My Fair Lady

So I have begun to look at My Fair Lady as inspiration for my next womenswear project. I am interested in the issues surrounding class distinction the the movie explores as well as the transformation from rags to riches in protagonist Eliza Doolittle - played by Audrey Hepburn.


The story goes....

Phonetics professor Henry Higgins gets involved in an altercation with Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle as he is taking notes on her speaking accent outside of London's Covent Garden in 1912.  Colonel Pickering, another language enthusiast, quiets the argument, and Higgins boasts to him that after training Eliza for 3 months he could pass her off as a duchess.

The next day Eliza arrives at Higgins' house, prepared to pay for diction lessons so that she may realize her dream of obtaining a position in a shop.  With Pickering's help, Higgins begins a complete transformation of Eliza.  Her first public appearance at the Ascot horse races is a dubious success.

A few months later, Eliza is a greater success at the season's biggest social event.  After the affair, Higgins and Pickering congratulate each other on Eliza's transformation, completely ignoring her and her part in the process.  She leaves Higgins' house in anger.  Finding her father preparing to marry, Eliza seeks refuge with Higgins' mother.  She is paid court by Freddie Eynsford-Hill, a young admirer.  Higgins finds Eliza at his mother's, but they quarrel and he returns home.

Sitting alone in his study, Higgins realizes that he cannot be happy without Eliza.  As he sits listening to recordings of her voice made during her diction lessons, Eliza quietly enters the room through the door behind him.

Link: viewed 20 July 2011 <http://www.doctormacro.com/Movie%20Summaries/M/My%20Fair%20Lady.htm>

Link: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://thegreenhousediaries.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-fair-lady-fantasy-party-theme.html>

Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady

CECIL BEATON, 1963

Modern print of contact sheet featuring Audrey Hepburn both photographed and marked by Cecil Beaton

Silver Gelatin Print | The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's

13.8 x 10.9in | 35.3 x 27.8cm

£ 1,400

Source: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://shop.showstudio.com/item.php?id=66>

A Cecil Beaton costume sketch for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady

Source: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://shop.showstudio.com/item.php?id=66>

Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady

CECIL BEATON, 1963

Modern print of contact sheet featuring Audrey Hepburn both photographed and marked by Cecil Beaton

Silver Gelatin Print | The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's

13.8 x 10.9in | 35.3 x 27.8cm

£ 1,400

Source: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://shop.showstudio.com/item.php?id=66>

Link: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://allaboutaudrey.tumblr.com/page/16>

Link: viewed 30 July 2011 <http://stuffedduck.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html>

Here we have Eliza pre-transformation. A lower class flower girl who begs on the street for a pretty penny.

All Images sourced from Link: viewed 20 July 2011 <http://www.doctormacro.com/Movie%20Summaries/M/My%20Fair%20Lady.htm>