DESIGNING WOMEN

I was most disappointed in Colleen Atwood’s comments regarding the designer Edith Head (Whatever., Oct. 11).

Atwood suggests that Miss Head was only famous for appearing on Art Linkletter’s “House Party.” I would like to suggest that Miss Head was famous for her incredible career as a costume designer. Miss Head designed for over 1,000 films in her career, which spanned 1924 through 1981.

In that time, she was nominated for an Oscar 35 times and received eight. She did 11 pictures with Alfred Hitchcock and also worked with all the great directors of her era. At the time she was on “House Party,” in the ‘50s, she had authored a book, “The Dress Doctor,” was working on an average of 15 pictures a year for Paramount, and was touring doing charity fashion shows with her costume collection.

It’s a shame that people feel the need to attack others, especially when they are no longer with us to defend themselves. Due to changes in the industry, there will never be a designer as famous as Edith Head, or with a body of work like hers. Her career has stood the test of time. I wonder how time will treat the career of Colleen Atwood?

RICHARD VAN DYKE

Co-owner, the Edith Head Costume Collection, Studio City