The most iconic outfits designed by Orry-Kelly for Hollywood stars

Orry-Kelly (31 December 1897 – 27 February 1964) was born as Orry George Kelly in the New South Wales coastal town of Kiama, about 80 miles south of Sydney, in 1897, and he was sent to Sydney at age 17 to study banking, where he developed his interest in theatre. 

In 1923, he went to New York(where he met his then room mate as well as claimed lover Cary Grant), hoping to become actor but instead working for odd jobs with his drawing talent, until finding job to dress Broadway actresses including Katharine Hepburn.

In 1932 Kelly started working in Hollywood as costume designer of Warner Brothers, and in the following 30 years Kelly worked in more than 280 films, became one of the most important costume designers of Golden Hollywood, alongside Travis Banton and Gilbert Adrian, winning 3 Oscars(1951: An American in Paris; 1957: Les girls; 1959: Some like it hot) and was nominated for another film in which he designed the costumes: Gympsy(1962). Although his name was most closely associated with stars like Kay Francis, Dolores del Rio and Bette Davis, for whom he created costumes in more than 30 films, many of Kelly's most iconic designs for Hollywood are those he created for next generation of Hollywood stars like Ingrid Bergman, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood, and were created after he did not work for Warner Brothers anymore.

Bette Davis in film Dark Victory, 1939, costumed designed by Orry Kelly

Orry Kelly fitting Kay Francis, his favorite mannequine

Dolores Del Rio in film "I Live for Love" (1935), Costume designer by Orry Kelly

For Ingrid Bergman in film Casablanca, 1942

For Ava Gardner in film One touch of Venus, 1948

Orry Kelly fitting Ava Gardner for her film "One Touch of Venus" (1948).

For Leslie Caron in film An American in Paris(1951)

Leslie Caron in film An American in Paris(1951), costume designed by Orry Kelly

Leslie Caron in film An American in Paris(1951), costume designed by Orry Kelly

Leslie Caron in film An American in Paris(1951), costume designed by Orry Kelly

Leslie Caron in film An American in Paris(1951), costume designed by Orry Kelly

For Marilyn Monroe in film Some like it hot, 1959

Orry-Kelly with Marilyn Monroe during a fitting for film Some Like It Hot

Marilyn Monroe in film Some Like It Hot(1959) wearing cocktail dress designed by Orry Kelly

Marilyn Monroe in film Some Like It Hot(1959) wearing black dress designed by Orry Kelly

Further interest

Articles

ORRY-KELLY: WOMEN HE’S UNDRESSED

Book

Orry-Kelly created magic on screen, from Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon to Some Like It Hot. He won three Oscars for costume design. He dressed all the biggest stars, from Bette Davis to Marilyn Monroe. Yet few know who Orry-Kelly really was - until now.

Discovered in a pillowcase, Orry-Kelly's long-lost memoirs reveal a wildly talented and cheeky rascal who lived a big life, on and off the set. From his childhood in Kiama to revelling in Sydney's underworld nightlife as a naïve young artist and chasing his dreams of acting in New York, his early life is a wild and exciting ride. Sharing digs in New York with another aspiring actor, Cary Grant, and partying hard in between auditions, he ekes out a living painting murals for speakeasies before graduating to designing stage sets and costumes. When he finally arrives in Hollywood, it's clear his adventures have only just begun.

Fearless, funny and outspoken, Orry-Kelly lived life to the full. In Women I've Undressed, he shares a wickedly delicious slice of it.

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Video

A documentary about the life of the Australian costume designer and three time Oscar winner Orry-Kelly directed by Gillian Armstrong.