Robert Kalloch

[14] He came to the attention of Hollywood in the late 1920s when Peggy Hamilton, by then a Los Angeles Times fashion columnist began promoting his work in her articles.

[15] Kalloch's employment, in turn, convinced these leading actresses that Columbia Pictures intended to invest in their careers.

[26] He also designed the costumes for Elissa Landi for Excursion to Paradise (released under the title Sisters Under the Skin)[27] and (with Edward Stevenson) for Barbara Stanwyck in The Bitter Tea of General Yen.

[15] He went to Paris in June 1934 to see the latest fashion trends,[28] and by September of that year had designed costumes for Claudette Colbert (for It Happened One Night),[15] Carole Lombard, Grace Moore, and Genevieve Tobin.

[29] After his return, he designed notable costumes for Ann Sothern in Eight Bells[30] and a set of clothes for Joan Bennett in She Couldn't Take It which altered the actress' look from conservative to chic.

[33] During this early period, Kalloch's work favored classic, graceful lines that treated actresses like sculpted marble.

[39] Among his most innovative works during this time was a set of Persian cut cocktail pajamas for Grace Moore in I'll Take Romance.

[52] The media also paid particular attention to his work for Joan Blondell in 1938's There's Always a Woman, where Kalloch had to design a chic-looking wardrobe out of cheap garments and cloth.

[46] Another of his important works in this period was a red wool suit designed for Loretta Young in 1940's He Stayed for Breakfast.

[57][58][b] During his short tenure at MGM, Kalloch designed costumes for Hedy Lamarr[63] in H. M. Pulham, Esq.,[36] White Cargo,[64] and Crossroads;[65] Myrna Loy in Shadow of the Thin Man;[21] Judy Garland in Babes on Broadway;[54] Ann Sothern in Ringside Maisie and Maisie Gets Her Man;[54] Eleanor Powell in I'll Take Manila[66][67] (released under the title Ship Ahoy);[68] Norma Shearer in We Were Dancing[69] and Love Me Not[70][71] (released under the title Her Cardboard Lover);[72] Lana Turner in Somewhere I'll Find You;[73] Veronica Lake in This Gun For Hire;[74] Rosalind Russell in Design for Scandal;[75][76] 18 sparkling white gowns for Jeanette MacDonald in her first non-period piece film, Shadow of a Lady[76][77][78] (released under the title Cairo);[79] and Greer Garson in Random Harvest[15] and Mrs. Miniver;[80] In an unusual endeavor, Kalloch also designed the drag costume for Mickey Rooney in 1941's Babes on Broadway.

Another was a gown made of black marquisette,[c] and which featured a high, round neckline; long, skintight gloves; and a pleated skirt over a slip dyed pale cocoa.

[82] Powell said she collaborated with Kalloch on her costumes in the film to ensure that the gowns both accommodated her dancing[83] and moved and flowed well.

[84] For Norma Shearer in Her Cardboard Lover, Kalloch designed costumes which were the first indications of a new flowing, moving style in his work.

[78] The entry of the United States into World War II on December 7, 1941, led to heavy restrictions on the amount and kinds of fabric and other materials available to motion picture studios for use in costume design.

Crocheted hats and knitted scarves were now common (which indicated to the audience that these items were home-made rather than store-bought), and cords were used for draping but not as belts.

[89] These proved so popular that Greer Garson, Hedy Lamarr, and Jeanette MacDonald all bought appliqué garments for their private wardrobes.

[90] He created what he called "body bandanas" for Lamarr's wardrobe in White Cargo—three sarongs which could be redraped or reversed in order to provide variety.

[88] Kalloch had been named Adrian's successor at MGM,[74][54] but by late 1941 it was clear his design work and productivity were not acceptable to the studio.

[91] The reasons are unclear, but MGM head Louis B. Mayer may have been unhappy with his designs since Kalloch had no experience with period costumes.

[14] Kalloch may also have been suffering from personal problems, as his life-partner Joseph Demarais began to rapidly decline due to severe alcoholism.

[80] Kalloch's authority was further eroded when the studio hired Howard Shoup as a fashion designer in late July.

[95] He criticized "fussy" fashion,[96] favored the swing skirt, supported the use of sheer fabrics for summer wear,[97] offered advice to brides on a budget,[98] and advocated slim lines and the use of suede.

[99] Beginning in 1938 and lasting two years, Kalloch wrote occasional fashion columns for the Los Angeles Times.

[102] Throughout his Hollywood career, Kalloch continued to design fashions for the private use of a number of famous women, including Fay Wray,[103] Grace Moore,[104] Mona von Bismarck (wife of industrialist Harrison Williams),[105] Joan Perry,[106] Doris Nolan,[107] Gloria Stuart,[108] Ida Lupino,[109] Loretta Young,[110] and Rosalind Russell.

Her black evening dress was composed of several pieces, each of which was removed during the routine to reveal only a brief dance costume at the end.

[45] In Los Angeles, Kalloch devoted an entire room of his apartment to the cat, covering the walls with chicken wire and growing ivy over it.

[117] Demarais' parents were French Canadian immigrants to the United States, and he grew up very poor in Tiverton, Rhode Island, the youngest of five children.

[14] In 1939, Kalloch and Demarais jointly purchased a home at 4329 Agnes Avenue in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles for $10,000 ($200,000 in 2023 dollars).

[1] After his move to MGM, Kalloch put Demarais on the studio's payroll as his own secretary at a salary of $950 ($19,679 in 2023 dollars) a year.