Joyces phd dissertation, dainas masters thesis, and toms unpublished manuscript reveal the lives of charles kleibacker, herman patrick tappe, and irene lentz gibbons, respectively. The next two movies fred made were not very successful. On november 15, 1962, three weeks short of her sixtysecond birthday, costume designer irene lentz took room 1129 at the knickerbocker. Frank billecci was able to interview people who knew irene best to find out what was happening to her during the years she was head of mgms costume department. Karlyn are trying to keep the legacy of irene lentz gibbons alive. Since easter sunday is upon us, i thought it would a great time to revisit a beloved holiday film, aptly named easter parade mgm. Evening dress, irene lentzgibbons silk brocade and chiffon. Irene sharaff designed the chinesethemed costume for the other number, but lucille bremer did not get along with sharaff.
Virginia fisher signed litho 1947 irene costume sketch. Doris day wearing irene lentzgibbons fashion in 1960. Irene lentz historical records and family trees myheritage. Abby lillethuns dissertation research on american batik. Walter plunkett hollywood golden age costume designer of. David gibbins is a britishcanadian author of thriller novels.
Dec 30, 2018 in november 1962, 60 yearold mgm fashion designer irene lentz gibbons, known simply as irene, spent the evening consuming large quantities of alcohol before opening a window on her 11 th floor apartment and leaping to her death. Fashion and style icon during hollywoods golden age w ith all the craziness since the beginning of the school year, i completely missed women out wests third birthday last month. Irene born irene lentz and also known as irene gibbons, 8 december 1900 15 november 1962 was a costume designer. Born in baker, montana, lentz started out as an actress under her birth name, appearing in secondary roles in silent film s beginning with keystone. May 18, 2016 some of the fashions from the former mgm costume designer irene lentz. Joycelyn falsken, daina palermo, and kent state fashion school librarian thomas gates all researched the lives of 20th century fashion designers represented in the collection. Irene lentz gibbons archives silver screen modes by. Irene lentz gibbons, the famous hollywood costume designer and coopers wifes aunt by marriage, committed suicide a year following coopers death in 1961. Ive always wanted to know more about irene lentzgibbons and this book tells her story. Mar 29, 20 51 years after irene lentz took her own life, the timeless looks she created for marlene dietrich and lana turner are being brought back in a new fashion line.
Irene 1907 1962 born in south dakota, irene lentz made her way to southern california by 1927 where she started in film as a dress extra. Lentz had been taught sewing as a child and with a flair for style, she decided to open a small dress shop. So, thank you for joining me as we continue to honor the talented women who have added such richness to our lives. In the citybythesea, where there is no shortage of summertime cocktail parties.
Known for, designing costumes for motion picture actors. Irene had her own salon at bullocks wilshire and later a couture fashion line. Seven irene lentzgibbons fashion designs for 1940s filmsdrawn by virginia fisher. Irene maud lentz was born on december 8, 1901 in baker. Oct 24, 2009 joyces phd dissertation, dainas masters thesis, and toms unpublished manuscript reveal the lives of charles kleibacker, herman patrick tappe, and irene lentz gibbons, respectively. Irene lentz academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Aug 04, 2010 irenes early work was seen in paramount, rko, columbia and united artists efforts. By 1941, even british vogue referred to her californian elegance. Patricia cunninghams book, reforming fashion, 18501914. Irene lentz gibbons was the executive director for designing, not only designing costumes herself but assigning designers to various films.
Louis 1944, you cant take it with you 1938 and to be or not to be 1942. This is an artist proof, hand signed,irene lentzgibbons dress design drawn by virginia fisher, costume print fromthe 1946 mgm movie the good old summer timestaring judy garland, and van johnson. The chic life and tragic death of a revered costume designer. Hand signed fisherlentz ap printthe good old summer. With several designers on staff including irene sharaff, barbara karinska, marion herwood keyes, and two mens designers, helen waited months until she got an assignment. Gail gibbons books list of books by author gail gibbons. Irene maud lentz december 8, 1901 november 15, 1962, also known mononymously and professionally as irene, was an american fashion designer and costume designer. On november 15, 1962, three weeks short of her sixtysecond birthday, costume designer irene lentz took room 1129 at the knickerbocker hotel, checking in under an assumed name. Each costume is identified with names of films andactorsactresses, some with hand touching. Fred astaires dance partners and their costumes designed. Dresses by kleibacker, hats by tappe, and garments by irene. Aug 12, 2018 so walter plunkett started at mgm in september 1945. Twelve signed fashion prints from vintage hollywood mgm movies are irene lentz gibbons dress designs for 1940s films drawn by virginia fisher. Irene signed a contract in 1942 as executive designer at mgm, where her brotherinlaw, cedric gibbons, was the art director.
