Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1963)

3 WEDDING GOWNS FOR LIZ continued it !” All of which adds up, at any rate, to $2,500,000— Love’s costliest wedding dress for Liz. There aren’t many that come higher. But like the old proverb goes: “What’s money when you’re in love? — and rich?” And on that note let us take leave of all financial details. And get on to the wedding itself. And to the bride — and the dress she will wear. Or, rather, should wear. A special dress for an unusual occasion. As envisioned by our panel of designers — the world-famous Sylvan Rich, Lilly Dache and Anthony Pettoruto — and sketched exclusively for Photoplay by one of the world’s top illustrators — Jon Whitcomb. Our first designer, the soft-spoken Sylvan Rich — owner of Martini Designed Inc. — told us: “I think it is a shame — really — that in the films Elizabeth Taylor has made, so little attention has been paid to her clothes. By that I am not criticizing the designers who have worked with her. What I mean is that Elizabeth Taylor has never been set up as a fashion image, an exponent of fashion. Pictures just aren’t made that way these days, I guess. Times have changed. “It was different in the Thirties. Stars of Miss Taylor’s stature would definitely influence the world by the way they dressed. A star like Joan Crawford, say — the great individualist, with the great new innovations. A star like Garbo — who introduced a new standard of beauty that is still one of the most important influences on fashion and makeup today. “Unfortunately, however, Elizabeth Taylor will not be remembered for her clothes. “But that is off the subject somewhat. And to get on with it now — the wedding dress . . . I’d like to say first that in designing I always feel that the individual’s personality must be considered — and, particularly when a person is as strong as Elizabeth Taylor, that the clothes should be a complement to her beauty and her natural attributes rather than something that will detract from these attributes. So it should be with her wedding dress. A complement and a compliment. “With some show business people I have designed for in the past — I stress. With others, I understress. For instance, for Sheila MacRae — Gordon’s wife — I go overboard. The girl has much gaiety about her, much joie de vivre, she’s a great clothes horse. And so, for her nightclub act especially, I design huge evening coats over dresses — what can be called a costume look — always sure to create a very spectacular effect. While with Barbara Britten, on the other hand, I play things down, so to speak, so that her magnificent lady-like quality is not tempered with. I always give Barbara a little shoulder-covering, for instance. I always do rather soft things with her, so as not to destroy that soft and very reserved quality of hers. It works out well. “In Elizabeth Taylor’s case, then — particularly for a wedding — I would not stress her glamour. I would want to make the dress a background — yes, that’s it — a background for her glamour and beauty. Her beauty alone is, after all, so spectacular. She is certainly one of the most spectacularly beautiful women of our era. And I think that the traditional bridal dress is one of the most beautiful costumes a woman can ever be seen in. And that is why I choose traditional for her. ... By the way, this has nothing to do with the fact that Miss Taylor has been married before. This is simply the way I visualize her as a bride. Although in her case I would do something a little more extreme than for basic traditional since she has to have something worthy of the publicity that is bound to surround her marriage. “Traditional, of course, implies white. In Miss Taylor’s case, I would not do her in dead white. I see her as not stark. But rather I would do her in slightly off-white. Or in antique white satin. In a gown cut simply, to fit the figure closely. With the back flowing from the shoulders and ending in a train — long — about four yards long. “In the headdress, and possibly on the dress, too — I would use some magnificent starched heirloom lace. Very beautiful. Very valuable. From ( Continued on page 95) 40