What are movie stars without costumes? From the 1920s to the 1960s, René Hubert belonged to the the crème de la crème of costume designers. His trademarks were opulence and glamor and a distinct flair for colors and lines. As a young man, the trained embroidery draftsman left his native St. Gallen for Paris. The emigrant's courage was soon rewarded: In Hollywood, Hubert dressed film stars such as Ingrid Bergman, Marlene Dietrich and Gloria Swanson. His international reputation helped him to win commissions in his native Switzerland, most notably for the Swiss National Exhibition in 1939, for Swissair uniforms and aircraft interiors, and for various theaters and textile companies.
This richly illustrated publication compiles sketches, costume photography, stage photos and film stills of Hubert’s work. Experts from both sides of the Atlantic reflect on his multifaceted oeuvre at his numerous workplaces in Switzerland, Europe and the US. Excerpts from René Hubert’s unpublished memoirs provide a personal view of his life and the glamor of the era.