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Which job helped Vincente Minnelli develop his skills in costume design?

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Vincente Minnelli, seated at right, discusses a storyboard with actress Lana Turner, seated at left in costume, on the set of The Bad and the Beautiful. — Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (right) with Lana Turner (left) during the filming of *The Bad and the Beautiful* (1952).

Vincente Minnelli developed his skills in costume design through several early roles that allowed him to refine his artistic talents. His initial experience in design began while working on window displays at the Marshall Field & Company department store in Chicago, while simultaneously attending the Art Institute of Chicago at night.

He further honed his abilities while working as a society photographer’s assistant, where he consistently practiced sketching to improve his sense of design. These experiences directly led to his appointment as the chief costume designer for the Balaban and Katz movie-theatre chain. In this role, he mounted weekly revues that established his reputation and eventually propelled his career in New York City and on Broadway.1