Travis Banton(1894-1958)
- Costume Designer
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
Travis Banton was the star costume designer at Paramount during the
studio's heyday of glamour and sophistication in the
1930's. During his tenure (1924-38), he created imaginative, often daring designs for stars like Kay Francis,
Carole Lombard,
Mae West and, most famously,
Marlene Dietrich. His best work was
done in tandem with the director
Josef von Sternberg, cinematographer
Lee Garmes and art director
Hans Dreier. Collectively, they created a
visual style of costume, make-up and scenery, which became known as
'Hollywood baroque'. For Banton, this emphasized the use of sumptuous,
figure-hugging, often heavily embellished or reflective fabrics, as
well as imparting a sense of kinetic energy through the prodigious use
of trailing feathers or veils. He also coached stars like Dietrich on
posture and demeanour to compliment 'the look'.
Banton's family had left Texas for New York when he was just two years
old. After schooling, he briefly served aboard a submarine during World
War I, subsequently resuming studies at Columbia University and the New
York School of Fine and Applied Arts. Like his contemporaries
Robert Kalloch and
Howard Greer, Banton spent his
apprenticeship in New York, working for the fashion house of Lucille
until 1924, eventually setting up his own couture label. Heavily
influenced by the French fashion industry, he initially designed for
theatre, creating gowns for the Ziegfeld Follies and for Broadway
musical comedy, such as "Little Miss Bluebeard" and "My Girl". In 1924,
he was recruited by producer Walter Wanger
to work under Howard Greer at Paramount. For several years, the future
Oscar-winning designer Edith Head was
assigned to him as a sketch artist and assistant, duly acknowledging
him in later years as a crucial influence on her career. By 1927,
Banton had become Paramount's leading, most innovative designer. During
the next decade, his work set the benchmark for lavish elegance in
continental haute couture, with credits like
Shanghai Express (1932),
Trouble in Paradise (1932)
and
Belle of the Nineties (1934).
A drinking problem forced Banton to leave Paramount in 1938, though he
did not remain out of work for long. Joining Howard Greer's label,
Greer Inc., he also found employment at United Artists (1938-39). After
that, he free-lanced in between stints with 20th Century Fox (1939-41),
Columbia (1943-44) and, as head stylist, at Universal (1945-48). His
creative flair in this period is best exemplified by films like
The Mark of Zorro (1940),
Lillian Russell (1940), and,
particularly, Cover Girl (1944),
perfectly balancing contemporary design with 1890's period costume.
In the end, the pressure of consistently creating high-end fashion for
both the studios and for his own label, plus frequent feuding with
stars and executives and a longing to leave the West Coast and return
to New York - were all beginning to take their toll. Banton's on-set
behaviour became more erratic and his increasing alcoholism made him
less reliable. After his final motion picture assignment, the
hopelessly flawed biopic
Valentino (1951), Banton left the film
business altogether and went back to work for Greer Inc.. He returned
to Hollywood once more in 1956, to open a fashion salon with
Russian-born couturiere Marusia Toumanoff Sassi,
collaborating with her in designing the extravagant gowns worn by
Rosalind Russell in the Broadway play
"Auntie Mame". Banton died two years later, in February 1958, at the
age of 63.
studio's heyday of glamour and sophistication in the
1930's. During his tenure (1924-38), he created imaginative, often daring designs for stars like Kay Francis,
Carole Lombard,
Mae West and, most famously,
Marlene Dietrich. His best work was
done in tandem with the director
Josef von Sternberg, cinematographer
Lee Garmes and art director
Hans Dreier. Collectively, they created a
visual style of costume, make-up and scenery, which became known as
'Hollywood baroque'. For Banton, this emphasized the use of sumptuous,
figure-hugging, often heavily embellished or reflective fabrics, as
well as imparting a sense of kinetic energy through the prodigious use
of trailing feathers or veils. He also coached stars like Dietrich on
posture and demeanour to compliment 'the look'.
Banton's family had left Texas for New York when he was just two years
old. After schooling, he briefly served aboard a submarine during World
War I, subsequently resuming studies at Columbia University and the New
York School of Fine and Applied Arts. Like his contemporaries
Robert Kalloch and
Howard Greer, Banton spent his
apprenticeship in New York, working for the fashion house of Lucille
until 1924, eventually setting up his own couture label. Heavily
influenced by the French fashion industry, he initially designed for
theatre, creating gowns for the Ziegfeld Follies and for Broadway
musical comedy, such as "Little Miss Bluebeard" and "My Girl". In 1924,
he was recruited by producer Walter Wanger
to work under Howard Greer at Paramount. For several years, the future
Oscar-winning designer Edith Head was
assigned to him as a sketch artist and assistant, duly acknowledging
him in later years as a crucial influence on her career. By 1927,
Banton had become Paramount's leading, most innovative designer. During
the next decade, his work set the benchmark for lavish elegance in
continental haute couture, with credits like
Shanghai Express (1932),
Trouble in Paradise (1932)
and
Belle of the Nineties (1934).
A drinking problem forced Banton to leave Paramount in 1938, though he
did not remain out of work for long. Joining Howard Greer's label,
Greer Inc., he also found employment at United Artists (1938-39). After
that, he free-lanced in between stints with 20th Century Fox (1939-41),
Columbia (1943-44) and, as head stylist, at Universal (1945-48). His
creative flair in this period is best exemplified by films like
The Mark of Zorro (1940),
Lillian Russell (1940), and,
particularly, Cover Girl (1944),
perfectly balancing contemporary design with 1890's period costume.
In the end, the pressure of consistently creating high-end fashion for
both the studios and for his own label, plus frequent feuding with
stars and executives and a longing to leave the West Coast and return
to New York - were all beginning to take their toll. Banton's on-set
behaviour became more erratic and his increasing alcoholism made him
less reliable. After his final motion picture assignment, the
hopelessly flawed biopic
Valentino (1951), Banton left the film
business altogether and went back to work for Greer Inc.. He returned
to Hollywood once more in 1956, to open a fashion salon with
Russian-born couturiere Marusia Toumanoff Sassi,
collaborating with her in designing the extravagant gowns worn by
Rosalind Russell in the Broadway play
"Auntie Mame". Banton died two years later, in February 1958, at the
age of 63.