The Artistry of Adrian: Hollywood's Celebrated Design Innovator

Exhibition

The Artistry of Adrian:
Hollywood's Celebrated Design Innovator

Second Rotation: April 25 to August 31, 2003
First Presented: June 5, 2002, to November 17, 2002
Noel Palomo-Lovinski, Guest-Curator

The Retail Years: Adrian's Use of Pola Stout Fabrics


Two-piece skirt suit in gray wool with stripe patterned fabric by Pola Stout Label: Adrian Original: The French Shop in Filene's Boston c.1947-1949, United States of America Kent State University Museum Gift of Mrs. Sophie Ghiatis through Joseph Simms KSUM 1984.23.29ab The emphasis of the shoulders to minimize the waist and hips that Adrian repeatedly revisits in his suits is done simply and stylishly by Pola Stout's programmed print.



Four-piece skirt suit in tan brown and maroon wool twill fabric by Pola Stout Label: Adrian c.1947, United States of America Kent State University Museum Gift of Joseph Simms KSUM 1984.23.0009a-c This smart jacket and day dress features a removable belt with pockets to form a peplum around the hips and can be seen as an elegant precursor to the modern day "fanny-pack".

Little is known of the fabric designer Pola Stout except that she made exclusive fabrics for Adrian in several collaborations. The process was a combination of either Stout's fabric coming first and a jacket designed to fit the fabric or Stout working out a pattern to fit into the confines of Adrian's idea of a garment. Pola Stout would create the first sample fabric by hand and are primarily but not always monochromatic in subtle color families. The horizontal and vertical lines of Stout's work melded wonderfully to Adrian's simple yet chic design sensibility.

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