1999 HALL OF FAME

Adrian (1903-1959)

One name—Adrian—defined the look of such screen icons as Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, and Norma Shearer.

Adrian created the wardrobes these stars wore in films and he influenced fashion throughout the world.

Hundreds of thousands of people eagerly bought up retail versions of his fashions. Macy's in New York claimed to have sold over 500,000 of the white organza "Letty Lynton" dress worn by Joan Crawford in the movie of the same name.

Adrian Adolph Greenburg was born in Connecticut in 1903 to a family of milliners. He studied at the Connecticut School of Fine and Applied Arts. Early in his career her impressed Irving Berlin with a costume at the Grand Prix Ball and was commissioned by him to design for the Music Box Revue.

His first films were with Rudolph Valentino prior to winning a contract with the DeMille Studios from 1926 to 1928. That year, Adrian moved to MGM and remained there until 1942. It was at MGM that his reputation skyrocketed with the responsibility of creating the costumes for the world's biggest stars.

It was during this time, too, that he designed for such diverse films as "Camille," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Philadelphia Story," and "The Women."

It is impossible to measure the impact and importance of Adrian's work. His name is synonymous with the golden age of Hollywood, and his creations have influenced generations of filmmakers, fashion designers and fans around the world.

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