Making Fashion: Two New Exhibitions (With Books!)

Two current exhibitions celebrate the work of those who helped shape Dietrich's image:

Photographer Horst P. Horst photographed Dietrich on several occasions for Vogue. A major career retrospective, focussing on the photographer's work at the fashion magazine, is currently on show at London's V&A (where it will run until 4 January 2015). 

Photographer of Style was was opened by Carmen Dell’Orefice, the one-time Vogue model who worked with the photographer from 1946. Using over 250 photographs from the magazine's archive — alongside items of clothing, Horst's papers, and film clips —  it explores Horst's creative efforts in collaboration with models, designers, artists and and stars like Marlene. 

Visitors to the exhibition will also be able to see all 94 of the covers Horst shot for Vogue, in addition to new exhibition prints of some of his colour work, printed from his original large-format transparencies.

The website about the exhibit includes fascinating information, including brief film footage of Marlene's friend, Alexander Liberman (whose photographs of her were published in 1993's An Intimate Photographic Memoir).  Anna Wintour has penned a forward to Susanna Brown's book, which accompanies the exhibit.

Across the pond, Boston's Museum of Fine Arts explores the combination of jewellery and fashion during Hollywood's golden age. 

Fittingly, one of Marlene's costumes from Desire, in which she played the chicest of jewel thieves, is on show. (The négligée, with its matching fur-trimmed cape — which, going by recent photos, looks like it may have been altered — is on loan from the FIDM Museum, who have several items from Dietrich's wardrobe in their collection.)

Also on show: a Travis Banton evening gown designed by Dietrich's costume collaborator for her one-time co-star, Anna May Wong; and a Schiaparelli dress that adorned the curves of Marlene's Paramount pal, Mae West. Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard are among the other stars represented.

The jewellery on view provide an opportunity to see the work of Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin up close. The house, makers of Marlene's fabled suite of emerald jewellery, is represented by various items from the thirties to the fifties: notably, a multi-use platinum, emerald and sapphire necklace once owned by actress June Knight.

Hollywood Glamour: Fashion and Jewelry from the Silver Screen will be on show  until 8 March 2015. A book about The Jewels of Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin draws on the museum's collection to chart the collaboration between the firms of Trabert & Hoeffer and Mauboussin during the thirties and forties.

(Updated: 4 October 2014)

The Trouble With Lilly

In 1939, before America's newest siren citizen, Marlene Dietrich sailed for Paris, she stopped by at the New York the salon of Lilly Daché (another European export to the US) for some head gear.

"I want three hats, no more!" Dietrich insisted, but salesgirls aware of her penchant for hats did their job well: Marlene left with 30.

"Each of these hats present a new and important trend, and though all were designed especially for the lovely Marlene, she consented to let Daché reproduce them for the rest of the waiting world," fan magazine, Photoplay, reported to its readers as it shared highlights of Marlene's spree:

1. Teatime — and breast feathers rim the crown and coque feathers grace the brim of a coquettish little hat of raspberry velvet.
2. The rippling, off-the-face silhouette, providing again that headsize-hats can be smart without being deep and clumsy. Dietrich chose hers in red and black striped angora tweed.
3. A little Dutch Boy's visor topped  by a blousy, beret-crown. Marlene chose hers in beige suede.
4. Sleek-as-a-seal black ciré turban.
5. Turbans are so important, we'll have them in fur, too. Dietrich chose black fox with a sentimental cluster of rose smack in front, and grosgrain ribbons to anchor the back.
6. Dietrich sailed away in this one! Black and white striped angora tweed postilion with pointed bandeau-back and copper anchor.

Sailing of the Normandie was temporarily halted in New York while the IRS seized Marlene's emeralds in lieu of back taxes she insisted she didn't owe. They missed  her really precious cargo, though: the latest Lilly Daché creations!

Marlene was a regular customer, but apparently couldn't be annoyed by Daché's bills. In 1942 The New York Times reported that the milliner was suing her movie star client for $4 141, which Daché claimed was owed to her for "hats, headdresses, gloves, muffs, sleeves, chokers and earrings".

According to Daché, she and Marlene had reached an agreement whereby accessories were designed especially for Dietrich, who could reject any of which she did not approve. There were not many of these: of 98 items delivered to Marlene, only 18 were returned. 

