Transformations in Audrey Hepburn’s Iconic Image and Beyond

     The little black dress. The simple turtleneck. The elegant ballet flats… Audrey Hepburn was, and still remains, an all-time classic who transformed Hollywood’s sense of fashion and style. As a young woman who grew up suffering malnutrition from post-war Europe, Hepburn was considered “flat-chested”, “wide eyed”, “big nosed”, “too skinny”, “too tall” and “tomboyish” (Wasson 9) by Hollywood standards. She significantly contrasted the classical beauties favored by the Hollywood film industry, including established stars such as Marilyn Monroe. Notably, Hepburn was a “counter-model” to a “voluptuous, hyper-sexualized femininity” (Studlar 203) who was not regarded a “classic beauty” (Gitlin 18). Yet, With her unique physical attributes and her “gentle, kind, almost angelic” personality (Wasson 161), Hepburn successfully gained wide appeal amongst filmmakers and audience members alike across the globe. 

     Throughout Hepburn’s life, she transformed her iconic image personally, professionally through fashion, and by embracing new roles including that of a celebrity diplomat who served to attract more social awareness on global issues. This essay, with “transformations” as its key guiding principle, investigates not only Audrey Hepburns’ personal and professional transformations, but also explores the implications of those transformations. Since her personal life had been of paramount significance to her personal and professional transformations and their various implications, this essay will start by examining some biographical aspects of Audrey Hepburn’s identity as an icon.

Personal transformation

     As a young ballerina who was not at all experienced in acting, Audrey Hepburn was able to win the hearts of the American producers with her “wide eyes” that hinted at a “perpetual curiosity” (Waason 8) that was eagerly sought after for a leading role named Gigi in the stage production of the same title. Although Hepburn had defiantly and repeatedly acknowledged her lack of formal training in acting and had attempted rejecting this attractive career opportunity as an actress, Hepburn was convinced by those involved in the casting process of the production “Gigi” in her early adulthood (Wasson 11). Following the official shift in her professional status from a dancer to an actress, Audrey Hepburn won one acclaim after another, further transforming into a Hollywood actress who amazed the world with her physical charms and spiritual charisma. The innocent-looking young lady, who still frequented youthful, adolescent roles (Studlar 312) despite the elapse of time, would sustain the public love throughout her career and even after her death.

     From an European ballerina from an aristocratic Belgian / English family to an award-winning actress, to Givenchy’s “muse of fashion”, to a mother, to an “angel” who embodied the charitable endeavors of UNICEF (whose former organization by a different title saved Hepburn from her destitute as a child growing up in postwar Holland), Hepburn had been consistently associated with positive images (Moseley 111). If one were to consider Audrey as a brand, it would most likely be one that is elegant, charming, simplistic, and kind. In contrast with the flood of scholarly and non-scholarly sources that focus on Hepburn alike, there is very little criticism, or even any tinge of gentle skepticism. Why would this actress, unlike her predecessors and later stars, be able to construct and maintain such a positive brand image throughout the years? Since Audrey Hepburn’s personal life paralleled, to a certain extent, to that of the characters that she portrayed in those film, the next section shall examine transformations in some well-known films that starred Hepburn as their protagonist.

Character transformations

     Cinderella stories penetrate Audrey Hepburn’s acting career. For one of the first films in which she was starred alongside big stars, Sabrina, for instance, Hepburn portrayed a chauffeur’s daughter who grew up in the wealthy Larrabee family estate in Long Island. Hepburn’s portrayal of the female protagonist Sabrina shows the character’s transformation from a girl who was desperately and unrequitedly in love with the younger son of the patriarch to a mature and attractive woman, not just in terms of fashion and style from her return to America from France, but also in terms of her confidence. She was no longer going to “reach for the moon”, but became convinced that the “moon” would come reaching for her instead. 

     Film scholars including Studlar and Moseley discuss the significant role of fashion in Hepburn’s onscreen character transformations. Hepburn’s Sabrina, they argued in Precocious Charms and Fashioning Film Stars, respectively, was able to grow and mature largely through the confidence she gained through her Parisian fashion that distinguished her from her longtime love interest David Larrabee’s other romantic subjects. According to Moseley, “clothes play an integral role” as Sabrina (ostensibly) transcends the boundaries of social class (117). Hepburn’s (Sabrina’s) famous “little black dress”, for instance, features the color “black”, which had not been often used in the film industry at the time partly due to the color’s association with widows, a vivid sign of the female dependency on their husbands. Hepburn’s character, however, emerges more as an independent woman who challenged the established feminine ideals of society.

