This character is based primarily on real-life costume designer Edith Head, whose career began in 1920s Hollywood as an assistant costume designer. Head eventually became the preeminent costume designer of Hollywood's golden age, heading (no pun intended) Paramount's and later Universal's costume departments, and earning eight Oscars (and over 30 nominations) during a career that included work on hundreds of movies. While the look of Edna Mode matches Head's, with large, round-framed spectacles and short, straight, dark hair; the character is also partly based on real-life Central Florida costume designer Una Jones who also possesses similar physical and personality features to Mode. The Incredibles writer-director Brad Bird is friends with Jones and found her to be the perfect model for the character.She also bears a striking, but coincidental, resemblance to actress Linda Hunt, whose short stature and hair cut are eerily similar.