The remainder included a Persian lamb and jet jacket (at $650), silver opossum muff ($250), white bugle turban ($150), jersey gloves ($ 18.50 for a pair) — and our favourites: a pair of embroidered sleeves ($79.50) and a gold-fringed evening hatpin ($52.50).

Marlene Dietrich's Perfumes

 On my last trip to Berlin I visited numerous places that are in some way connected with Marlene Dietrich; my biggest hope was to see enormous collection of Marlene's property that the Filmmuseum (Deutsche Kinemathek) owns, but to my great disappointment, there were "only" few rooms of Dietrich's things on display. ;)

I was disappointed because one of the things I wanted to see were the flacons of Marlene's perfumes. I'm passionate about fragrances myself, so that interested me in particular-but, oh well, all the vintage bottles are lying in some Filmmuseum archive, temporarily hidden from the fan's curious eye. ;)

Even thought I didn't inspect what I wanted to, I'll try to answer the question: how did the Goddess smell?

In her 20s, she probably would wear No. 37 Veilchen (Pure Violet) perfume by Frau Tonis. The brand was just resurrected by the owner's granddaughter in 2009; they write on their website:

"Now to our final question: You also offer scents that once enthralled the legendary Marlene Dietrich?
Yes, that is correct. Dietrich’s favourite perfume was a scent as intense and eccentric as her she herself: pure violet. A scent that is dominated by the sweet, intense almost stubborn top note. This perfume may not capture the spirit of the time today, however, one can easily imagine how Berlin’s grande-dame of the roaring 20s once used this scent to cause quite the stir."

So I had to visit them.

I've bought the smallest version of this scent--it really is violet in all its glory--if you've ever drunk Creme de Violette from Monin, then the smell is exactly the same. I myself can imagine Marlene wearing this perfume in the 1920s Berlin; it's a bit sweet, intoxicating and very extravagant, but not as sophisticated as Dietrich's later olfactory choices.

So how did she smell like in the 1930s?

Various sources (like this, or this, or that one) mention Creed's Angelique Encens and Guerlain's Vol de Nuit, both from 1933.

These are the only two of Diva's scent that I haven't laid my hands on (at least not yet. ;) ) Creed dips in tuberose, which Marlene used to love, in jasmine,  and it's based on amber and incense--sounds very Dietrich, doesn't it? Unfortunately, the perfume is now discontinued and really hard to get.
Guerlain's Vol de Nuit is another interesting creation, my dream to get; absolute classic with its citrus head, floral-aldehyde body and warm, sandalwood and musk base. Perfect!

Tabac Blond from Caron (1919) is a fragrance that could be associated with Marlene even by its name. Leathery, full of tobacco, but softened by vanilla, it sounds possible that Dietrich would like it.

There's also a notice of Lelong's Indiscret from 1936, floral-woody perfume with galbanium- the same you can find in Vol de Nuit.

In the 1940s and 1950s, there was Piguet's Bandit from 1944-fragrance associated with Edith Piaf but, oh my, it screams Marlene. It's so feminine on one hand, but harsh and full of masculine tobacco on the other. I've found the info that Dietrich loved it repeated on various websites, especially those with Bandit's reviews.

Another Piguet's creation, Fracas from 1948, is also mentioned in one of the sources I've posted. The scent is very feminine, very sweet, it doesn't have the nerve as the above mentioned ones have. However, it's full of tuberose, so maybe that's why it appealed to Marlene?

Here you can find photo of Guerlain's Shalimar perfume that Marlene reputedly owned (it's a woody, oriental classic from 1925) and here a notice about the Young Dew scent (by Estee Lauder, 1953), another tuberose scent, this time spicy one, with cinnamon and earthy patchouli.

While smelling various scents that Dietrich was supposed to wear, remember one thing--most of them are now reformulated and don't always resemble their vintage versions. With this in mind, you can now go and check Marlene's taste in fragrances. ;-)

August Wishlist

Before all else, I want to attune you to Terry Sanderson's upcoming Marlene Dietrich tribute at London's Conway Hall on September 7-8. Visit his site devoted to the show! If you've attended any of Sanderson's past Marlene tributes, please share your experience in the comments section.

Now, I'll tackle my wishlist! While searching online catalogs of libraries, museums, and archives, I find myself coveting countless Marlene-related items. By giving these materials exposure here, I hope that I can somehow access them. Even if I can't, I'll be satisfied with making some of you aware of these things so that you can explore them yourselves.

