Gilbert Adrian (American, 1903–1959). Print by Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904–1989). Dress, 1947. Light blue rayon crepe with pink, black, and gray printed Dalí motif and patches of polychrome printed rayon crepe appliqué. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Jones Apparel Group, USA, 2002 (2002.326.26a–c).
As a costume designer for MGM during Hollywood’s Golden Age, Gilbert Adrian (born Adolph Greenberg) dressed, among other stars of the studio, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, and Greta Garbo in some of their most famous roles. His dramatic ensembles were such an important element of a film that his involvement was announced in the opening credits. In 1942, parlaying his wide renown, Adrian established a fashion house that was an immediate success. His signature silhouette was characterized by wide, padded shoulders and a narrowed hipline. An Adrian design often incorporated a technique of elaborate piecing, especially with complicated mitering of stripes in graphic geometries.
With this gown, Adrian recalls his earlier Surrealist designs from the 1939 movie The Women, in which a fashion show features not only sumptuous haute-couture gowns but also a series of exaggeratedly fantastical designs that reference Elsa Schiaparelli’s collaborations with Salvador Dalí. The fabric used in this gown is most likely an example from a series of designs Dalí created for the American textile manufacturer Wesley Simpson. Adrian introduced a signature whimsy to the Surreal landscape of the print by inserting a shadowy profile at the gown’s left shoulder. He created this subtle jeux d’oeil with typical virtuosity through careful piecing—an especially difficult technique with slippery rayon crepe—rather than by the simpler process of appliqué.
January 20, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Absolutely stunning show! I am still overwhelmed by the influence that our daily lives have on fashion and it’s interaction in society as an art form in it’s own. I came specifically to see the Worth gown as it was owned by a friend who was related to Martha Washington. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful collection with us.
January 20, 2008 at 8:12 pm
The challenge for film costume designers was getting clothes that could be read dramatically in black and white, and this dress from Adrian’s fashion collection seems to reflect successful solutions to those challenges: a simple but arresting cut, a fascinating pattern that would be dramatic in shades of gray. At least the fashion wearer would get to flaunt that hot pink!
January 21, 2008 at 12:30 am
Good point about the challenge to get clothes that could be read in black and white and shades of gray. The profile inserted at the gown’s left shoulder becomes an integral part of the dress, with many implications, both visual and psychological.
January 21, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Yes, the profile is fascinating. Since he only added the hot pink to black and white, I’d love to see more of his fashion collection to see how difficult it was for him to accept that there were different standards to seeing the clothes in real life!
By the way, if you have had any reason to see animated feature “The Incredibles,” the featured parody of a Hollywood clothing designer in super hero uniform designer Edna Mode (Edith Head?) was reason enough.
January 24, 2008 at 10:39 am
this is not my favorite piece but it is still stunning
January 24, 2008 at 11:05 am
This looks like a garment Betsey Johnson could draw inspiration from! Fun design.
January 27, 2008 at 4:38 pm
What I’m most struck by with this piece is Dali’s implicit acceptance of fashion as a valid artform. Coming from an artist so notoriously egotistical and difficult (not to mention brilliant), the integration of the two types of art is invigorating!
January 31, 2008 at 8:57 pm
This was one of my favorite pieces only because it shows how closely art and fashion are related. Fashion is not only to be pretty, but rather, it is to be interesting and invite one to think, much like art. The silhouette is nothing fantastic, and the great construction is to be expected by a highly respected Hollywood costume designer. It’s not really the print I care for very much; I actually don’t like it at all. However, this piece so clearly conveys what I have believed all along, and something that many people are aware of - fashion and art are intermingled and each can draw inspiration from the other.
February 1, 2008 at 1:25 pm
dis dress !!! off the fo cheezy weezy
February 1, 2008 at 1:30 pm
dis dress is off da really cheezy weezy teezy chain.
i be tellin all my frends in the hood about dis dress
i wish my girl lafanda would wear dis dress
February 2, 2008 at 1:24 pm
This outfit is like a robe,but in a stylish way…kinda.Well, It’s like japanese style! Flowers and the robe is long…..*Giggle* I think I WILL trip *Laughs on the floor*
February 2, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Hideous.
February 3, 2008 at 10:52 am
I am overwhelmed by the beauty of this dress. Thanks to the Met for letting us feast our eyes on this piece of art. Bravo!
Gilbert Adrien made the perfect tight pieces go in the perfect places. This piece reminds me of popart mixed with the beautiful traditional clothing of the country this dress’s pattern is based on.
February 3, 2008 at 1:23 pm
All the dresses are odd, but they are beautiful in their own way!
February 5, 2008 at 7:36 am
This piece was one of the highlights of the show for me! The print is so uncommon of this time period and the piece, although dramatic with the color and print is very chic and simple for its time. This is definitely a good example of pushing me idea and being ahead of the times.
