Adrian: A Lifetime Of Movie Glamour, Art and High Fashion

Click your heels three times and return to the land of Adrian – a land known for his fashion designs for film and off the screen. And yes, Adrian designed the ruby slippers and countless other costumes of stunning detail for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during his tenure there. It's hard to fathom his creative genius at the sumptuous and simple elegance found in his creations.

Adrian: A Lifetime of Movie Glamour, Art and High Fashion is stunning in all regards, beginning with the coffee-table-sized presentation which is quite heavier than five September issues of Vogue. If looks could astound, add in the magnificent photos of costumes and fashions that Adrian created. Most important is the unique first-hand perspective in Adrian's writing about his life and career. Adding to that is the authorization of his son Robin Adrian and the heartfelt admiration in the introduction and throughout the book by longtime devotee Leonard Stanley, a lifelong collector and fan of all things "Adrian." Cap it off with Mark A. Vieira's writing, and, well, "This book stepped out of a dream." All in all, it is beauty personified because of Adrian's remarkable talent as a fashion designer.

I just opened my eyes and there she was: Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford. He designed costumes and dresses for all of them and more. That's not the limit to his career's scope: He goes back to the ultimate sheik, Rudolph Valentino, before all the women. There are chapters devoted exclusively to each actress under Adrian's studio banner of MGM. Seeing his designs for Marie Antoinette, Camille, or the sleek lines of Joan Crawford and the women in "The Women," plus the ethereal elegance of Lana Turner or Hedy Lamarr in "Ziegfeld Girl" truly makes one realize the magnitude of his talent.

His story doesn't end at the studio gates. Leaving MGM in 1941, Adrian ventured out on his own to create Adrian, LTD, his very own store showcasing women's wear in the 1940s and '50s. Considering he did this with World War II in full force, it's a remarkable achievement and one that was much deserved. The love of his life, Janet Gaynor – whom he married in 1939 – was by his side, and that marriage is given its own chapter, as well as their travels to Africa and Brazil. It can't be stressed enough how amazing Adrian was. He also painted those journeys with his wife, and there is a magnetic poetry to the paintings he created.

Although Adrian died at just 56 years of age, his majesty of movie fashion, art and design will eternally live on through a legacy of beauty realized.

"Adrian: A Lifetime of Movie Glamour, Art and High Fashion"
by Leonard Stanley and Mark A. Vieira
$65
https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847860111/