Awakening the Senses: Adornment in Film Costumes by Adrian
Karen Randi Perlman
Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
About this Item
- Title
- Awakening the Senses: Adornment in Film Costumes by Adrian
- Contributor Names
-
Perlman, Karen Randi (Author)
-
Font, Lourdes (Thesis advisor)
-
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice (Degree granting institution)
- Date
- 2023
- Degree Information
- M.A. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2023
- Department: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
- Advisors: Font, Lourdes
- Committee members: Davidson, Hilary; Carlson, Brooke
- Abstract
- Hollywood films of the 1920s-40s included lavishly embellished costumes that reflected light from metallic embroidery, sequins and glass beads. The reflected light was augmented with feathers, fringes, and other adornments. These spectacular costumes were enhanced by headdresses and jewelry. The challenge of creating illusionary beauty was achieved by the costume designer, who imagined and executed his/her designs. In Hollywood history, there is a legendary film costume designer whose costumes are still marveled at today. He is Gilbert Adrian (1903-59) simply known as “Adrian,” who worked as the Head Costume Designer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) from 1928 to 1941. Film scholars have credited Adrian as the most influential film costume designer, and the creator of the “Hollywood Glamour Look.” Adrian’s creations serve as cases-in-point to examine how adornment (i.e. embellishment, headwear and jewelry) augment the “embodiment” of film costumes (i.e. dress). Eighteen films from 1929 to 1941 were categorized into five groups: Reflected Light; Feathers and Fringes Abound; Modernism: Simplicity and Contrast; Hollywood’s Orientalism; and Masquerade and Musicals. The theoretical frameworks were phenomenology, Mei Mei Rado, Edward Said, and Anne Hollander among others to provide a different perspective on “embodiment.” The results Adrian achieved from his astute understanding of how fabrics and embellishments film in black-and-white are impressive. Adrian’s prolific career from film costume to fashion designer remains influential today.
- Subject
- Fashion
- Film criticism
- Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- History
- Costume
- Motion pictures
- Adrian (Adrian, Gilbert A.), 1903-1959
- Rights
- In Copyright
- The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].
- This item must not be sold to any third party vendors.
- Identifier
- FIT Repository ID: etd_000936
- ISBN: 9798379503284
- pqdiss: 30486681
- Language
- English
- Publisher
- Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Citation
Perlman, K. . R. (2023). Awakening the Senses: Adornment in Film Costumes by Adrian [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120787
Perlman, Karen Randi. Awakening the Senses: Adornment in Film Costumes by Adrian. 2023. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Digital Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120787
Perlman, Karen Randi. "Awakening the Senses: Adornment in Film Costumes by Adrian." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2023. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/120787