To the reader, he is more a psychopath with dreams of glory and also one of the most frightening villains in recent crime fiction. Soon after, the two costume and fashion designers traded places. Beginning of a dialog window, including tabbed navigation to register an account or sign in to an existing account. Irene lentzgibbons designed for many hollywood stars offscreen, such as claudette colbert, while also freelancing for many of the film studios. The legendary fashion and hollywood costume designer, irene lentz gibbons, began her career as an actress in the early 1920s and soon moved onto designing and opening a small dress store. For more on the life and times of doris day, check out these books. Dec 06, 2016 now, 51 years after her suicide at age 61, lentz s designs have a new group of admirers including tory burch who wore a lentz creation on the nyc charity circuit, and for 2010s the tourist, costume designer colleen atwood, who dressed angelina jolie in a caramel shawl and ivory sheath based on an irene look. According to the washington post, gail gibbons has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other childrens writerillustrator. Both adrian and irene lentz gibbons began using pola stout fabrics in the late 1930s. In november 1962, 60 yearold mgm fashion designer irene lentz gibbons, known simply as irene, spent the evening consuming large quantities of alcohol before opening a window on her 11 th floor apartment and leaping to her death. Before costume designers were relegated to freelance status, the most talented of the lot oversaw the costume departments at the studios, and in many cases, placed their personal stamp on a majorit. Irene, born irene lentz and also known as irene gibbons, was an american costume designer active from the 1930s to early 1960s.
Still, others are amazing examples of the beautiful work among the legions of unnamed designers who worked in the industry during the middle of the 20th century. Costuming the hbo series the game of thrones is as near a herculean job as youll find in television costume design work. Irene maud lentz, also known mononymously and professionally as irene, was an american fashion designer and costume designer. Irene lentz gibbons designed for many hollywood stars offscreen, such as claudette colbert, while also freelancing for many of the film studios. A selfpublished novel by june alison gibbons, one of the silent. Hello you are purchasing a virginia fisher, signed colored lithograph of an original drawing of a costume design by the great hollywood designer irene lentz gibbons of barbara stanwyck in a white formal dress with silver metallic beading in the 1947 mgm motion picture b. The fashion prints depict vintageirene lentz gibbons dress designs for hollywood mgm movies drawn byvirginia fisher.
This book is a must read for anyone who has heard of irene inc. Two are creations from the minds of irene lentz gibbons and gilbert adrian who made their reputations designing for mgm in hollywoods golden years. This is an artist proof, hand signed, irene lentz gibbons dress design drawn by virginia fisher, costume print fromthe 1946 mgm movie the good old summer timestaring judy garland, and van johnson. Gibbons is the author of more than 100 books for young reader. This new book on hollywood designer irene is a step toward making a lesser. Irene maude gibbons born lentz gibbons was born on month day 1901, at birth place, south dakota, to emil frank lentz and maud w lentz. During the 1930s, dolores is the wife of cedric gibbons, the head of mgms art department after their divorce in 1940, he will be seen out with, among others, carole landis before getting hitched to hazel brooks.
The california elegance of irene lentz vintage style files. Although the text is brief and some details left out irene was a dancer in the prologue at the egyptian theatre and for a time she had a fashion business in the french village, operating out of adrians former homestudio, the tower house, what is there is more than sufficient to create a compelling portrait of this designer. Attracting the notice of such stars as lupe velez and dolores del rio, irene caught on and became a. This print is pencil signed and ap lettered in the lower margin. Explore historical records and family tree profiles about irene gibbons on myheritage, the worlds family history network. Dec 15, 2011 evening dress, irene lentz gibbons 1958. Irene lentz gibbons the cocktail dress classic inspirations. Irene lentz gibbons designed the beautiful white embroidered gown she wore. Jun 28, 2014 irene lentz gibbons was a brilliant designer of taste and quality. Silver screen modes by christian esquevin a blog about. This digital collection contains selected irene scrapbooks, which include clippings, correspondence, photographs and other ephemera. Womans ensemble dress and cpe womans suit jacket and skirt womans suit ensemble jacket, skirt, and hat womans dress bodice and skirt, costume for ingrid bergman as paula alquist in gaslight.
Emil was born on august 25 1872, in wisconsin, united states. The sketch to the left is one of irene s designs for easter parade. Lithograph by artist virginia fisher of costume designer irene lentz gibbons design for ann miller in easter parade. Lentz also worked under the name irene gibbons design career.
