Cecil Beaton
(1904-1980)
Cecil Beaton was born on January 14, 1904 in Hampstead, London, England. He studied at Heath Mount School and St. Cyprian’s School, Eastbourne. He later studied at Harrow’s and then moved on to St. John’s College, Cambridge, England and studied history, art and architecture
and finally left St. John’s without a degree. Cecil Beaton was not only a fashion photographer but also a writer, artist, actor and a stage and costume designer for ballet, opera, and theater.
In 1926, Beaton launched his career as a society photographer with an exhibition in London which won him an immediate contract with Vogue, where he worked for the next thirty years. In 1937, he became court photographer to the British Royal Family. In 1946, he designed the sets, costumes and lighting for a revival of Lady Windermere’s Fan, and for Vanessa (opera). He is most renowned for the costumes of Lerner and Loewe’s, My Fair Lady in (1956); which led to two Lerner and Loewe film musicals, Gigi in 1957 and My Fair Lady in 1964, which earned him the Academy Award for Costume Design. He also designed the period costumes for the 1970 film On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, starring actress Barbara Streisand.
Beaton won four Tony Awards as Best Costume Designer: in 1955 for Quadrille; in 1957 for My Fair Lady, a nomination shared with Little Glass Clock, in 1960 for Saratoga; and in 1970 for Coco. He also received two other nominations: in 1960 as Best Scenic Designer (Musical) for Saratoga; and in 1961 as Best Costume Designer (Musical) for Tenderloin. Beaton was knighted in 1972, becoming Sir Cecil Beaton.
Sir Cecil Beaton a pillar of film fashion design, died January 18, 1980, at the age of seventy six.
