The William Travilla Estate Lost Collection Scandal - More Shocking Details!
By Jennifer J. Dickinson
and Mark Bellinghaus
In October 2007, a group of individuals came forth with revelations that they had a "lost collection" of dresses and gowns, said to have been worn by Marilyn Monroe onscreen and at events and designed by William Travilla. As you will see from the press below as well as the signage from the events, this was obvious that the intent was to indicate that these were the very gowns and dresses worn by Marilyn Monroe.
Last Updated: Monday, 1 October 2007, 11:04 GMT 12:04 UK
Source: BBC
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The ventilation shaft will sadly be missing, but the white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in one of the most iconic scenes in Hollywood history has been released from the vaults.
The halter-neck lifted so memorably by a blast of subway air in The Seven Year Itch in 1955 - believed to be worth £1.5 million - will be among Monroe’s dresses on display at the Hilton Hotel in Brighton this week.
William Travilla was responsible for designing many of those outfits made famous on and off-screen by Monroe. After her mysterious death in 1962, the designer vowed to protect her memory and kept the costumes locked in his own home.
Several studios and private individuals sold the costumes they had accumulated but Travilla, who had become close friends with the actress kept some of the most famous dresses under wraps.
He died in 1990 and left the “Lost Collection” to his partner Bill Sarris, who has chosen to exhibit the dresses for the first time to raise money for Alzheimer’s charities.
The show will also include the gold lame gown and the pink satin dress Monroe wore in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
As well as original costumes such as the purple dress from How to Marry a Millionaire, the exhibition will show sketches and drawings from the design process.
The exhibition runs until Sunday.
Careful research has shown otherwise. Grateful acknowledgments and thanks to leading world renowned expert Mark Bellinghaus who was the first to detect the true fraud that was going on and how the public at the Brighton Hilton Metropole was being duped. And how individuals at the Hilton in Bath England were also about to be fooled. Mark Bellinghaus' full and initial report can be seen here. Although exhibitors will claim now that it was their decision to leave the Hilton in Bath, that must not be so. Why would they be all set up to exhibit and suddenly leave? This is because they were caught in the act of committing a nasty fraud, pointed out by Mark Bellinghaus and reported to the Hilton Headquarters in Beverly Hills. Days ago the "lost collection" was "found" again, this time resurfacing in Leeds, England and debuting there. However, unlike the last time with trumpets blaring, this exhibition seemed to take a quieter approach, with a small press opening and not a lot of fanfare prior. However, an astute reporter, Ms. Suzanne McTaggart, attended the event and reported the controversy already involved with the dresses. She saw the value of this story and the possibility that these dresses were not what they were advertised, and should be commended for her report.
Source: Yorkshire Evening Post
This is not the first time however that Marilyn's dress has been reproduced. William Travilla did it himself. According to the research done by Mark Bellinghaus, he had the key to unlocking that the Travilla Exhibitors were not telling the truth about the provenance of their items when first showed in Brighton and Bath - this reads that the item below, was Bill Travilla's personal touring replica from the 1960's. It also notes that the original is in the collection of Debbie Reynold's, despite what original reports stated that the original was in the hands of the exhibitors in England.
The article below also supports Mark Bellinghaus' findings (Source: Business Wire):
This dress from Profiles in History is now in the collection of Maite Minguez Ricart. According to Maite Minguez Ricart's website, this is the only copy made of this dress by William Travilla. Which means that, if the dress was the only copy made by William Travilla and was sold to Maite Minguez Ricart, other copies were being generated along the way that were not created by Travilla. Additionally, Maite Minguez Ricart bought the dress from the Profiles Auction in 2004, which means that if the dress was shown now in Leeds, the one in Leeds is at least a copy of a copy of a copy. And we can confirm from the written evidence that this dress was not made during Marilyn Monroe's lifetime.
Please also see the website of the Hollywood Motion Picture Museum Collection - run by Debbie Reynolds and Todd Fisher - here you will see the original white subway dress on their website, that was worn onscreen by Marilyn Monroe.