Supposedly she was inconsolable following his death. Irene movies list, irene filmography, irene 30 films page 3. She found work as a mack sennett bathing beauty and appeared in the comedies picking peaches and a tailormade man. In addition to being a novelist, he is also an underwater archaeologist. Irene 1907 1962 born in south dakota, irene lentz made her way to. Lentz not only costumed hollywoods golden age stars for the big screen, famously putting lana turner in thenscandalous highwaist shorts with a midriffbaring top in 1946s the postman always rings twice, she also dressed them in life. Irene lentz gibbons salon at bullocks wilshire, circa 1930s. Irene maud lentz december 8, 1901 november 15, 1962 was an american costume designer. In addition to work pressures, her marriage to screenwriter eliot gibbons brother of mgm head art director cedric gibbons was said to be unhappy. Twelve irene lentz gibbons fashion designs for 1940s films drawn by virginia fisher. Irene lentz gibbons was a brilliant designer of taste and quality. Deep glamour the intersection of imagination and desire. Designer irene lentz gibbons 19001962, professionally known as simply irene, started her career in fashion, moved on to costumes, and.
According to the fashion book, irenes fashion style was always slim, curvy. Her reputation was made when actress dolores del rio requested all of her film costumes in 1933s flying down to rio be designed by the unknown lentz gibbons. Hollywood glamour by irene lentz gibbons, costume and fashion designer to the stars. Genealogy profile for irene gibbons irene gibbons lentz 1901 1962 genealogy genealogy for irene gibbons lentz 1901 1962 family tree on geni, with over 190 million profiles of.
Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Hollywood glamour by irene gibbons costume and fashion designer. Lentz had been taught sewing as a child and with a. Her signature irene clothing line was one of only two to have its own salon at the bullocks wilshire department store in the 1930s and 40s coco chanel had. Hand signed fisherlentz ap printthe good old summer judy. She designed costumes for actresses like hedy lamarr, ingrid bergman and marlene dietrich in the 1930s and the 1940s. David was born in saskatoon, saskatchewan and travelled across the world with his parents when he was yo. Irene maud lentz december 8, 1901 november 15, 1962 also known mononymously and professionally as irene, was an american fashion designer and costume designer.
When hbo started production of the series in 2007, there existed a legion of fans that had been reading the book series. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Born irene lentz in baker, montana, she traveled to california while still a teen, and appeared in a number of small roles in the infancy of silent film, appearing in support roles in mack sennett productions as early as 1921. Silk evening dress, irene lentz gibbons i could see a mirkwood elf wearing this vintage gown by irene lentz gibbons 1958 silk evening dress, irene lentz gibbons but in green, midnight blue or silver. Growing up in santa barbara and with several friends in the business, weve always heard that costume designer irene was a lesbian, or. Irene lentz simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Irene was still designing for bullocks wilshire, and adrian was at mgm when they began using polas woolens. See more ideas about hollywood costume, costume design sketch and fashion design. Irene was born on december 8, 1900 in baker, montana, usa as irene lentz. Jan 1, 20 doris day wearing irene lentzgibbons fashion in 1960, midnight lace stay safe and healthy. Her reputation was made when actress dolores del rio requested all of her film costumes in 1933.
When she was a teenager she moved to hollywood to become an actress. Frank billecci was able to interview people who knew irene best to find. Dressing the stars october 10, 2015 by pelelotus in glamour, history, hollywood, vintage fashion 1 comment to dress the biggest and most beautiful people on the silver screen is an honour that most designers would cut their own arms for just a taste. A irene lentz gibbons was the first designer with a salon installed in a department store. Irene lentz pioneer of an american luxury fashion brand. Meanwhile, at a party thrown by her customer, fan and friend, dolores del rio, irene lentz meets eliot gibbons. Irene lentz gibbons salon at bullocks wilshire, circa 1930s posted on february 18, 2016 by martin turnbull before she became costumer supervisor at mgm in the midtolate1940s, irene lentz gibbons known simply as irene but she was married to the brother of legendary mgm art director cedric gibbons had her own salon at the bullocks. Irene was a brilliant business woman and a superb designer. Mgm already had a wardrobe department full of talented designers, with irene lentz gibbons as the head she had replaced adrian, helen rose, irene sharaff, karinska, and mens designers valles and gile steele. Irene at bullockswilshire once upon a time, there was an amazing designer who lived in l. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. June allyson irene lentz gibbons mgm costume design original black and white 8x10 photo you re about to buy an original 8x10 black and white photo.
The success of her designs in her tiny store eventually led to an offer from the bullocks wilshire luxury department store to design for their ladies custom salon which catered to a wealthy. Dec 14, 2014 the french media by then are calling the killer the novelist. Irene maud lentz december 8, 1901 november 15, 1962, also known mononymously and. Kaye gibbons has 28 books on goodreads with 122787 ratings.