Adrian
(1903-1959)
Gilbert Adrian Greenberg was born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, in 1903. In 1921, he began his fashion education studying art at the Parsons School of Design in New York. In 1922, Adrian transferred to the Parson’s School of Design's branch in Paris, France; returning three months later to design costumes for Broadway shows in New York. Adrian would later take his middle name, (Adrian), as his pseudonym. Natasha Rambova, wife of Rudolph Valentino loved Adrian's work, and this led to his assignment designing costumes for Valentino’s film Cobra, in 1925. He moved to Los Angeles with Valentino, and created costumes for three more of his films. In 1926 Adrian signed a contract with Cecil De Mille and two years after, in 1928, signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and stayed with MGM as head designer until 1941.
Adrian would become the greatest costume designer of the American cinema’s golden age. As chief designer for MGM his responsibilities included the design of every star's costumes for any important film. Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Jeanette MacDonald, and Katharine Hepburn were among some of the celebrities that wore his designed costumes. The dress that Adrian designed for actress Joan Crawford for the movie Lette Lynton in 1932, emphasizing the shoulders, and served as the springboard for shoulder pads in women's clothing. He was also the creator of the first power suit for women, which also had the shoulder pads as an important design element.
After retiring from films, Adrian went on to open a couture and ready-to-wear salon in Beverly Hills, manufacturing his designs and selling them to specialty stores throughout the U.S., showing his first collection in February 1942.
