Description
Very, rare vintage dress from Hollywood costume designer Gilbert Adrian with the custom label. This absolutely phenomenal vintage 1940's dress is an example of Gilbert Adrian’s creative ability to use silk fringe to transform a relatively simple black rayon crepe dress into a masterpiece. Signature Adrian 1940s shoulder pads (ala Joan Crawford) and exquisite fringe! There are a few snags and some very minor underarm discoloration, but it is all-in-all in remarkably good condition!
The custom label was used for his one of a kind and couture pieces, so you can have the privilege of owning a piece of fashion and Hollywood history! We acquired this dress from an auction years ago, but we were recently fortunate to find 3 additional original Gilbert Adrian 1940s dresses from the estate of a high end department store owner.
| Bust | 40" |
| Waist | 32" |
| Hips | 40" |
| Arm Opening | 16" |
| Shoulders from seam to seam across the back | 22" |
| Length from front center to waist | 22" |
| Length from waist | 42" |
| Length from center back to waist | 18" |
Joan Crawford in Gilbert Adrian Dresses
Greta Garbo in Gilbert Adrian for the Film Mata Hari, 1931
He was born Adrian Adolph Greenburg, in Naugatuck, Connecticut, on March 3, 1903. Adrian trained at the Parsons School of Fine Arts. It is rumored that songwriter Irving Berlin hired the then 18 year old designer for a Broadway presentation of "The Music Box Revue" after seeing his creations in Paris. It was Natacha Rambova, the wife of Rudolph Valentino and movie art director, who gave Gilbert Adrian access to Hollywood royalty in the 1920’s. He designed for two of Rudy’s films and the rest is history.
His design emphasis was on simplicity but he had the ability to drape fabrics that is unrivaled to this day. He was a 1944 Coty award winner but unfortunately never won an Oscar because the category of costume design wasn’t created until after he left MGM. He was the head designer for over 250 movies and had an illustrious career dressing some of the world’s most famous women. One of my favorite of his accomplishments is that he designed costumes, including the ruby slippers, for The Wizard of Oz. He married the actress Janet Gaynor and they lived in Brazil in the last years of his life. Sadly, he died at the young age of 56 of a heart attack. Gilbert Adrian left a lasting impression that will forever define the most glamorous era of Hollywood's history.
In order to best determine fit, measure yourself or a garment of a similar style that fits you well. Compare those measurements to those on the item description.
All of our pieces have been professionally cleaned and arrive ready to wear.
Measuring & Fit Guide
We offer a large selection of designers and manufacturers that span the 20th and early 21st century. Sizing varies greatly, so we have outlined our measuring and size estimating process.
The best way to know if a vintage item will fit you is to take a garment that fits you well, similar to the one you are interested in purchasing, and measure it the way we measure ours.
We lay all garments flat and measure as follows*:
| DRESSES | PANTS | |
|
BUST - under arm to under arm across the front and then double that measurement. |
Measure the WAISTBAND, widest part of the HIPS, widest part of the THIGH on one leg and width of the CUFF, then double those measurements |
|
|
WAIST - find the smallest part of the garment if there isn't an obvious seam for the waist and measure across and then double that measurement. |
LENGTH - Measure from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the cuff along the side seam. | |
| HIPS - Find the largest part of the hip area and measure flat, then double that measurement. | RISE - Measure from the crotch to the top of the waistband. | |
| LENGTH - from the nape of the neck or the top of the shoulders, depending on the style of garment. We will measure to the waist when applicable, so that you can determine if it will fit your torso, and then a waist down measurement. | INSEAM - Measure from the crotch to the bottom of the cuff along the inside seam. | |
|
SLEEVES - measure from the top of the shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve. When we think that the arm opening is particularly small, we will provide that measurement as well.** |
*Fabrics with stretch will have some give, we will try to mention the range of measurements that will fit comfortably.
**With dolman sleeves, the size is an estimation based on the waist as the body seamlessly joins the sleeve. 
Feel free to email us with specific questions about specific measurements that we may not have included that you need to know in order to feel confident about your purchase. If you have a particularly long torso, short legs, long arms, etc.. we can help you determine whether or not a garment will work for your body.
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Measurements, not size. View our Measuring Guide
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Description
Very, rare vintage dress from Hollywood costume designer Gilbert Adrian with the custom label. This absolutely phenomenal vintage 1940's dress is an example of Gilbert Adrian’s creative ability to use silk fringe to transform a relatively simple black rayon crepe dress into a masterpiece. Signature Adrian 1940s shoulder pads (ala Joan Crawford) and exquisite fringe! There are a few snags and some very minor underarm discoloration, but it is all-in-all in remarkably good condition!
The custom label was used for his one of a kind and couture pieces, so you can have the privilege of owning a piece of fashion and Hollywood history! We acquired this dress from an auction years ago, but we were recently fortunate to find 3 additional original Gilbert Adrian 1940s dresses from the estate of a high end department store owner.
| Bust | 40" |
| Waist | 32" |
| Hips | 40" |
| Arm Opening | 16" |
| Shoulders from seam to seam across the back | 22" |
| Length from front center to waist | 22" |
| Length from waist | 42" |
| Length from center back to waist | 18" |
Joan Crawford in Gilbert Adrian Dresses
Greta Garbo in Gilbert Adrian for the Film Mata Hari, 1931
He was born Adrian Adolph Greenburg, in Naugatuck, Connecticut, on March 3, 1903. Adrian trained at the Parsons School of Fine Arts. It is rumored that songwriter Irving Berlin hired the then 18 year old designer for a Broadway presentation of "The Music Box Revue" after seeing his creations in Paris. It was Natacha Rambova, the wife of Rudolph Valentino and movie art director, who gave Gilbert Adrian access to Hollywood royalty in the 1920’s. He designed for two of Rudy’s films and the rest is history.
His design emphasis was on simplicity but he had the ability to drape fabrics that is unrivaled to this day. He was a 1944 Coty award winner but unfortunately never won an Oscar because the category of costume design wasn’t created until after he left MGM. He was the head designer for over 250 movies and had an illustrious career dressing some of the world’s most famous women. One of my favorite of his accomplishments is that he designed costumes, including the ruby slippers, for The Wizard of Oz. He married the actress Janet Gaynor and they lived in Brazil in the last years of his life. Sadly, he died at the young age of 56 of a heart attack. Gilbert Adrian left a lasting impression that will forever define the most glamorous era of Hollywood's history.
In order to best determine fit, measure yourself or a garment of a similar style that fits you well. Compare those measurements to those on the item description.
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