Silver Screen Sundays: Auntie Mame

When John Galliano debuted his new line for 2009, the combination of zany colors, exaggerated silhouettes and exposed undergarments had many commentators crediting Madonna as his inspiration. But The New York Times placed the influence earlier – on Rosalind Russell’s over-the-top costumes in the 1958 film Auntie Mame. Russell’s Mame Dennis lives and breathes fashion (some commentators have suggested the character resembles Vogue editor Diana Vreeland).