Travilla 1954-57

"Clothes make the woman but, more importantly, a woman makes the clothes." Travilla 1953

Throughout his film career, Travilla had dispensed fashion advice in newspaper columns and fan magazine articles for publicity. In 1944, socialites, studio wives, and actresses bought exclusive Travilla designs from Drew Tetrick's Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive salon. A decade later, while still under contract to Fox, on March 15, 1954, WWD announced that Travilla had become the designer for Harry Finer, a manufacturer of women's suits ($110 to $135), beginning with their Fall Collection. It noted his current Academy Award nomination in Costume Design for the fashion-filled How to Marry a Millionaire (he lost to The Robe.) 

He may have lost out on another Oscar, but on April 6, he finally received his degree in Fashion Arts from Woodbury College. According to the Registrar's Office, "Some may participate in commencement ceremonies with degree requirement(s) pending, spend years working, and then come back because they realize they don’t have an awarded degree. When a student officially completes their last degree requirement, that is when their degree is awarded."

In July, Travilla became an investing partner in his first employer,

Jack's of Hollywood.

Bus Stop was Travilla's last film with Marilyn Monroe and one of the last of his career for Twentieth Century Fox. After almost seven years, his contract was not renewed. But he was expanding into fashion for regular women. On April 15, 1956, the Hollywood Reporter blurbed that Travilla was now in business for himself with William Sarris as "The Costumer" at 8531 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. The goal was "to manufacture better late-day and cocktail dresses of the finest English and French fabrics, but marketed as ready to wear."

His first display ad in WWD debuted in the April 23 edition. It features a roughly drawn logo of his signature above the address with "Showings May 2-12. Reservations can be made by calling CRestview 5-9836." The logo would be the same one he used on the labels sewn into his fashions for several years.

In May, a sneak peek from WWD revealed: "generous collars, cuffed open necklines, and a wider look for rounded shoulders." They also noticed "set-in sleeves predominate and a lowered armscye top for a broader line." Suits are "soft and costume-like mainly through the drape of the collars and cut of the necklines." Fabrics included "silk-worsted blends, novelty stripes, and two tweeds. Black is favored for dressy wear, with bottle green, deep grey, and browns filling the fall landscape palette."

Travilla would recall just two years later, "I had eleven things in my first collection. Invited a few store owners in to see them. The orders came pouring in, and I was not prepared to fill them. But I did. And that's how the business got snowballing." Their first collection featured various one-piece day dresses in wool broadcloth or wool crepe. Soft draping gave the illusion of a weskit at the front or a U-shaped seam that gave shape to fluid back blousing. Slim dresses with a godet of fullness at one side or with crisp little pleats. Travilla transferred the silhouette to late-day dresses by changing wool to taffeta, peaugraine, or crepe. His formal gowns were a slim white silk crepe, shirred chiffon with trumpet hemline, and a satin and silk net ballgown. The outer coats featured shoe-button fastenings, and accessories included wide scarfs looped low at the back. 

Travilla was featured in a January 1956 Harper's Bazaar puff piece on Mrs. Ogden R. Reid in a sheer Fortsman wool day dress featuring crisscross tabs above a wide leather belt.

Three of his Spring 1957 dresses: l to r A slim dress of dark, rough-textured silk with a white ficu of the same fabric that continues into crossed tabs above the waist. Another was a glorified shirtwaist dress of white chiffon over pale coffee. The front is tucked from neck to hem, closing with leather buttons to match the belt. The third was a cocktail dress of red and white dotted surah, with a wide-shouldered top caught in sculptural folds of red chiffon midriff.

March 1957 Fashion ad.

A model wearing the outfit for a September 1957 fashion show. Actress and Travilla customer Ann Sheridan is in the center with the designer at left.

The company quickly became successful. Sarris firmly believes because "Travilla's greatest talent was the ability to take any woman and make her look more beautiful. Not every star was a beauty, but he was able to enhance just the right characteristic...and make her look like one." Travilla said early on, "The ultimate for any designer is to achieve the perfect marriage of design and fabric."

Now titled Travilla Originals, the company moved from Santa Monica Boulevard to 853 North La Cienega Boulevard. A two-story building with 5200 square feet, the first floor became offices, a showroom, a fitting room, and the shipping department. Production was on the second floor with cutters, seamstresses, and storage.

Travilla's La Cienega location still stands.

In July 1957, he was showing in New York City, renting the Venetian Suite at the Plaza Hotel. Described by fashion journalist Aileen Ryan from the Milwaukee Journal as "Black-haired, of medium nature, suntanned and boyish." He explained this was his fourth commercial collection. The cohesive theme of the forty-two-piece collection was a forward motion expressed through seaming and collars. Sizes ran from 8-18, but he told Ryan, "I make all of my models in size 16. It's too easy to make an attractive size 8. If I can do it in 16, the 8 will take care of itself." 

"I make all of my models in size 16. It's too easy to make an attractive size 8. If I can do it in a 16, the 8 will take care of itself."  Travilla 1957

1957 version of Marilyn Monroe's gold lame from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

This dress features a silk jersey bodice and dropped waist, a full pleated silk organza skirt with lace-trimmed cuffs, and a dramatic collar that dips dangerously low in the back. The entire dress is lined.

Nat Goodwin coats (l-r): The "forward look" in a no-seam coat (cut from one piece with seam in front). A diagonal velour coating with the richness of velvet is designed in a pyramided backfold detailing. An imported checkerboard sealskin every-occasion coat with an oval pyramid back.

The imported Jacqmar Plaid coat features a magnificent cape collar and

Paris-inspired silhouette.