Horiwood's Blog

My contribution to rebuilding the American dream in remembering 9/11 today in American history, is this vision of hope in bringing one American woman’s inspiring journey to the screen.

On this historic note: MISS ELLIETTE THE MOVIE IS OFFICIALLY IN DEVELOPMENT:

In an ideal world, the Miss Elliette story, (the Coco Chanel of American Fashion and Business Couture) for the screen would go something like this:

Miss Elliette begins with the story of Los Angeles greatest living fashion design pioneer and icon (deftly played by Miley Cyrus in her early years), first coming to America as an immigrant at 18 years of age to attend fashion design school in New York City.

The trials, hardships, confidence and chutzpah of  the young Miss Elliette’s fashion training and the design innovation her talent engendered for the American garment  industry are mapped with the young Cyrus in the lead.

From her late twenties, Angelina Jolie plays Miss Elliette who moves to California from New York to dress Hollywood stars in the Entertainment Capital of the World. A woman who was intensely private, and yet was still sought after by the leading Hollywood men of her generation, like Clark Gable, became steeped in a hive of  industry as demand for her colorful flower-like couture creations became the romantic dresses of choice for American socialites across the 50 states of America.

Miss Elliette’s ability to create opportunity for women in business, compete against men at a top business level, while having and raising four children, while still issuing elegant stylish designs and collections from her modern imaginative giftings that were ahead of women of her time, is expertly played by Angelina Jolie.

From here the biopic looks backwards to Miss Elliette’s childhood and traces her inspiring trajectory from her humble immigrant beginnings as a child who was dyslexic; as her story creatively meanders through poverty, world wars, triumphing over dyslexia, failed romance,heartaches and abandonment, and tales of endurance through glamorous Hollywood business betrayals to become the first American woman ever to be listed on the stock exchange for a fashion house.

Miss Elliette’s poor immigrant-to-riches tale maps the climb of America’s architect of fashion design in couture for all American women in the fashion business of the 20th century. From her humble childhood beginnings in a Lebanese orchard, through her early years as a fashion designer working for male-owned fashion houses, through to her tragic love with a romantic but playboy husband; and ultimately to her success as a pioneering icon of fashion design to unexpectedly find true love again with Robert Shakespeare; Miss Elliette is the epic and timely story of a woman who was rich in imagination; fiercely independent to the point that she was difficult to love and yet whose contribution to Los Angeles glamourous fashion scene from the golden era of Hollywood spanning a 60 year career of fashion couture design, was too worthy to ignore.

[pcitured: Miss Elliette, pleated black chiffon, 1950s Hollywood glamour cocktail dress]

This epic love story stars Miley Cyrus, Robert Pattinson, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. 

Okay, everything above is totally true; the casting has yet to be confirmed. Natalie Portman may also play the title role. If she feels like it, the delightful Miss Elliette, America’s Fashion Royalty, might make a cameo appearance in the film. Hope so!

Miss Elliette: The Movie is the creative, intellectual and conceptual property of Chiffon Opposites Productions & Palm Tree Productions, New Zealand & USA. (c) 9.11.09