If these dresses that the William Travilla Estate are claiming were so "lost" how could they be found as well in the following locations? First, interesting to note that the following letters were generated by individuals in support of the Travilla Exhibition. The Travilla Estate obviously didn't pick up that one of their supporters gave them away by stating in her letter that these dresses were seen before at her institution:
How can the William Travilla Estate claim that these items were lost, when their own supporter, Louise Coffey-Webb admits that they have already been shown on campus? And Louise Coffey-Webb has stated in the letter that she has seen the designs and fabric swatches. Again, the point made in the blog, is why are they advertising these as "lost" if so many have seen them? That totally discounts the idea of these items being under lock and key. They were not just shown on campus, but also here in 2003! And Ms. Coffey-Webb participated in this event.
NEWS RELEASE Oakland Museum of California www.museumca.org 10TH & OAK STREETS OAKLAND, CA 94607 Source: Oakland Museum of California For additional information: Shirleen Schermerhorn 510/238-3402, M-F, MEDIA ONLY PUBLIC CALLS: 510/238-2200 E-mail: shirleen@museumca.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Exhibition dates: March 15 - September 21, 2003 Image thumbnails ICONS OF CALIFORNIA FASHION ON DISPLAY AT OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA From Hollywood glamour gowns to San Francisco hippie style to Southern California surfer gear, California has defined American fashion "cool" for nearly a century. As the birthplace of sportswear and casual Fridays, California has transformed world style on a global scale. In celebration of California fashion, the Oakland Museum of California presents the exhibition Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity. On view at the museum from March 15 to Sept. 21, 2003, the exhibition displays more than 100 articles of clothing and accessories from the museum’s permanent collection as well as from other major museums and private lenders. Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity examines how California fashion has been shaped by the entertainment industry as well as the state's cultural diversification and varied climates and geography. The exhibition is organized into five thematic groupings: The Jean Pool, Sportswear, Dressing the Stars, Peddling the Identity, and Fashion Fusion — California Culture. Jeans are a fashion icon that to many people represents American culture. From the invention of jeans as practical work clothing in the Gold Rush to Western wear on ranches, from the rebellious low fashion of hippies and protestors to the high fashion of couture designers, California has pioneered in jeans' evolution. The exhibition will showcase some of the notable examples of this icon, including 19th century Levi Strauss products, a blue denim tuxedo worn by Bing Crosby, a pair of jeans prepared for James Dean for "Rebel Without a Cause," and denim designs ranging from hippie embroidery to an elaborate "Rhinestone Cowboy" suit created by costume designer Nudie Cohn. California’s temperate climate and varied geography, along with the birth of the car culture, boosted the development of sportswear. The reach of California’s casualness in clothing extended worldwide with the spread of such sports activities as surfing, skateboarding, swimming and “Xtreme” sports, all of which generated a market for specialized clothing with bold, innovative designs. The exhibition features California swimsuits dating as far back as 1910, including Esther Williams's swimsuit from the 1952 film "Million Dollar Mermaid" and Rudi Gernreich's headline-making 1964 monokini; a collection of T-shirts featuring iconic images, from a California Raisins "Surf's Up" design to a picture of the Grateful Dead; and sportswear by a number of California designers. Hollywood lent an international presence to California from the early days of film, and the fashions from films have influenced the way we dress and made the reputations of numerous designers. Hollywood designs in the exhibition will include a dazzling Bob Mackie creation designed for Marlene Dietrich; the pleated white William Travilla dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch" (1955); Jennifer Beals's sweatshirt from "Flashdance," by designer Michael Kaplan (1983); Michael Jackson's crystal glove, designed by Bill Whitten; Sharon Stone's white suit from "Basic Instinct" (1992); and Brad Pitt's suit from "Oceans Eleven" (2001). California retailing methods have proven successful the world over. The exhibition will examine some of the California companies that expanded their merchandising to reach far beyond