6712 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, California

Co-presented with the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles:Adrian and the Bizarre. This illustrated one-hour lecture is a focused survey of costume and fashion designs by Gilbert Adrian, highlighting his use of surreal imagery and the avant-garde. Examining the designer's source of inspiration sheds light on the important role that modern art played in fashion design during the first half of the 20th century and on how Adrian was able to successfully imbue his designs with a timeless quality despite the restrictive deadlines enforced by the film and fashion industries. Selections from some of his most celebrated films-including The Women, Mata Hari, and The Philadelphia Story-will be highlighted as will his most innovative prêt-a-porter ensembles, illustrating Adrian's important position in both art and fashion history. An analysis of Adrian's most unusual creations will reveal a talent that transcended contemporary costume design, and elevated him to the level of haute artiste. Aaron M. Rubin is an art historian whose studies focus on the relationships between the fine arts and the decorative arts - specifically Dada, Surrealism, and the early avant-garde. Since 2007 he has worked with Bonhams & Butterfields auction house.

Followed by a look at Adrian's work in…
THE WOMEN, 1939, Warner Bros., 133 min. Dir. George Cukor. When Norma Shearer discovers her husband is cheating on her, an all-star parade of MGM leading ladies convenes to gossip and commiserate: Rosalind Russell, Joan Crawford, Marjorie Main and Joan Fontaine lead the all-female cast. Filmed in black and white, it features a dazzling 10-minute fashion parade filmed in Technicolor, with wonderful gowns by Adrian (THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE GREAT ZIEGFELD). [35mm]
Trailer

Added by AmericanCinematheque on November 1, 2010