BOOK CLUB: THE COSTUMES OF HOLLYWOOD with Co-Authors Coleen Scott and Larry McQueen

This week episode is a special Book Club episode digging into the brand new book The Costumes of Hollywood with co-authors Coleen Scott & Larry McQueen! We cover Larry's extensive collection, the creation of the book, the importance of preserving Hollywood history and maintaing the legacy of Costume Designers and their teams, advice for Costume Designers on archiving their own pieces and so much more! 

 

The Costumes of Hollywood details the design, creation, and influence of over 100 ensembles from some of the most iconic designers, films, and roles in Hollywood history, spanning the 1920s through the early 21st century. All costumes featured are from The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design, one of the world's largest private collections, curated over thirty-five years by leading Hollywood costume historian and archivist, Larry McQueen.

 

The book presents full costumes on display in addition to close-ups, and rarely seen interior details of some garments. Iconic costumes, including many with Academy Award nominations, from Some Like It Hot, Hello Dolly, Cabaret, Rear Window, Ben Hur, Mildred Pierce, Angel, Masters of the Universe, The Piano, The Hunger Games, and so many others are featured. This book gives the audience a rare and heretofore unpublished insight into what collecting, restoring, and reproducing entails, and highlights differences between private collecting and museum-backed collections. The Costumes of Hollywood details the significance of the designer, costume, and wearer via thorough research, interviews, and Larry McQueen's behind-the-scenes knowledge of collecting and working as an archivist in Hollywood.

 

Within the entertainment field, this book will be of interest to professional costume designers and technicians in film, theatre, and performance, as well as students of film production, history, and costume design and construction. The Costumes of Hollywood will also enrich and entertain anyone with an interest in costume design in film and collecting.

 

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The Costumes of Hollywood: Highlights from The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design

Written by Coleen Scott & Larry McQueen

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Larry McQueen is a leading Hollywood costume historian and archivist. He has held the position of consultant for Camden House Auctioneers, Inc. in Los Angeles; Christie's East, New York: Christie's London; Butterfield and Butterfield Los Angeles/ San Francisco; Entertainment Rarities; and Julien Entertainment.

 

As consultant, he has been responsible for the authentication of film costumes and the estimation of their value. From 1999-2012, Mr. McQueen worked as an archivist with MGM/ UA in creating and maintaining a prop and costume collection of MGM films. In addition, his collection has worked with private estates and costume houses such as Lucille Ball, Jane Withers, Edith Head, Wayne Finkleman, Julie Newmar, Debbie Reynolds, Western Costume Company, Eastern Costume Company, CRC, American Costume Co., and others in researching items and their valuation. Mr. McQueen's private collection of film costumes is one the finest, and consists of over 600 costumes worn in films and television from 1920 to present. Portions of his collection have been exhibited in museums across the globe including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Fashion Foundation in Tokyo, and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Website: www.filmcostumecollection.com.

 

Coleen Scott is a costume designer and historian with an MFA in Costume Design from Boston University, where she received the Kahn award upon graduation. She has worked for over 25 years in theater, opera, film, and television. She has worked with Academy Award-winning costume designer Ann Roth as well as designers Stephanie Maslansky and Tina Nigro. She frequently works with her creative partner and photographer, Ben Trivett, doing styling, set decoration, and photo tech for celebrity and editorial portrait photography.

 

Coleen taught Costume Production and Makeup for Stage and Studio at Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, NY for thirteen years. Her book The Costumes of Burlesque was published by Routledge in 2019. She is a proud member of lATSE, USA 829, USITT, and is Chair of The Costume Society of America's Western Region. Coleen is tenured faculty in the Theatre Arts and Fashion Department at Santa Rosa Junior College in California heading the Costume Design, Technology and Makeup programs. Website: www.coleenscottdesign.com.

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