the state's borders, such as Banana Republic and Levi Strauss. Also included will be a look at retailing in a more elegant era — fancy gift boxes from the fashion-forward San Francisco retailer Joseph Magnin, and a display table and architectural fragments from the Art Deco building of Oakland's high-end Gray Shop. The exhibition concludes with a look at fashion fusion in the work of California designers. A multitude of forces can be identified as inspiring these fused fashion statements: the Mi Amigo movement of 1941 in Southern California fueled by political amity between the United States and Mexico; handmade clothing revived during the wearable art movement of the 1970s and 1980s; cross-cultural influences, as seen in the clothing of the 1930s and '40s at Gump’s department store inspired by traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures, and revisited in the kimono-style garments at the end of the century; Rudi Gernreich fostering the unisex look in the 1960s. The exhibition includes a 1905 afternoon dress from the White House department store in San Francisco appliquéd with embroideries from a Chinese robe; hippie-styled clothing displaying borrowed symbolism; and handmade, dyed garments by two creators of California wearable art, Ana Lisa Hedstrom and Jean Williams Cacicedo. Creations of more celebrity include an embroidered and beaded leather bag created by designer Linda Gravenites for Janis Joplin, and a 1973 Kaisik Wong vest whose design made headlines when it was revealed that it had been copied by the House of Balenciaga for their 2002 collection. Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity was organized by Inez Brooks-Myers, curator of costume and textiles at the Oakland Museum of California, with the help of Louise Coffey-Webb, Cameron Silver, Kaye Spilker and Jo Ann C. Stabb. It will be accompanied by a full-color booklet with introduction by Harold Koda, curator at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Oakland Museum Women's Board.
Another event located by one of the many concerned Marilyn Monroe admirers who came forth and believes that these dresses are being misrepresented. This person and I both spotted this clip - I'd like to thank this anonymous person for their help in passing this on to us:
In October 2007, a group of individuals came forth with revelations that they had a "lost collection" of dresses and gowns, said to have been worn by Marilyn Monroe onscreen and at events and designed by William Travilla. As you will see from the press below as well as the signage from the events, this was obvious that the intent was to indicate that these were the very gowns and dresses worn by Marilyn Monroe.
Last Updated: Monday, 1 October 2007, 11:04 GMT 12:04 UK
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'Lost' Monroe dresses put on show
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From
October 2, 2007
'Lost collection' of Marilyn Monroe's dresses to go on show
Marilyn Monroe starred in The Seven Year Itch in 1955
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Image :1 of 5Careful research has shown otherwise. Grateful acknowledgments and thanks to leading world renowned expert Mark Bellinghaus who was the first to detect the true fraud that was going on and how the public at the Brighton Hilton Metropole was being duped. And how individuals at the Hilton in Bath England were also about to be fooled. Mark Bellinghaus' full and initial report can be seen here. Although exhibitors will claim now that it was their decision to leave the Hilton in Bath, that must not be so. Why would they be all set up to exhibit and suddenly leave? This is because they were caught in the act of committing a nasty fraud, pointed out by Mark Bellinghaus and reported to the Hilton Headquarters in Beverly Hills. Days ago the "lost collection" was "found" again, this time resurfacing in Leeds, England and debuting there. However, unlike the last time with trumpets blaring, this exhibition seemed to take a quieter approach, with a small press opening and not a lot of fanfare prior. However, an astute reporter, Ms. Suzanne McTaggart, attended the event and reported the controversy already involved with the dresses. She saw the value of this story and the possibility that these dresses were not what they were advertised, and should be commended for her report.
- Published Date: 18 March 2008
- Source: EP Leeds First & County
- Location: Leeds
Marilyn Monroe dresses labelled 'fake'
Video
See a slideshow of the dresses
Sir Jimmy Savile opened the exhibition with Marilyn Monroe lookalike Suzie Kennedy
THE famous white dress worn by Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch will be on display in Leeds over the next fortnight – or will it?
