Giorgio Armani turns to costuming

Thandie Newton [that Bond Girl] as Paulina Photo: Alastair Muir The thought-provoking Ariel Dorfman play Death And The Maidenis a masterful exploration of moral ambiguity, sexual politics and the personal consequences of totalitarianism. Not only that but all the clothes in the production that stars Thandie Newton and which opens tonight at London’s Comedy Theatre will look absolutely magnificent – thanks to Giorgio Armani. Thandie Newton: She Wears It Well. The Italian fashion emperor has temporarily turned theatrical costume designer to ensure that whatever the critics say about Newton’s West End debut, they absolutely won’t be able to knock her frock. – - Story BY Luke Leitch | more

Designer Edith Head on stage

 ’A Conversation With Edith Head,’ a one-woman show starring Susan Claassen, about the famous Hollywood costume designer. Opens in LA at The Odyssey Theatre starting Oct. 28.

Edith Head had grand designs on Hollywood for six decades, earning 35 Oscar nominations for her influential costume designs and winning eight Academy Awards for such films as 1949′s “The Heiress,” 1951′s “A Place in the Sun,” 1954′s “Sabrina” and 1960′s “The Facts of Life.” She was a favorite of Billy Wilder, designing the costumes for his classic 1944 film noir “Double Indemnity” and his 1950 masterpiece “Sunset Boulevard,” as well as of Alfred Hitchcock, creating iconic looks in such romantic thrillers as 1946′s “Notorious,” 1954′s “Rear Window,” 1958′s “Vertigo” and 1963′s “The Birds.” Besides designing costumes for films, Head also created personal wardrobes for the likes of Olivia de Havilland and Joan Crawford. She designed the uniforms for Pan Am airline stewardesses and she was not afraid to offer frank makeover tips to housewives as a regular on Art Linkletter‘s “House Party” CBS daytime series. – - more about this LAtimes.com