     Similarly, in the 1964 comedy My Fair Lady, Hepburn appears as an “annoying cockney flower girl” who turns into a “duchess”-like woman under the strict tutelage of Professor Higgins (Cox). On the other hand, Hepburn’s role in the earlier film Roman Holidays appears to have applied the Cinderella formula reversed: Hepburn played a young member of the royalty, Princess Anne, who had only begun to “see the world” after she falls in love with a financially poor journalist, played by Gregory Parker (Cox). However distinct or similar the plots are for each film, fashion has always helped Hepburn transition into her roles smoothly. 

Fashion in Relation to Hepburn’s Transformations: A Closer Analysis

     The role of fashion in building her brand image and iconicity, perhaps not surprisingly, paralleled Hepburn’s personal life. Audrey Hepburn once said that “They [Clothes] make me feel so sure of myself (Moseley 109).” Throughout her career, Hepburn had kept a professional partnership with French designer Hubert Givenchy, who praised Hepburn as her “muse” whose body type is “perfect”, as it matches the Golden Ratio perfectly (Cox). In addition to designing a significant amount of Hepburn’s most memorable screen costumes, Givenchy also helped construct the Hepburn brand and enhance her unique iconicity offscreen through his designs of her personal wardrobe throughout her lifetime. Arguably, Hepburn’s interconnected character transformations onscreen and personal transformations offscreen both create social implications. In particular, the ways in which the movies were created do not tend to center Hepburn’s acting skills, but instead have a feminine focus on fashion, as exemplified by the close-up shots of Sabrina’s feminine body features such as her waist and “long, skinny legs” (Moseley 110). Not only did Hepburn’s feminine fashion generate commercial success for designers including Givenchy (who could not handle to “increasing amount of customers since Sabrina”), it also created a social thirst for the “Hepburn look” at a time (post-war) when women wanted to “look like women again” (Moseley 111). The growing influence of the media also magnified Hepburn and her personas’ individual transformations to the public, enabling a mass transformation in society’s way of thinking about fashion and femininity. Hepburn inspired women and men to consider skinniness and youthfulness as beautiful and feminine, to reconcile the apparent conflict between youthfulness and sophistication, and to embrace haute couture as a youthful concept (223).

     Like other aspects in her life, Hepburn’s acting skills and sense of fashion were both very much reviewed positively, despite the amount of close scrutiny that she received as a public figure and international icon. In his article titled “Audrey Hepburn: An Iconic Problem”, Cox points out that Hepburn’s primary problem as “a strong actor, with a great capacity for comedy” is that she chose to turn down certain offers due to the nature of “the material that was offered”, and that as a result, she was not able to act as frequently. Cox discusses some of the tradeoffs that Hepburn faced such as her dedication to her family, that eventually limited her to “stretch herself, to do things differently”. Studlar, on the other hand, mildly critiques Hepburn’s vulnerability that in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, one of the most challenging jobs for Hepburn in her career since her character is a hooker in the original script (since “Audrey was good”, she would be “too good” to play the bad girl whom Monroe instead would have aced at portraying), “Beneath her sunglasses is a hidden sense of insecurity, of exposure” (120). Hepburn’s Cinderella’s as protagonists of different stories chose to dress themselves in a way that their clothes serve as “social armors” to reconcile the oscillations between “the pleasure of being discovered and the anxiety of exposure”, “fashionable modernity and respectability”, and “ornament and protection” (Studlar 120). 

     Although Hepburn’s control of the scenes through her increasing efforts to improvise, a contrast to her frequent feeling of stress in her earlier career (Waason 167), may counter this point, Hepburn’s fragility is certainly evident in her onscreen and personal lives, and has become an asset cherished by certain filmmakers to emphasize a nostalgic, wistful blend of emotions in their protagonists. Both Studlar and Cox’s arguments demonstrate a certain fragility in this all-positive image of an angelic icon whose transformation on and offscreen has continuously caused social transformations in society’s ideal fashion and femininity. After all, Hepburn was not divine. She was not entirely devoid of personal flaws.