The dress is part of a unique exhibition which boasts the star's finest gowns.But the Travilla Collection tour at Savile Hall, Leeds, which also includes the pink satin dress worn for her performance of Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend, is plagued by controversy.World renowned Monroe expert Mark Bellinghaus, who closed down a bogus Monroe exhibition in 2006, claims the Leeds collection is not genuine and that the dresses were never worn by his idol, who died in 1962 aged 36.But the man staging the exhibition strenuously denies the claim and says all the dresses are the genuine article.The seven dresses come from the private collection of Oscar-winning fashion designer William Travilla, who died in 1990, and are accompanied by original patterns and sketches.Some of the dresses were made for Monroe's movies, including the purple satin costume from How to Marry a Millionnaire and the red-sequinned dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, pictured right, while another creation was made for Monroe as a personal gift.But after studying pictures of the gowns, which were modelled by Peaches Geldof for Hello! magazine, Bellinghaus said: "All the dresses look brand new. If you have a dress that is over 53 years old, trust me, it shows, even if they were in an air-tight place."The Peaches Geldof dresses were an insult on anybody
's intelligence. The copies in no way resemble what was worn by Monroe. These dresses were never worn by Marilyn Monroe."
Bellinghaus, who lives in Los Angeles, closed Marilyn Monroe: The Exhibit after he discovered that a pair of hair curlers – allegedly used by Monroe and holding strands of her hair – were actually made after her death.
But Travilla Collection organiser Andrew Hansford hit back at the latest claims, stating that the memorabilia on display are "100 per cent genuine".
He said: "These allegations make me feel sick. Fashion experts have confirmed these dresses are the genuine article.
"They weren't bought at auction, they came from the man's own closet.
"This exhibition is a celebration of a great man's work and these allegations have upset everyone."
The exhibition was launched yesterday by Marilyn Monroe lookalike Suzie Kennedy and Sir Jimmy Savile.
The full article contains 401 words and appears in EP Leeds First & County newspaper.
Last Updated: 18 March 2008 10:24 AM
Groups came forth at various occasions, defending the dresses, the exhibitors and putting us down. But we were right.
It was claimed that these items had not seen the light of day - that after Monroe's death in 1962 William Travilla kept these dresses and drawings locked away.
So how could this happen?
First, according to this website, there was controversy with the subway dress for example that Travilla himself had to defend. In the book Hollywood Costume: Glamour, Glitter, Romance! By Dale McConathy and Diana Vreeland, it was suggested that Travilla purchased the dress off the rack, which he vehemently denied, as he indicated that everything was designed specifically for the screen.
But the question is, if Travilla's designs were so "lost" and locked away, how did this design come out in 1976, shown at the Met by John Kloss? Interesting as well how much closer Mr. Kloss' design looks closer in style to the dress Marilyn Monroe wore onscreen than the one being shown over in Leeds right now.
Photo below courtesy of moviediva.com
This is not the first time however that Marilyn's dress has been reproduced. William Travilla did it himself. According to the research done by Mark Bellinghaus, he had the key to unlocking that the Travilla Exhibitors were not telling the truth about the provenance of their items when first showed in Brighton and Bath - this reads that the item below, was Bill Travilla's personal touring replica from the 1960's. It also notes that the original is in the collection of Debbie Reynold's, despite what original reports stated that the original was in the hands of the exhibitors in England.
The article below also supports Mark Bellinghaus' findings (Source: Business Wire):
Over $1 Million Worth of Hollywood Memorabilia Sold at Profiles in History's Auction on December 10, 2004
Business Wire, Dec 11, 2004
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- --The Iconic Legend of Marilyn Monroe Continues to Grow as Bill Travilla's Personal Touring Replica of Marilyn Monroe's Subway Scene Dress from the Seven Year Itch is Sold for $ 60,000.00 -- 10 Times More Than It Was Estimated to Sell For --The Only Signed, Nude Photo of Marilyn Sells for $42,500.00 On December 10, 2004, Profiles in History sold over $1 million worth of Hollywood's most prized artifacts from classic and contemporary television and film. The 4-hour LIVE auction included bidders from around the world via phone bidding and LIVE Internet bidding. Recognized for securing some of the world's most phenomenal prices for Hollywood memorabilia at auction, the December 10 auction adds new Hollywood highlights to that list including: Click here to read the rest of this article.This dress from Profiles in History is now in the collection of Maite Minguez Ricart. According to Maite Minguez Ricart's website, this is the only copy made of this dress by William Travilla. Which means that, if the dress was the only copy made by William Travilla and was sold to Maite Minguez Ricart, other copies were being generated along the way that were not created by Travilla. Additionally, Maite Minguez Ricart bought the dress from the Profiles Auction in 2004, which means that if the dress was shown now in Leeds, the one in Leeds is at least a copy of a copy of a copy. And we can confirm from the written evidence that this dress was not made during Marilyn Monroe's lifetime.
