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LouieGilbert Adrian
November 14th 2006 09:38
Gilbert Adrian, circa 1935 (fashion encyclopaedia)
Born on March 3, 1903 in Naugatuck, Connecticut, Adrian's flair for sketching and his dramatic creativity were evident from a young age. He went to the New York School for Fine and Applied Arts, which is now known as Parsons School of Design. After quite an uninspiring year owing to bad marks, the school transferred Adrian to the Paris campus with the expectation that the creatively fertile environs would be better to sustain his attention. While there, he was hired by Irving Berlin and subsequently designed the costumes for Berlin's 'The Music Box Revue'.
Within a year of commencing school in Paris, Adrian dropped out and returned to America to launch his career in costume design. After moving from New York to Hollywood, he was taken on as the head costume designer for Cecil B. DeMille's independent film studio. In 1928, DeMille's studio joined production company MGM and continued to employ Adrian as its costume designer. During his time at MGM, Adrian designed costumes for more than 200 movies.
Gilbert Adrian costumes
(Slate Magazine)
Adrian dressed actresses such as Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Jean Harlow, Katharine Hepburn, and his muse, Greta Garbo. He was responsible for Crawford's trademark big shoulder pads, which initiated a fashion craze later on. Notorious for his laborious research and his knowledge of character development, Adrian assisted the abovementioned actresses in delving into and appreciating their characters, whilst ensuring they were dressed in the most charming attire.
Suit designed by Gilbert Adrian (metmuseum.org)
He only went back to MGM for one last movie, 1952's 'Lovely to Look At'. Though he was never nominated for an Academy Award, Adrian developed designs that were fused with emotion in a way that still inspires designers nowadays.
* These images are taken from fashion encyclopaedia, Slate Magazine, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
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Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
One has to wonder whether formal courses kill the truly creative, what an inspirational story and you told it very well.
This is an area in which I don't take much interest, but you won me!
katyzzz!
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Sisi
katyzzz that was such a lovely comment! So glad to have facilitated an interest in fashion for you!
Comment by Laura
meanwhiles don't you reckon that MANY things look better in black&white?
Comment by Sisi