WHERE GLAMOUR BEGAN II

The modern meaning of the word glamour began in early 1930s Hollywood, where not only the word but the modern look of sex appeal was created. The ancient Scottish word of bewitchment had been transformed into sexual allure, and the Hollywood costume designers - Adrian, Travis Banton, Irene, and others - had created the look. Fashion had always been beautiful - but sex sold. The designers created styles to emphasize the natural and beautiful figures of the Hollywood star, while designing timeless gowns and glamorous looks that influenced fashions around the world.

In this photo Adrian created the perfect gown for Jean Harlow in 1935, the original "blond bombshell." Not much skin is exposed, but there is no mistaking that  the look of the new sex goddess was born - a look still used today.

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Irene Lentz Gibbons was another great Los Angeles designer. Between her custom label at Bullock's Wilshire, her free-lance film costume designs, and her later job as head designer at MGM, she designed for virtually every major star in Hollywood. Here is one of her gowns for Marlene Dietrich, a regular customer.

Marlene was very particular about her gowns. They needed to make a statement. She relied on either Travis Banton or Irene for such gowns, and later, Jean-Louis.

Here is Marlene Dietrich in a Travis Banton costume designed for the movie Angel in 1937. 

In addition to being meticulous about her gowns, Marlene was fanatic about the proper lighting for her portrait gallery and wardrobe photos.

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This smashing gown was designed by Adrian for Loretta Young in 1933 for the movie Midnight Mary.  It was one of those Adrian gowns that looked very different in front from at the back. The back was in fact backless to just above the waist, with long rows  of fringe that hung from the capelet to her heels.  This is the front of the gown that shows on the cover of my book, Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label.  Loretta Young was extremelely photogenic and a much photgraphed clotheshorse. She worked with many of the great designers of Hollywood, including Orry-Kelly, Adrian, Irene, and Travis Banton. When she paired with Tyrone Power in several movies, they looked like the Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt of their day, or George Clooney and Julia Roberts if you prefer.

The eye-popping quality of Hollywood glamour was developed for the needs of the movie business of the day. The look was made timeless so that the styles wouldn't be dated by the time the movies came out. But in so doing the desgners came up with a classic look that is still appealing today. Even more, these became not just bewitching glamour but classic fashion.