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Audrey Hepburn movie costume Breakfast at Tiffany black floor length sheath dress with back cutout of silk satin designed by Hubert de Givenchy

9/2/2021

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The film

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Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1961 American romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, written by George Axelrod, adapted from Truman Capote's 1958 novella of the same name, and starring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, a naïve, eccentric café society girl who falls in love with a struggling writer (George Peppard). 

​The film received five nominations at the 34th Academy Awards: Best Actress (for Hepburn), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, winning Best Original Score and Best Original Song for "Moon River". The film is considered "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant by the U.S. Library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2012.
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly is generally considered to be one of her most memorable and identifiable roles, partly because of the wardrobe designed by French couturier Hubert de Givenchy.
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Audrey Hepburn first met Givenchy in Paris while she was looking for authentic Parisian outfits for Sabrina, the protagonist she played in the film Sabrina. Givenchy was busy preparing his coming collections but Audrey Hepburn was able to choose a few outfits from the couturier's past collection, which are some of the most iconic outfits in the actress's film career as well as in the movie history.
Audrey Hepburn in strapless floral floor length gown in film Sabrina
Audrey Hepburn in strapless floral floor length gown in film Sabrina
Audrey Hepburn in collarless wool suit in film Sabrina
Audrey Hepburn in collarless wool suit in film Sabrina
But none of Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina outfits in her Parisian wardrobe has achieved the iconic status of the black dress she wore as Holy Golightly in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's. This black floor length dress is cited as one of the most iconic items of clothing in the history of the twentieth century, and perhaps the most famous "little black dress" of all time.

In a survey conducted in 2010 by 
LOVEFiLM, this dress was chosen as the best dress ever worn by a woman in a film.
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn in Givench black floor length dress in opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's

The dress

The dress is a sleeveless, floor-length gown with fitted bodice embellished at the back with distinctive cut-out décolleté in the shape of half moon, the skirt slightly gathered at the waist and slit to the thigh on one side, labelled inside on the waistband Givenchy; accompanied by a pair of black elbow-length gloves".The bodice is slightly open at the back with a neckline that leaves uncovered shoulders.  

​The dress is made in Italian satin.
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the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy

The story

After Givenchy created the opening scene satin dress for Audrey Hepburn, she took two copies of the dress back to Paramount, but the dresses, which revealed a considerable amount of Audrey's leg, were not suitable for the movie, and the lower half of the dress was redesigned by Edith Head.

The original hand-stitched dress is currently in Givenchy's private archive, whilst one copy Audrey took back to Paramount is on display at the Museo del Traje in Madrid and another was auctioned at Christie's in December 2006.

None of the actual dresses created by Givenchy were used in either the movie or the promotional photography. ​The actual dresses used in the movie, created by Edith Head, were probably destroyed by Head and Hepburn at Western Costume in California after shooting.
In November 2006, Natalie Portman appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar, wearing one of the original Givenchy dresses created for Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Natalie Portman wearing Givenchy black dress for cover of Harper's Bazaar 2006
Natalie Portman wearing Givenchy black dress for cover of Harper's Bazaar 2006
Natalie Portman wearing Givenchy black dress for cover of Harper's Bazaar 2006
Natalie Portman wearing Givenchy black dress for cover of Harper's Bazaar 2006
The dress was donated by Givenchy the designer to Dominique Lapierre, the author of the book City of Joy, and his wife to help raise funds for the charity.
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
On 5 December 2006, this dress was auctioned at Christie's in London and purchased by an anonymous buyer by telephone. The sale price was estimated by the auction house to have ended somewhere between £50,000 and £70,000, but the final price was £467,200 ($923,187).The money raised in the auction of the black dress went toward helping build a school for the poor people of Calcutta. ​
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
the black dress with back cutout worn by Audrey Hepburn in film Breakfast at Tiffany's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy
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The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole

5/2/2021

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On screen, he is best remembered as Lawrence of Arabia; In Hollywood, he is that man who holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations for acting without a win(he was nominated for 8 times); In his private life, he is a heavy drinker and a heavy smoker, an unfaithful husband and a loyal friend.

But for all of his fans, Peter O'toole is a style icon that has never really been nominated.
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'toole in film Lawrance of Arabia
Peter O'toole in film Lawrance of Arabia
Unlike the well known and widely acclaimed style icons like Duke of Windsor, Gianni Agnelli or Cary Grant, Peter O'toole does not have a defining style.
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole with his wife Sian, and daughter Kate, 1964
Peter O'Toole with his wife Sian, and daughter Kate, 1964
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole with his wife Sian, and daughter Kate, 4, at Heathrow Airport, 1964
Peter O'Toole with his wife Sian, and daughter Kate, 4, at Heathrow Airport, 1964
Whether a prince, a politician, a professor, a playboy, Peter O'toole's can carry these roles on screen as well as he can dress like them off screen.
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole in film Great Catherine, 1968
Peter O'Toole in film Great Catherine, 1968
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole in film How to Steal a Million, 1966
Peter O'Toole in film How to Steal a Million, 1966
Peter O'Toole received by Princess Margaret at the premiere of Lord Jim
Peter O'Toole received by Princess Margaret at the premiere of Lord Jim
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole at Heathrow airport London prior to flying to New York, 1982
Peter O'Toole at Heathrow airport London prior to flying to New York, 1982
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'Toole with Omar Sharif (left) arriving for a memorial service for Sir David Lean at St Paul's Cathedral, 1991
Peter O'Toole with Omar Sharif (left) arriving for a memorial service for Sir David Lean at St Paul's Cathedral, 1991
Perhaps the easiest way to describe Peter O'Toole's style is unpredictable, although he is consistent in his accessories: eternal dark green socks, slightly raised eyebrows, softness in eyes and a cigarette in hand. As he himself said: "My idea of heaven is moving from one smoke-filled room to another."
The eccentric elegance of this Irish man Peter O'toole: Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole holds a cigar
Peter O'toole holds a cigar
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette at home
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Peter O'toole O'Toole as King Magnus during rehearsals for George Bernard Shaw's The Apple Cart at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, holding a cigarette, 1986
Peter O'toole O'Toole as King Magnus during rehearsals for George Bernard Shaw's The Apple Cart at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, holding a cigarette, 1986
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette at home
Peter O'toole holds a cigarette
Into a room walks a beautiful girl or into a room walks a beautiful man and everyone thinks they’ve got it made. Well they ain’t. In fact it can be much more difficult.”

--- Peter O'Toole
And he is a gentleman.

Never perfect, not always polite, not always in the right clothes or his best manners, but he is always a gentleman, the best accessory a man of elegance owns.
Peter O'toole with Audrey Hepburn in film How to Steal a Million
Peter O'toole with Audrey Hepburn in film How to Steal a Million
Peter O'Toole and Romy Schneider on the film set of
Peter O'Toole and Romy Schneider on the film set of "What's new, Pussycat?"
Peter O'toole with Audrey Hepburn, flicking a cigarette on his way of flying to Italy
Peter O'toole with Audrey Hepburn, flicking a cigarette on his way of flying to Italy

Further reading

  • Style icon: Peter O’Toole
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