Marlene Dietrich w/
614th Tank Destroyer Battalion officers.
Recognize the dress?

First, I want a better-quality version of this photograph, in which Dietrich brings cheer in Germany to officers of the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, apparently one of the few Black (or--for search engine optimization purposes--African-American) tank destroyer units and also the first Black unit to receive a Distinguished Unit Citation. I'm only certain that this photo appeared in the May 26, 1945 issue of the influential Black newspaper, Chicago Defender; in the May 19 issue, an article describes how Dietrich dined with the troops, sang "Lili Marlene," and shook hands with the mess sergeant for cooking a yummy meal. I surmise, though, that the image lies in an archive somewhere because it's from the U.S. Signal Corps. Do tell me whether you know more or whether other publications have printed it.

In case you're interested in war history, TankDestroyer.net has rounded up several informative resources on the 614th TD Battalion. I also encountered a more colloquial but equally fascinating page that mentions Dietrich and the 614th troops at WWII vet Pierce Evans' site. You may be particularly drawn to his page with a photo of Marlene's leg.

There's that dress!
Photographed by Scotty Welbourne.
(photo from here)

For the eagle-eyed among you, the dress that Marlene's wearing is one of her '40s staples (also, it's pastel, according to the May 19, 1945 issue of Chicago Defender), and I can trace it to a photo shoot she did with photographer Scotty Welbourne. When was this shoot? I assumed it was for 1941's Manpower because Welbourne became the photography department head of Warner Bros., the studio that produced this Dietrich movie. The 1st U.S. edition of Alexander Walker's Dietrich, however, features an alternate shot on the dust jacket and dates it to 1940. As if I couldn't be any more clueless, I want to know who designed the dress. Irene? The cut looks similar to another one that Marlene wore throughout the '40s, which you can see at a link I know I've shared ad nauseam here--the FIDM Museum blog.

Now, for the other item on my August wishlist, which piqued my interest while I was digging through the U.S. National Archives catalog:

I want to hear Marlene's German version of "I'll Never Smile Again," one of my favorite classic pop standards in English--obviously thanks to the cool crooning of Frank Sinatra. As you may notice, Dietrich recorded a German version of "South American Way." To hear that, listen no further than marlenedietrichTV!

Little Gloria Meets Marlene, At Last

For Joseph: Marlene Dietrich-Sieber, John Ringling-North and Gloria Vanderbilt-DiCicco-Stokowski-not-yet-Lumet-Cooper at Madison Square Garden (1953). (Original photo currently for sale on ebay). Below, Marlene and unidentified showgals.

Vanished Vestments

To keep the goon squad's interest, let's talk about some famous Marlene Dietrich duds that have disappeared. Back in the late '80s, Los Angeles Times assiduously reported on the Hollywood relics that the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks had acquired from the then-(and still-)defunct Hollywood Museum Associates. For criminally demanding costly upkeep, these treasures were eventually sentenced to the decommissioned Lincoln Heights jail, where their Hollywood connection ironically continued. Because the jail served as a filming location for chefs d'oeuvre such as Chained Heat, these captive costumes and memorabilia allegedly became swag for thieving film crews.

This story described one such stolen goodie as "a white tuxedo worn in 1935 by Dietrich in The Devil Is a Woman." Oh, yes. I remember that scene as if it were yesterday. Concha gets deported from some South Pacific island for inciting barroom brawls yet manages to become a Russian empress who earns chump change as a clip joint floozy, coaxing electrical workers to squander their paychecks on apples. This must be from the scene in mind:

Obviously, this is not Concha, but Helen from Blonde Venus

Because the L.A. Times writer didn't cite the right Dietrich film, I wonder whether this costume was in fact snatched from some jail cell. Someone posted this photo of a white tuxedo displayed at the Filmmuseum Berlin as the one from Blonde Venus, but it's surely a tux from Dietrich's later cabaret career, isn't it? It reminds me an awful lot of the tux featured on the Dietrich in Rio LP cover. Whatever the truth is, the FIDM Museum blog continues to spoil us by sharing high-quality images of Dietrich-owned items on loan from the Dept. of Recreation and Parks, such as this pair of custom-made Delmans. Dietrich didn't need to dance when she could get the party started with those disco balls on her heels.

