Fashion in Film: All About Eve

Bette Davis and Anne Baxter tangle in this brilliant drama about ambition and betrayal. Davis is aging Broadway star Margo Channing, and Baxter plays Eve Harrington, the young ingénue who manipulates people and circumstances as she works her way into Davis’ life. Featuring a smart and biting screenplay with fantastic performances, ALL ABOUT EVE is a true classic. In the immortal words of Margo Channing: “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

About the Fashion: After replacing Claudette Colbert in the lead role, Bette Davis personally requested legendary designer Edith Head to design her gowns in the film. With a tight turnaround, perfectionists Davis and Head worked together to craft new costume sketches. One of the film’s most pivotal fashion statements was Davis’ iconic cocktail dress worn in the party scene, influenced by Christian Dior’s New Look collection of the late ‘40s – a tight bodice, belted waist, and full skirt that descended to calf length. The dress was made of a heavy brown silk fabric that created a beautiful depth of tone when photographed in black and white. Head’s creation was rushed into production, but upon completion, it was found that the bodice and neckline were too big for Davis. They altered it on the fly, removing the sleeves and creating an off the shoulder neckline, transforming the dress into one of the more memorable and sensual onscreen looks of the time.

Costume Designers: Edith Head (Bette Davis’ personal designer) and Charles Le Maire (wardrobe director)