Please also see the website of the Hollywood Motion Picture Museum Collection - run by Debbie Reynolds and Todd Fisher - here you will see the original white subway dress on their website, that was worn onscreen by Marilyn Monroe.
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If these dresses that the William Travilla Estate are claiming were so "lost" how could they be found as well in the following locations? First, interesting to note that the following letters were generated by individuals in support of the Travilla Exhibition. The Travilla Estate obviously didn't pick up that one of their supporters gave them away by stating in her letter that these dresses were seen before at her institution:
How can the William Travilla Estate claim that these items were lost, when their own supporter, Louise Coffey-Webb admits that they have already been shown on campus? And Louise Coffey-Webb has stated in the letter that she has seen the designs and fabric swatches. Again, the point made in the blog, is why are they advertising these as "lost" if so many have seen them? That totally discounts the idea of these items being under lock and key. They were not just shown on campus, but also here in 2003! And Ms. Coffey-Webb participated in this event.
NEWS RELEASE Oakland Museum of California www.museumca.org 10TH & OAK STREETS OAKLAND, CA 94607 Source: Oakland Museum of California For additional information: Shirleen Schermerhorn 510/238-3402, M-F, MEDIA ONLY PUBLIC CALLS: 510/238-2200 E-mail: shirleen@museumca.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Exhibition dates: March 15 - September 21, 2003 Image thumbnails ICONS OF CALIFORNIA FASHION ON DISPLAY AT OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA From Hollywood glamour gowns to San Francisco hippie style to Southern California surfer gear, California has defined American fashion "cool" for nearly a century. As the birthplace of sportswear and casual Fridays, California has transformed world style on a global scale. In celebration of California fashion, the Oakland Museum of California presents the exhibition Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity. On view at the museum from March 15 to Sept. 21, 2003, the exhibition displays more than 100 articles of clothing and accessories from the museum’s permanent collection as well as from other major museums and private lenders. Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity examines how California fashion has been shaped by the entertainment industry as well as the state's cultural diversification and varied climates and geography. The exhibition is organized into five thematic groupings: The Jean Pool, Sportswear, Dressing the Stars, Peddling the Identity, and Fashion Fusion — California Culture. Jeans are a fashion icon that to many people represents American culture. From the invention of jeans as practical work clothing in the Gold Rush to Western wear on ranches, from the rebellious low fashion of hippies and protestors to the high fashion of couture designers, California has pioneered in jeans' evolution. The exhibition will showcase some of the notable examples of this icon, including 19th century Levi Strauss products, a blue denim tuxedo worn by Bing Crosby, a pair of jeans prepared for James Dean for "Rebel Without a Cause," and denim designs ranging from hippie embroidery to an elaborate "Rhinestone Cowboy" suit created by costume designer Nudie Cohn. California’s temperate climate and varied geography, along with the birth of the car culture, boosted the development of sportswear. The reach of California’s casualness in clothing extended worldwide with the spread of such sports activities as surfing, skateboarding, swimming and “Xtreme” sports, all of which generated a market for specialized clothing with bold, innovative designs. The exhibition features California swimsuits dating as far back as 1910, including Esther Williams's swimsuit from the 1952 film "Million Dollar Mermaid" and Rudi Gernreich's headline-making 1964 monokini; a collection of T-shirts featuring iconic images, from a California Raisins "Surf's Up" design to a picture of the Grateful Dead; and sportswear by a number of California designers. Hollywood lent an international presence to California from the early days of film, and the fashions from films have influenced the way we dress and made the reputations of numerous designers. Hollywood designs in the exhibition will include a dazzling Bob Mackie creation designed for Marlene Dietrich; the pleated white William Travilla dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch" (1955); Jennifer Beals's sweatshirt from "Flashdance," by designer Michael Kaplan (1983); Michael Jackson's crystal glove, designed by Bill