Evening dress
Designer Gilbert Adrian American
Not on view
Many of Adrian's designs were influenced by his Southern California surroundings and the lifestyle of the San Fernando Valley. Many stars, including Adrian and his wife, actress Janet Gaynor, owned homes in the valley, which was an early suburb of Los Angeles. Properties there served as retreats for those working in Hollywood in the late 1930s and 1940s. The casual lifestyle of the suburbs required an informal wardrobe and Adrian designed a series of whimsical "patio dresses" suitable for outdoor entertaining. Donated to the collection by Janet Gaynor, this dress, with its pattern of gamboling lambs, also illustrates Adrian's affinity for animal motifs in his designs.
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