Edith Head

 Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981)

She was a costume designer who won eight Academy Awards, starting with The Heiress (1949) and ending with The Sting (1974). This is still a record in its category. She first acquired notability for Dorothy Lamour’s trademark sarong dress, and then became a household name after the Academy Awards created a new category of Costume Designer in 1948. Head was known for her low-key working style and, unlike many of her male contemporaries, usually consulted extensively with the female stars with whom she worked. She herself always dressed very plainly, preferring thick-framed glasses and conservative two-piece suits. As a result, she was a favorite among many of the leading female stars of the 1940s and '50s, such as Ginger Rogers, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Shirley MacLaine, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. In fact, Head was frequently "loaned out" by Paramount to other studios at the request of their female stars. Head also authored two books, The Dress Doctor (1959) and How To Dress For Success (1967), describing her career and design philosophy. During the late 1970s, Edith Head was asked to design a woman's uniform for the United States Coast Guard, because of the increasing number of women in the Coast Guard. Head called the assignment a highlight in her career and received the Meritorious Public Service Award for her efforts. Edith Head died just before her 84th birthday in 1981, and is buried at Forest Lawn in Glendale, CA.