Whitten; Sharon Stone's white suit from "Basic Instinct" (1992); and Brad Pitt's suit from "Oceans Eleven" (2001). California retailing methods have proven successful the world over. The exhibition will examine some of the California companies that expanded their merchandising to reach far beyond the state's borders, such as Banana Republic and Levi Strauss. Also included will be a look at retailing in a more elegant era — fancy gift boxes from the fashion-forward San Francisco retailer Joseph Magnin, and a display table and architectural fragments from the Art Deco building of Oakland's high-end Gray Shop. The exhibition concludes with a look at fashion fusion in the work of California designers. A multitude of forces can be identified as inspiring these fused fashion statements: the Mi Amigo movement of 1941 in Southern California fueled by political amity between the United States and Mexico; handmade clothing revived during the wearable art movement of the 1970s and 1980s; cross-cultural influences, as seen in the clothing of the 1930s and '40s at Gump’s department store inspired by traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures, and revisited in the kimono-style garments at the end of the century; Rudi Gernreich fostering the unisex look in the 1960s. The exhibition includes a 1905 afternoon dress from the White House department store in San Francisco appliquéd with embroideries from a Chinese robe; hippie-styled clothing displaying borrowed symbolism; and handmade, dyed garments by two creators of California wearable art, Ana Lisa Hedstrom and Jean Williams Cacicedo. Creations of more celebrity include an embroidered and beaded leather bag created by designer Linda Gravenites for Janis Joplin, and a 1973 Kaisik Wong vest whose design made headlines when it was revealed that it had been copied by the House of Balenciaga for their 2002 collection. Iconic to Ironic: Fashioning California Identity was organized by Inez Brooks-Myers, curator of costume and textiles at the Oakland Museum of California, with the help of Louise Coffey-Webb, Cameron Silver, Kaye Spilker and Jo Ann C. Stabb. It will be accompanied by a full-color booklet with introduction by Harold Koda, curator at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Oakland Museum Women's Board.
Another event located by one of the many concerned Marilyn Monroe admirers who came forth and believes that these dresses are being misrepresented. This person and I both spotted this clip - I'd like to thank this anonymous person for their help in passing this on to us:
Exhibit Honoring Renowned Designer for Marilyn Monroe Runs Through Dec...
Date: 10/17/2005
Source: Woodbury University When people think about Marilyn Monroe, they see a certain image. The pink dress she wore while singing “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Or the pleated white halter dress blowing upward as she stood on a subway grate in “The Seven Year Itch.” The late William Travilla, a Woodbury alum, was the man responsible for those iconic designs. Now costumes, evening gowns, costume sketches and photographs from the personal collection of Bill Sarris, former business partner of Travilla and also a Woodbury alum, are on display in the exhibit “Travilla – An Homage.” This latest exhibition at Woodbury University’s Judith Tamkin Fashion Center runs through December 18, 2005. The garments on display were all designed by Travilla, created in his atelier and bear his label. The Monroe gowns are authorized reproductions, circa 1980. Sarris, who met Travilla when he won first place in a Woodbury fashion show in the early 1950s, and Travilla were honored in 2004 with the Woodbury Design Award. The pair are famed for their work in the Hollywood design firm Travilla which created designs for Monroe, as well as memorable fashions for stars such as Ginger Rogers, Jane Russell and Joanne Woodward. Hours for the free exhibition are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. The exhibition was mounted with the assistance of Woodbury fashion design students Yvette Allsop, Virgine Khechumyan, Rina Palma and Anna Maria Pena and is curated by Louise Coffey-Webb. The exhibition is located in the Judith Tamkin Fashion Center, Cabrini Hall at Woodbury University, 7500 Glenoaks Blvd. For more information, please contact Coffey-Webb at louise.coffey-webb@woodbruy.edu or 818.252.5239. If these items and their designs, again, were so locked away, then how could a student at Woodbury College under the direction of Louise Coffey-Webb have made the white subway dress in 2006? Since Travilla was an alumni of Woodbury College, could his designs and patterns have been in the hands of Woodbury College and used to fashion the dress made by the student?
