CLOTHES FOR STARS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 17 June 1933, Page 13

CLOTHES FOR STARS

HOLLYWOOD DRESS DESIGNER EX-ACTOR AND ARTIST. “Hollywood originates fully as many styles as Paris," said Mr Orry-Kelly, a leading dress designer for motion picture stars, to a “Dominion" reporter when passing through Wellington on his way back to the United States from Sydney. Tie is a big handsome Irishman, with a distinguished streak of white running through his clipped black hair.

“My name," he said “is my own. No fake. My father was a Manxman, and my mother 'half Irish and half French. - American? No; Australian!" This artist, whose word is law in one of the largest film studios in Hollywood, land whose designs are copied from one end of the civilised world to the other, has an Interesting tale to tell of his rise to Tame. “I first went into the profession in Sydney," he said, -"rand played small parts for Williamson’s and Puller’s; but I was no good; in -fact, so bad they decided to do without me." He thee started painting; studied portrait work under an artist named Cocks; and Mien had a studio of his own. He thought it seemed all right, so he- finally decided to go to New York, where for a time he struggled alone. PARK AVENUE DECORATIONS. Eventually success dawned, and he began to do rnurals for homes along Park Avenue. It took a lot of time, and though the cheques poured in, the incidental social side of life accounted for most of the dollars they represented. Long Beach was expensive, and all the money went. “But I don't regret the experience. I met some marvellous people; many of New York’s famous ‘.Four Hundred’— and had a great time,’’ he said. Tne young artist then decided to go in for stage work. He designed some costumes for George White and Florenz Ziegfield, and them he scored a triumph, for he designed all the/ dresses for Ethel Barrymore’s fourj most x-ecent plays; some of them modern; some ‘period.’ When the Wall Street crash came he decided to move off and try for pictures. It seemed to him that if Ethel Barrymore had approved of his work —the greatest stage star —there should be a chance with Ruth •Chatterton. ;So he drifted over to Hollywood. “Here 1! found out all about it,’’ he continued. ‘‘You can mean everything in New York and nothing in Hollywood. I had to start all over again. The stage doesn’t count with picture people." He gave six months to study. He saw everything he could, and realised the mistakes made in the technicaltlcs of costume. “The screen is funny; makes people look four times bigger, and dresses /that will do on the ordinary stage are all out on the pictures.’ ’ CLOTHES FOR HEROINES. Finally Mr Orry-Kelly wrote some constructive criticism, which eventually, slipping its way through lines of red tape, reached Miss Chatterton. /Her remark was ,characteristic; the same she is supposed to have made'to, her second husband. ■ “Where," she cried, “Where have you been all my life?" .So “on her 0.K.,” as the artist put it,Warner Bros, signed him on for a five-years’ contract. •Other stars for whom he designs now are Kay Francis (“whom I’d. admired always"), Barbara Stanwick, Loretta Young, Joan Blondell and Betty Davis. v _ j “The reason for my success in designing for the screen," said Mr Orry- 1 Kelly in conclusion, “lies, I consider,, in the fact that everything I make is J practical and in good taste. Dresses worn by the stars can be copied and worn by women in their own homes, ' or for any ordinary occasion. If an extreme costume is needed for a special part, of course it has to be extreme; but plain, well-cut, perfectly constructed modern clothes are the isual aim."