The thousand faces of Priscilla Presley

The teaser for Sofia Coppola's new A24-produced film, the long-awaited biopic about Priscilla Presley that explores our unstoppable fascination with 1960s Hollywood in the wake of Baz Luhrmann's last film, is finally here. It's a new eclectic female character for Coppola, who, after attempting the biography of Marie Antoinette, tackles the vicissitudes of Priscilla by tracing the memoir Elvis and I, co-written by the musical star's ex-wife with Sandra Harmon. An intense, at times morbid love story played by Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi. But to better prepare us for the film's release in September, let us take a look at the evolution of the style of a woman who continues to shape contemporary pop culture with her signature babydoll eyeliner, sweeping updo and mod style, from the ultra-glamorous poses of Lana Del Rey to the 1960s look of Lily Collins at the 2022 Met Gala, which closely resembled Ms Presley's wedding dress.

Marriage, motherhood and the 1960s

Priscilla Presley met Presley in Germany in 1959, during Elvis' brief military deployment, which ended just a year later. After keeping in touch by phone, the barely 14-year-old girl moved to America in 1963 to live at Graceland, the King of Rock's Memphis estate. The couple married on 1 May 1967 at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas: The singer wore a black suit, Priscilla an airy evening gown with pearls, a tiara and a metre-long veil, which she had bought during a shopping spree and an incognito rehearsal at the Westwood department stores' in Los Angeles. The make-up was so overdone that you could not see the colour of her eyes, and her hair, dyed black to match Presley's raven colour, was fluffed up to add several inches to her petite stature. It was Elvis who wanted her that way. In her memoirs, Priscilla wrote that she «became Elvis' living doll. He taught me everything. How to dress, how to walk, how to do my make-up and hair, how to behave, how to return love, his way. Over the years he became my father, my husband and almost God». Even hours after the birth of her daughter Lisa Marie, Priscilla looked flawless in her perfectly pressed fuchsia blouse and light blue eye shadow.

Denim and the ventures of the 1970s

It was only towards the end of the decade, in 1970, that Presley abandoned her signature mod look for a more relaxed style. She sported a natural brown hairstyle, a sun-kissed complexion and sparked a passion for denim that was typical of the era. At the wedding of George Klein, the American DJ and close friend of Elvis, she wore a turquoise hooded dress, perhaps her most iconic look at the crossroads of those years, a perfect blend of 60s and 70s influences. It was the time of fringes, bell-bottoms, pointy-collar shirts, monochrome suits. A few years later, in 1973, came the divorce, when Priscilla started her first - of many - businesses, the luxury boutique Bis & Beau in Beverly Hills with her long-time friend and stylist Olivia Bis, who dressed celebrities like Cher and Liza Minnelli.

Career as an actress 

Bis & Beau closed its doors in 1976 and in the 1980s Presley decided to turn to acting. She had her first acting role in 1982 in a single episode of the action series The Fall Guy. The following year, she got her big break when she appeared in the iconic and long-running American soap opera Dallas, before starring in the film trilogy A Blunt Bullet. Her glamorous look was a perfect fit for the soap opera Dallas, where she played Jenna Wade, a new socialite with a wardrobe of glitzy dresses. «On the set of Dallas you could choose your look - says the actress - of course in Dallas everyone dressed up and I loved it. I loved dressing up.» At the same time, she was also co-host of Those Amazing Animals, a ABC reality show that featured strange and unusual animals from around the world. A famous photo stolen from the set shows her in a light blue tracksuit, paired with the ubiquitous flat brimmed hat, in a 1980s ensemble.

 

Priscilla recently made her Met Gala debut alongside Austin Butler, the actor who plays her late husband in director Baz Luhrmann's film biopic. «I feel great - Presley said on the Met Gala red carpet tonight, talking about Elvis - I love the movie. I think the younger generation will see and know what Elvis is and learn more about him.» Butler wore a black Prada suit while Presley wore a tight mid-length black dress, also by Prada, with a headband, celebrating the style of the years that made her an icon.