Photo by Evans Vestal Ward
Woodbury University fashion design students Erica Szuch, Henry Huang and Rina Palma prepare for their big show
It's a Tuesday afternoon in early February and a studio in Woodbury University's fashion department is buzzing with activity over the drone of sewing machines and a radio blasting '80s pop songs and ballads. At one of the machines is senior Henry Huang, busy working on a black silk top. In another area of the room, his colleague Rina Palma examines one of her couture dresses on a mannequin. Seated at a nearby table is Erica Szuch, putting the final touches on a pair of beige trousers. For the next two months, these young design students and their fellow seniors will probably get little sleep, forget to eat and be utterly consumed with fabric and hems. No, this isn't part of some reality designer show; the class of 2007 is preparing for the biggest event of their college career: having their collections hit the runway at Woodbury's 43rd Annual Fashion Show. This year's theme is fittingly “Cero Cero Siete” (Zero Zero Seven).
On April 29, the 25 seniors from the fashion department will each present four couture outfits to the public. It's the students' opportunity to showcase their design skills and move one step closer to realizing their dreams of becoming professional fashion designers. Such fashion luminaries as costume designers William Travilla and Edith Head graduated from Woodbury, so it's certainly possible another star could be in this year's class. The fashion show is the highlight of Woodbury's gala fund-raiser, which regularly attracts some 600 guests and raises more than $250,000. Not only an important moment for the fashion design students, the event also raises money to provide scholarships for all students attending Woodbury, 86 percent of whom require financial aid.
With just months to go before the show, Huang, Palma and Szuch are furiously at work on their collections, for which they were asked to develop their own version of couture. That means “a lot more handiwork and attention to detail,” says Szuch, “because when you look inside the garment, nothing can be unfinished. … You have to be able to look at it and say, ‘This is a work of art, everything is just beautiful.'”
Palma has already shown great design prowess, winning the Travilla Scholarship last year for her re-creation of Travilla's famous white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in “The Seven Year Itch.” Making the dress actually turned her on to pleats (Palma loves manipulating fabrics), which she often uses in her gowns and dresses. “Parallel Universe” is the concept for her collection, consisting of pieces that are “timeless, elegant and sophisticated” — perfect adjectives to describe Palma's design aesthetic and her love of classic Chanel. Her vintage taste may also have been influenced by her role assisting curator and assistant professor Louise Coffey-Webb with managing Woodbury's to-die-for Fashion Study Collection of more than 6,000 pieces spanning 200 years. For Palma, her ideal client is someone “who feels confident and beautiful in what she wears.” And that could be a woman of any age.
Meanwhile, classmate Szuch has a very specific person in mind for her “Urban Renewal” collection. “My clothes are for a person who is in a creative field, a person who moves around a lot,” she says. “Someone who likes to throw things on, but also likes to look put-together.” Her work is inspired by Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky, who captures stunning images of urban waste sites, which accounts for her choice of smoky-colored fabrics. Szuch is producing a dress and three outfits that will display her knack for creating unusual, yet flattering shapes. “I've always loved garments and their construction,” she says, explaining that she's been making clothes since high school. “I like the idea of fashion being art that you can wear every day.”
Whereas post-industrial sites inspire Szuch's designs, Huang turned to the psychedelic era to shape his. “The '60s has always been my favorite decade,” he shares, listing Jimmy Hendrix and the Rolling Stones among his favorite musicians. “It was a revolutionary period for music, art and everything. I just want to incorporate that into my collection.” He chose vibrant colors and flower prints for his collection, made for women who don't mind standing out in a crowd and showing some skin. Huang's favorite piece is a long-sleeved, polka-dot dress gathered at the waist (“I'm really good at gathering,” he notes), and a really short skirt. His garments also feature square necklines and some modern silhouettes, with bubble shorts and skirts and skinny jeans making appearances. Edgy, vintage and “street” are words he uses often to describe his designs. Of course, talking about his collection is much easier than executing it. “Sometimes your sewing doesn't come out right and you have to do it a couple times,” Huang says. “It gets frustrating.”
All the seniors know how important the upcoming fashion show is to their development as designers. “It's a very big deal for me because I don't know when I'll have my next show,” says Palma. Seeing her Travilla re-creation on the runway last year was a moving experience. “I thought, ‘Wow, that's mine. I did that … I DID THAT!' I was freaking out and getting goose bumps.”
