria Principal and she wore other designers more than she wore his suggestions. I'll try and find some quotes about her by him when I get home from work.

Linda Gray was the one who suggested Travilla to producers when they wanted to compete with Dynasty on the wardrobe front. Donna Mills lent three of her outfits from Knots to the 2009 exhibition of his work including many of his sketches and clothing from both film and his private label in Palm Springs. Both the cast of Dallas and Knots modeled clothes for the Littlefield's catalogue in England.

R15 I've never cared for Helen Rose's designs. George Cukor said she was "bereft of talent", and Hitchcock refused her designs for Eva Marie Saint for North By Northwest - he took her to Bergdorf-Goodman and bought her wardrobe there, instead. There are tests of Eva in the Rose designs and they're not as good as the clothes she wore in the film.

Another one

This was for the train scene (vs the black suit she wore in the film). It's almost like these costumes are for a different character, and they're not very attractive or sexy.

To the folks up above, Travilla was GAY.

Or, if you insist, bi.

Yeah, he married and had a kid but they separated and never divorced and he had a male partner for the rest of his life.

Travilla claimed he fucked Monroe but many doubt the story.

Wasn't Marilyn's "Diamond's Are a Girl's Best Friend" pink dress just a copy of the Gilda "Put the Blame on Mame" dress by Jean Louis?

OK, I saw "Gowns by Truvada". My two week old laptop gives me a blue idiot screen and now my vision's gliding downhill. OY!

R37 They're both strapless gowns, other than that, not really. Marilyn's had a huge bow in the back, and was of pink silk peau d'ange. Rita's was black satin, no bow, and was slit up the front - Marilyn's was not.

Rita's had a smaller bow - on the front - now that I look at it. But I don't think of them as the same dress design, just similar in some respects.