With all this Blonde Venus tux talk, I'd like to pay my respects to the late Whitney Houston, who referenced Dietrich, the Supremes, and Audrey Hepburn in her "I'm Your Baby Tonight" music video (the American and European versions below, to appeal to this blog's international readers).

American version:

European version:

Musically speaking, I prefer the American version, which exemplifies Houston's foray into harder-edged R&B after the 1989 Soul Train Awards audience booed her R&B/urban contemporary nomination for "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?"--a power-pop ballad whose soul truly is difficult to discern. The house remix of the European "I'm Your Baby Tonight" release nullifies this context, which may be inconsequential to non-American audiences who have never lived in the U.S. to experience its race relations, where crossover artists can be treated like traitors or nonentities. Think Houston's cousin, Dionne Warwick.

In terms of images, I don't notice any difference between the the videos' Dietrich homages. I will point out, however, that--although the tuxedo color, backup dancers, setting, and hand-grabbing certainly mirror the Blonde Venus comeback performance--the scene amalgamates some Morocco images, particularly Houston's reclining pose at the beginning and the flirtation between Houston and her female audience members.

Despite those nods, no lesbian kisses take place, and Houston tops a male audience member with her hat rather than presenting him with a flower. Also, Houston's video reconfigures the gender-bending with a sort of trompe l'oeil that led me to mistake the slender-necked male love interest for a lady in Josephine Baker drag. As for Baker, some credit her as the influence of Houston's video, but this begs me to argue in favor of Dietrich:

"Whatever you want from me, I'm giving you everything," sang Miss Houston, but none of us deserved so much.

Is 2012 the Year of the Costume?

On the FIDM Museum blog, there's an announcement about the 20th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition, which will run from February 14 through April 28, 2012. Naturally, at least one costume worn by Dietrich will be on display. Which one(s)? I don't know. Previously, the FIDM Museum blog has featured two items worn by Dietrich, one designed by Travis Banton and the other by Irene. If I understand this interview correctly, FIDM Museum has many items worn by Dietrich (the second-largest collection, in fact, after the MDCB) on long-term loan from a bureaucratic unit called the Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles, Historic Hollywood Collection. Catchy name, no? Another FIDM Museum blog describes a cream dress and cape from Desire that was on display at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in 2010. Whatever we get to see, we should be grateful. The exhibition's free!

Material Girl

Marlene was a regular customer at Parisian couture houses from the thirties to the sixties and the Marlene Dietrich Collection in Berlin includes great examples of the work of designers such as Alix (Madame Gres), Schiaparelli, Patou, Balenciaga, Dior, Chanel and others.

From the archives of L'Officiel De La Mode come photographs of two creations designed specifically for Marlene (not modelled by her, unfortunately):

1936. A black fox busby and suit with matching fur trim, designed by Schiaparelli, who was inspired by the coronation of Edward VIII.

1938. A white fox cape designed by la Reine d'Angleterre.

I wonder if there are photos of Marlene wearing these?

The archives of L'Officiel from 1921 - 2010 are available online.

A White Sports Coat

MARLENE TURNS UP IN LEATHER: Grandmother screen star MARLENE DIETRICH who recently caused quite a sensation when she appeared at the SAHARA HOTEL in Las Vegas -- went to the other extreme when she turned up at Idlewild Airport - New York by wearing a Black Leather Coverall suit under a white leather coat. (Keystone Photo, 11-1-1954).

Leather

Jean Louis Double Take, Part 2

Gown by Jean Louis for Marlene Dietrich, 1957.

Gown by Jean Louis for Marilyn Monroe, 1962.

A Jean Louis Double Take

Gown designed by Jean Louis for Marlene Dietrich in The Montecarlo Story (1956).

Gown designed by Jean Louis for Lana Turner in Imitation of Life (1959).

Jamie Lee Curtis in a Dietrich gown?

Shocking. Jamie never played the clotheshorse like Dietrich. Could she really pull off a Dietrich gown? Surely the two ladies share nothing in common. Actually, both have ties to nobility. And both have woefully meager bust sizes. And both have had their sex organs put in question. Back to the gown in question, Curtis apparently wore it at the 1984 Oscars, and it was recently modeled at a private runway show called "A Celebration of Oscar Fashion." This article describes it as an "ivory beaded confection" once belonging to Dietrich from 1942. Anyone have photos of it from the oh-so-exclusive private runway show or on Dietrich/Curtis themselves?