Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond in 'Sunset Boulevard' Designed by Edith Head

Black accordion pleated silk crepe strapless nightgown, built over black bra, self ruffle at bust line, ornamented with 5/8" silk ribbon at waistline and under bust with black silk bow and cascading ribbons at center bust. Black ribbon straps have been applied to garment. (Paramount label inscribed "Gloria Swanson").

When Billy Wilder wrote the story for “Sunset Boulevard about a once beautiful but now aging movie star of the 20’s whose mind refused to accept the passage of time, he had Mae West, Mary Pickford and Pola Negri in mind for the role of Norma Desmond. When they turned down the roles, Gloria Swanson understood the similarities between her and the character and relished the idea to bring the woman who was lost in her imagination to life. She WAS Norma Desmond and the result of her performance catapulted her back into the public eye and she nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1950.

Edith Head was thrilled-yet intimidated- to design the clothes for Gloria Swanson in the film. One of Edith Head’s first memories of Swanson (the most sought-after silent film actress and fashion icons of the 20’s and early 30’s) was around 1926 when Swanson returned to the studio after marrying a French nobleman and Head and the other studio staff were instructed to toss roses before her feet as she entered the studio. Swanson was quite aware of her image and knew the ends and outs of fashion design, so she worked closely with Head to create rich and stylish costumes set in the 50’s but with a nod to the 20’s. Even though the costume were some of the most subtlety conceived she has ever designed, Head was disappointed at not being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.