• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.1-14
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to examine the style of Marlene Dietrich who was a Hollywood legend in 1930s and has influenced on modern fashion. The characteristics of Dietrich style showed androgyny, sensualism and exoticism. Dietrich has been famous for wearing tailored pantsuit on and off-screen with mannish gesture and had great effect on women's wearing pants. Her confident, sexy mannish style represented her androgyny glamourously and proved she had a taste for a classic. Her sensualism focused on her famous legs because she understood the sex appeal of woman's legs. She showed her legs by wearing pants and decorative stockings, or matching colors of stockings and shoes to make her legs look longer and sexier by illusion. Her exoticism against a backdrop of black and white image, was presented with luxurious, sensual fabrics such as furs, feathers and velvet, along with dazzling accessaries. Also she didn't forget to manipulate angles of camera and lights for the engraving figure of her own. Her charisma directed her fashion image in detail and made herself a fashion icon in 1930s.