DR JRand asked: "In a couple of movies I notice they have Wardrobe Direction Charles LeMaire and Costumes by Travilla. What is the difference? And Peyton Place credits Adele Palmer for costumes, but in the commentary Terry Moore says that Charles LeMaire did her dresses. Of course it doesn't matter now because most everything is purchased rather than built for films, but what's the deal?"
During the studio system days, the major studios had a head of the wardrobe department. Edith Head functioned as the head of Paramount for many years. Adrian, then Irene, then Helen Rose functioned as MGM's wardrove head. At Fox, Charles LeMaire was their wardrobe head. Some of the designers had their hands in every production and got credit on every one (read Edith Head). Others were more supervisory in nature and often other staff designers (like Travilla or Walter Plunkett) or freelancers (Irene Sharaff) were used for the primary wardrobe. In some cases, the head designer would design for a star and then someone else would do the rest of the clothes. Sounds like that's why both LeMaire and Travilla got credit on the film.
On ALL ABOUT EVE, for example, Bette Davis requested that Edith Head be borrowed to do her wardrobe as Margo and Charles LeMaire did the rest of the costumes for the picture. They both won Oscars for their costumes for the film.