“From the student perspective, it is something so magical,” says Penny Collins, chair of the fashion design department. “It's so touching and exciting to see the culmination of their work. To me, it's equal to seeing the students receive their diploma at graduation, to see them walk onto the stage and take that deep breath.”
Parallel universes, urban renewal and '60s psychedelic — this is just a taste of what models will be strutting down the runway in April. “The people who will be there will have a great time because this graduating class truly has a lot of talented designers,” says Huang. “You'll see really innovative designs.” And, who knows? In time, perhaps a Palma, Szuch or Huang may be coming to a department store or boutique near you. 
03-01-07
The most shocking yet is what was found on the internet on this website - a Simplicity Costume Pattern - endorsed by the Estate of Marilyn Monroe, according to the bottom of the package. The Travilla Estate had to acknowledge and grant permission to the Estate of Marilyn Monroe (MMLLC) and CMG Worldwide, the licensing agency, to allow this item to be marketed.
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3/30/2008 3:34 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 3:46 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 3:56 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 4:12 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 4:25 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 4:38 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 4:51 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 5:10 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
3/30/2008 5:23 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
4/1/2008 2:44 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus It’s Karma time in terms of the injustice and fraud crimes–committed by the people who are connecting themselves to a charity and defrauding paying visitors of an in the media exposed costume exhibition hoax. Leaving the interested exhibit attendee in their believe to support a good cause. But this cause has now been exposed as part of the entire fraud package. The Alzheimer Society UK has been warned about this scam–yet they continued to partner with a group of criminals who are proven liars, crooks and tale tellers. Members of the British and especially American ... -
5/22/2008 1:54 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus Just links…to a lot of info–because information is knowledge, and knowledge is the smooth road–to complete, to the ultimate truth. William Travilla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 126 visits - May 21 William Travilla (March 22, 1920 - November 2, 1990), who went by the professional name of Travilla, was an American costume designer in films. …en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Travilla - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this Marilyn Monroe dresses labelled ‘fake’ - Yorkshire Evening Post Mar 18, 2008 … The ... -
5/22/2008 2:11 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus Just links…to a lot of info–because information is knowledge, and knowledge is the smooth road–to complete, to the ultimate truth. William Travilla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 126 visits - May 21 William Travilla (March 22, 1920 - November 2, 1990), who went by the professional name of Travilla, was an American costume designer in films. …en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Travilla - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this Marilyn Monroe dresses labelled ‘fake’ - Yorkshire Evening Post Mar 18, 2008 … The ... -
5/22/2008 8:36 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus Just links…to a lot of info–because information is knowledge, and knowledge is the smooth road–to complete, to the ultimate truth. William Travilla - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 126 visits - May 21 William Travilla (March 22, 1920 - November 2, 1990), who went by the professional name of Travilla, was an American costume designer in films. …en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Travilla - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this A sloppy, unsecured, unprofessional display of 100% fake and recently fabricated items was presented to the paying ... -
5/23/2008 4:05 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark Bellinghaus Just links…to a lot of info–because information is knowledge, and knowledge is the smooth road–to complete, to the ultimate truth. A proven HOAX -
5/23/2008 4:41 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark BellinghausWilliam Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 5:16 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark BellinghausWilliam Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 5:51 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark BellinghausWilliam Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 6:26 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
By Mark BellinghausWilliam Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 7:05 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 7:41 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 7:54 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 8:38 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 9:29 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 12:34 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 2:06 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 2:42 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 3:18 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 3:55 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 4:30 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 5:14 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 5:52 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 6:55 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 7:32 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 8:13 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 8:48 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 9:24 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 10:07 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 10:42 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 11:17 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/23/2008 11:51 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 12:28 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 2:53 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 3:58 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 4:36 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 5:11 AM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 4:19 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 4:49 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/24/2008 5:33 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 1:46 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 2:14 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 2:46 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 3:31 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 6:51 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 7:18 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 7:43 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 8:09 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost' -
5/25/2008 8:36 PM
OUR MARILYN BLOG wrote:
The William Travilla The 'Lost'