Picture-Play Magazine (Sep 1919 - Feb 1920)

The Story of a Designing Man 61 silhouette correctly and filled in the rest myself. I hope I caught the spirit of that time — the luxurious abandon pnd the utter disregard for such a mere trifle as money, combined with an ostentatious stateliness. "Miss Bara is very easy to design for," said George, lapsing into the professional Neje once more. "Her peculiar type adapts itself wonderfully to gorgeous combinations of colors and startling effects. And in all her pictures I try to keep the spirit of the thing, never getting away from it for a moment in the matter of dress. Is it a vampire picture — well, then, the costumes must correspond not only in color and material, but in their motif, for clothes have motifs, you know, even as music or the drama. If she plays a vampire, then the lines must suggest the personality of the vampire ; they must be long and 'slinky,' to use a common expression, subtly appealing to the senses, designed to bring out every charm, to invite and seduce at once. Is she to be a siren, then flame is the motif. Oh, no, a siren and a vampire are not the same at all !" This last in response to my timid query. "Oh, not at all !" emphasized the world-wise Neje. "A vampire sucks at emotions, she feeds upon her victim's very lifeblood, as it were; she takes all, but she gives nothing. A siren is like a vivid flame. She burns men's hearts out of their breasts, but the flame she kindles in others is in her, too ; she will give love as well as take it. The vampire is a merciless, bloodless creature; the siren is a burning fountain of passion. "For her I use the color of flame. I suggest it in her headdress, in the lines of her garments, in the very jewels she wears. She does not move in undulating waves; she is slim and straight, she is vivid and colorful, her appeal is to the intellect as well as to the senses." "And just what sort of a person was Theda Bara in 'The She-Devil ?' " I asked. "She was what I might call an eccentric siren. She was a — well, a 'She-Devil' — doesn't that suggest anything to you? A siren, yes; but not of the conventional type. A spitfire, a hoyden, a spoiled darling of Spain; that makes a wonderful combination to design costumes for. The clothes for that picture were -all bizarre and striking to suggest the personality of this untamed Spanish girl, who, transplanted into Parisian life, flouts every custom and convention and sets the city by the ears. One gown I designed for her was very short in front and had a long train. The flounces were embroidered, and the train was of lace and silk. An opera cloak was trimmed with ostrich plumes, and the hat that went with it was shaped like a Chinese pagoda, while a pair of pajamas were of silver cloth with quantities of ribbons and with a close-fitting silver hood — all erratic, don't you see? — all quite in keeping with a she-devil." "And what are you designing for her now?" I asked, and Neje turned into George with something like a blush. "Well, nothing much," he said deprecatingly. "It's a picture of the South Sea Islands, and in it she wears seaweed and pearls " "Yes, go on," I waited, pencil poised in readiness. " And nothing else," he finished. "It seems to me you're laying down on your job," I told him sternly, but he only grinned broadly. "Well," said he, "you'll have to admit that in this case at least I'm not a designing man !" However, I rise to remark— and I'm borne out in this statement by everybody I know — that the mere fact that he's holding down that job of his proves he's designing in more ways than one. One wonders if he does the costumes first and writes the scenarios to fit them. He submits sketches like this for Miss Bara's approval. Miss Bara's peculiar type makes her very easy to design for," he said, speaking as Neje.