Celebrity Diplomacy

     Later in Hepburn’s career, she embraced a new role as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations (Gitlin 203). This transformation would enable Hepburn to become an epitome of a “celebrity diplomat” as described in scholar Andrew Cooper’s book Celebrity Diplomacy, and further develop her “brand” of kindness and genuine service to humanity. No longer an actress at this point and partly unhappy with her divorce, Hepburn at this point was fairly independent of her professional obligations and the sometimes overdone instructions given by her first husband Mel (Waason 151). This new phase of her life would enhance her iconicity even further, to present an image of Hepburn in a larger, social context internationally.

     Although Cooper considers Audrey Hepburn’s legacy a “benign imprint” through her performance as a celebrity diplomat, he labels her a “glamorous enthusiast” who was “celebrated but conformist”. (Cooper 18) In the opening chapter of his scholarly work Celebrity Diplomacy, Cooper describes later celebrity diplomats including Princess Diana and Angelina Jolie followers of the Audrey Hepburn model of celebrity diplomacy. He also claims Hepburn’s acts of kindness to be “acts hard to follow” (18). In this regard, Hepburn had once again influenced a new realm, this time, of non-political diplomacy.

     Although the word “followers” does imply that there is much similarity among the diplomatic styles of the three universal icons, Cooper has labeled Hepburn a “conformist” and describes Jolie as more open and outspoken (18). Whilst Hepburn’s “emotional zeal” in her involvement with the United Nations (Cooper 19) has been fully acknowledged in relation to her personal association with UN organizations from her childhood in Europe, Cooper sees Hepburn’s “attitude toward the political and diplomatic dynamics” affecting the Ethiopian situation to be “naive” (19), citing her frequent use of biblical analogies in those diplomatic situations. Since, however, celebrity diplomacy is fundamentally different from regular (political) diplomacy in its freedom to conform to individual government’s individual interests and its potential to exploit iconicity and celebrity brand image as potential assets to attract more audience to the social cause, one might wonder if film stars like Hepburn should even be expected to “not be naive” in the first place. The question would therefore be open to contention. 

Conclusions: The Echoing Effects of Hepburn’s Transformations

      Audrey Hepburn’s brand image as a global and timeless icon remains here with us even decades after her desease. Not only had Audrey Hepburn grown personally and professionally throughout the years, her iconic image has transformed society’s view of femininity, Hollywood’s sense of fashion, and celebrity diplomacy. To this day, the society still honors, celebrates and imitates Hepburn’s simplicity in taste, the effortless beauty created by her genuineness, and the good that Hepburn brought to humanity as well as its long lasting impacts as a model for future celebrity diplomats to come. Hepburn has provided an epitome of how one could strive to maintain a coherently positive brand image despite having her life scrutinized by the public due to the curiosity she generated as a celebrity, and how a positive image could be long-lasting and even enhanced throughout the years despite the existence of certain personal flaws. Therefore, it is noticeable how Hepburn’s transformations as a person and an actress have in turn created echoing effects in the society worldwide alongside her memorable brand image and long-lasting, charismatic iconicity.

Works Cited

Cooper, Andrew Fenton. Celebrity Diplomacy. Boulder: Paradigm, 2008. Print.

This academic source examines diplomacy in a modern context, arguing that celebrity diplomacy is an un-institutionalized yet serious project of a global scale. In its opening chapter, the book focuses on Audrey Hepburn as a celebrity diplomat, and explores some similarities and differences among Princess Diana, Angelina Jolie, and Audrey Hepburn. All three women used their fame, charismatic appeal, and iconicity to derive benefits for social causes. They all exemplify how their personal emotions as reported and aggrandized by the media all played a role in their charitable endeavors. However, Cooper argues that Hepburn succumbed more to conformity, whilst Angelina Jolie has been more spontaneous and outspoken. For my research project, this source has presented one of the rare not-so-positive comments on Audrey Hepburn. It is a credible source written by a politics professor who specializes in diplomacy. It provides a broader context of celebrity diplomacy, and was a cross-referencing point with my biographical source on how Hepburn’s upbringing helped her transform into an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Although this source is not pertinent to the topic of my essay, it was eye-opening as part of my research process as I read through all my sources and tried to establish connections, as well as similarities and differences in their arguments.

Cox, Alex. "Audrey Hepburn: An Iconic Problem." The Guardian. The Guardian, 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jan/20/audrey-hepburn-breakfast-at-tiffanys>.

