Adrian

(1903-1959) Costume designer.
Born Gilbert Adrian in Naugatuk, Connecticut, USA.

Studied at the school for Fine and Applied Arts, New York and in Paris. He designed costumes for Broadway shows until 1923, when he went to Hollywood to make clothes for Rudolph Valentino.

From 1926 to 1928 he worked for DeMille Studios, but shortly afterwards joined Metro Goldwyn Mayer, where he became chief costume designer. At MGM he designed for Greta Garbo for many years. For her role in a Woman of Affairs (1928), he created a slouch hat that influenced fashion for at least a decade. In Romance (1930), he dressed her in a velvet ostrich feather-trimmed hat, 'The Eugenie' which partially obscured one eye. This was a much copied style. Also, the designer helped popularise the pillbox with a hat that Garbo wore in the movie 'As You Desire Me' (1932) another trend-setter, as was The Snood created for Hedy Lamarr in 'I Take This Woman' (1939).

For actress Joan Crawford in 'Letty Lynton' (1932), Adrian made a wide-shouldered white organdy dress with ruffled sleeves and a narrow waist. This was widely copied throughout the USA; Macy's department store in New York reported selling half a million similar styles. Adrian gave Crawford her visual hallmark: wide, padded shoulders that made her hips look smaller.

For Jean Harlow, he produced slinky, figure-hugging dresses, cut on the bias.

His designs were characterised by bold silhouettes and patterns, dolman and kimono sleeves, long tapering waistlines, and diagonal fastenings. He favoured asymmetric lines and frequently used black crepe for slim, bias-cut evening gowns.

In 1942 Adrian retired from the cinema and opened a shop in Beverly Hills, California though he continued to make original garments for films until his death.

Source: Dictionary of Fashion Designers. Thames and Hudson.

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