February 5, 2008 at 9:53 am
Kristin Bonecutter–it’s fascinating, with all of Dali’s painted objects so distorted that a dress made from his textile conforms to the body so well.
February 10, 2008 at 8:50 pm
The fabric print of this piece was so interesting to look at. The pink, gray and black rock looking design was very cool to look out. I felt like if you undid the dress and layed it flat it would a art painting. The details look pretty cool.
February 11, 2008 at 4:22 pm
This piece is influential because Adrian uses surrealist prints but in a very modern way. It is a dress influenced by Salvador Dali yet is still wearable. The technique of piecing creates a unity in the pattern of the dress. I also appreciated the use of color; the bright shade of pink is a nice juxtaposition to the grey and black.
February 16, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Once, my Grandma was cleaning a Peppermint Patty stain on my linen pants, and she accidently mixed Chlorox and Formula 409. She got a bad rash on her hands. It looked a lot like this dress.
February 18, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I enjoy Salvador Dali’s work but i feel like his influence could have been put to better use.
February 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Thease dresses are wonderful but I wonder how comfortable they are.
February 21, 2008 at 4:51 pm
If I were a women this would be my feel good dress
February 22, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Theses outfits are spectacular. all of the colors and different designs are amazing. I would love to try one of the dresses on !!!!!!! I cant wait to come back!!!
March 6, 2008 at 7:56 am
Hace unos años realicé una investigación de moda en el museo, y este vestido fué uno de mis elegidos para dicha investigación….encontré la superposición del estampado recortado y aplicado sobre fondo negro en el hombro derecho, como un gran efecto visual pensado por Adrian pues el vestido totalmente estampado por el genio de Dalí impedía fijar la atención sobre el motivo mismo de dicho estampado, mirando de cerca la confección de esa pieza puede ver que la técnica es la misma que se aplica en la actualidad y he mostrado este modelo a mis alumnos para destacar el efecto de estas incorporaciones de diseño que sólo un buen ojo se arriesga a componer.
March 9, 2008 at 2:16 pm
oh yeah. you rock!!
March 15, 2008 at 5:58 pm
This Adrian piece, in particular, stood out to me out of the whole exhibit. It depicts that fashion is a form of art and art is a form of fashion. Dali by all means is not a traditional artisit in mind, thought, and creativity, but his appreciation for fashionable textiles is extraordinary. A potential exhibit could be that of “traditional artistic” influence in textiles of fashion garments.
March 19, 2008 at 2:33 pm
In the world of art-meets-fashion, there could not be a relevant starting point than that of the Surrealist fashion movement. As far as I’m concerned, never had there been or ever will be a time where artists were so intertwined with eachother that the only outcome literally transformed both worlds as we see them today.
As far as the movement goes, Adrian was far from the hub…and so, it’s fascinating to see that this dress can stand alone as a representative of this movement.
March 22, 2008 at 10:30 am
the style is nice and so is the art but together they only make a statement. they dont look good enough together to WEAR anywhere.
March 22, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I’ve been a Dali fan for many years, and knew about his accomplishments outside of painting, but I did not know he made a foray into fashion. The print is pure Dali, and the entire dress is rather fitting for the 1930s starlet - bold and fascinating, but with a hint of sophistication and innocence.
March 27, 2008 at 12:20 pm
absolutely beautiful dresses , ive been a ali fan for many years , and knew about his accomplishmentations outside of painting , put i pip not know she madea forey into passion. the print is supper ali and the entire dress is rather fitting for the 1930s starlet bold and fasinnating put with a hint of sofistuication and quiet.
March 28, 2008 at 9:02 pm
This dress has nothing to do with the 1930s or movies. It was made in 1947 for real-life wear. It is an example of Adrian’s refusal to accept fussy French clothing for American women and their active lives. Using the Dali print was Adrian’s way of having fun with it, nothing more. The unstructured garment construction was the important thing.
April 1, 2008 at 9:20 am
The design feature of this dress allows viewers to appreciate the aesthetics of the design on a deeper level. The colors and motifs of the dress helps the designer to recaptures his earlier designs from 1939. The space the designers create using the motifs are evenly spaced for a great design form. The shape of the design is does not allow loose movement, but works well for the artistic fashion concept used in the movie.The vibrant colors, design form, line structure, space and shape of the dress allow all who are not artist to see the beauty within the design and appreciated the design.
April 1, 2008 at 9:23 am
The design feature of this dress allows viewers to appreciate the aesthetics of the design on a deeper level. The colors and motifs of the dress helps the designer to recaptures his earlier designs from 1939. The space the designers create using the motifs are evenly spaced for a great design form. The shape of the design is does not allow loose movement, but works well for the artistic fashion concept used in the movie.
The vibrant colors, design form, line structure, space and shape of the dress allow all who are not artist to see the beauty within the design and appreciated the design.