Edith Head created Grace Kelly’s gown for her Best Actress win at the 1955 Academy Awards.
Kelly wore a pale blue, silk satin gown with a matching stole when she won for The Country Girl. The dress was designed by Head, Paramount’s celebrated costume designer, whose career covered more than four decades of Hollywood filmmaking.
The outfit illustrated Head’s talent for creating formal clothing that looked elegant while remaining strongly tied to a star’s screen persona. Kelly’s Oscar victory came after performances in films including High Noon, Dial M for Murder and Rear Window, and the ceremony made the gown part of her Hollywood image.
The ceremony is sometimes called the 1954 Oscars because it honored films released in 1954, but the event itself took place in 1955. Kelly’s win and the gown therefore belong to the 1955 Academy Awards ceremony.