This article is a recent web source that examines Audrey Hepburn’s personal and professional problems as an icon. It emphasizes the price that came with Hepburn’s success, brand, elegance, and iconicity. The author offers a biographical perspective on the early price she paid for her physical elegance (in particular, her skinniness) was the lack of nutrition she received growing up in the latter part of the war in Holland, and later on, the demand for her to make tradeoffs between family and work that caused much mental anxiety and pain. Cox argued that Hepburn did not, after all, achieve all she could have, because fundamentally “actors only get to play the roles they’re hired for” despite their aspiration to “something beyond what they’re generally offered”. 

Cox’s argument is interesting for my research project as it sheds new light on the perception of Audrey Hepburn. Despite her extraordinarily positive image as an icon and worldwide acclaim, she “never achieved” what she was capable of achieving, according to Cox. This source, although not as scholarly as the other sources, provides its own opinion that could provide an interesting angle for this research paper. It is opinionated, but I see the necessity of finding subjective sources to complement the academic, objective sources.

Gitlin, Marty. Audrey Hepburn : A Biography. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 9 Nov. 2014.

This biography is comprehensive and objective in presenting a holistic picture of Audrey Hepburn’s personal and professional life. It covers from Hepburn’s family background to her accomplishments and international recognition. 

For the purpose of this research project, this source (written by biographer Marty Gitlin, the author of other biographies such as “Diana, Princess of Wales”) is instrumental in providing me with a general idea, as well as details, of Hepburn’s life in order to dig deeper into a specific focus. It will also be helpful in terms of supporting my evidence, to complement my other sources by building a foundation of the academic, subject-specific analysis of this icon.

Moseley, Rachel. Fashioning Film Stars: Dress, Culture, Identity. London: BFI, 2005. Print.

This book explores the significance of the interrelationships between iconicity, star image, fashion and costumes, focusing on female Hollywood stars including Hepburn. It closely analyzes the importance of fashion and style for female icons, with a range of theoretical and methodological frameworks. The author argues that despite the charms of Hepburn’s fashion that attracted viewers and helped her shape the Cinderella story, there is also a sense of hidden anxiety behind her costumes and style (e.g. her sunglasses), a fear of being exposed.

This source, published by the London Film Institute in 2005, is an unbiased, scholarly source with a focus on Media Studies / Film / Costumes. It complements purely biographical sources and the non-academic web article in its special focus that is central to the subject matter. Since the book has different chapters on a myriad of film stars, it has been useful in providing case studies of icons who contrasted with Hepburn. During the research process, I skimmed through the chapters on other icons, which helped me realize how and why Hepburn was unique as a female icon. Since Hepburn was known for her definitive style that redefined Hollywood female icons in how much she differed from the classical definition of beauty, I find a source on costumes an interesting and compelling resource to consult.

Studlar, Gaylyn. Precocious Charms Stars Performing Girlhood in Classical Hollywood Cinema. Berkerley: U of California, 2012. Print.

Hepburn, originally a dancer, accidentally became an actress in her youth. According to my biographical sources, the fact that Hepburn became discovered as a potentially talented star that would appeal to a wide audience at a relatively early age is significant.

Studlar is a professor of cinema studies who specializes in gender roles. This academic source focuses on one of my topic of “transformation”: Hepburn’s personal transformation from girlhood to womanhood which paralleled the transformation of the characters that she portrayed in movies including “Sabrina” and “Roman Holiday”.

Wasson, Sam. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman. New York: HarperStudio, 2010. Print.

This source is a complete account of the making of the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, which is also addressed in some of my other sources. This source is particularly comprehensive and focused on this film as an example of Hepburn’s professional career, her acting skills, and her iconicity. 

Social historian Sam Wasson focuses on Hepburn, and meanwhile shows the roles played by people including the filmmakers, writers, music composer in his book. I believe that the broader “people” aspect / context that this source provides will be valuable to my project, as it presents how Hepburn was recognized by her colleagues in the making one of her most famous films, and one that is highly relevant to the discussion of the cinematic / costume / celebrity studies aspects of my other sources. It examines aspects that I am particularly interested in, such as Hepburn’s uniqueness as a unique female film star who became famous at an early age and who drastically differed from her antecedent Hollywood stars, as well as themes including gender / style / iconicity / branding / sexuality, etc.