Which designer created the black dress Audrey Hepburn wore as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Hubert de Givenchy created the black dress Audrey Hepburn wore as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The 1961 film opens with Hepburn’s character standing outside Tiffany & Co. in a long black evening dress, dark glasses, and a pearl necklace. The image became one of cinema’s most influential fashion moments and helped cement the little black dress as a symbol of polished modern style.

Givenchy and Hepburn had a long creative relationship that began with Sabrina in 1954. He designed many of her film costumes and personal clothes, while Hepburn became one of the strongest public representatives of his elegant, restrained aesthetic.

The film’s costumes were supervised by designer Edith Head, so credit can sometimes be confused. Givenchy designed the famous opening dress, while Head worked on the film’s overall costume design. The distinction explains why both names appear in discussions of the wardrobe.