Irene Lentz and design
I found out just yesterday that someone will be writing a book about my great-aunt irene. Irene Lentz was a famous Hollywood costume designer until the early 1960′s. She usually went by her first name alone – irene – and with a small “i”. She was married twice, once to F. Richard Jones, then to Elliot Gibbons, brother of Cedric Gibbons of MGM and creator of the famous gold Oscar statuette.
Aside from being my great aunt (My mother’s aunt), she designed for some of the most famous movies of the classic Hollywood era and received two Academy Award Nominations. Some of my personal favorites are her designs for Ginger Rogers in Shall we Dance, Lana Turner in The Postman always rings twice (See Photo to the left), Judy Garland and others in Meet me in St. Louis and Doris Day in Midnight Lace. Other celebrities she dressed were Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Irene Dunne, Dolores del Rio, Ingrid Bergman, Ann Miller, Katherine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, & Ava Gardner. Some of her elegant fashions can be seen here. Irene designed my mother’s wedding dress too. I almost wore it at my own wedding, but couldn’t quite get the zipper all the way up in the back no matter how much I dieted to get it there. It just wasn’t tailored for my bod.
I wrote a few weeks ago about irene. It was an article titled “My family on Wikipedia“. Just since then, I’ve seen even more documents pop up online about her. I remember years and years ago, when I first googled Irene, there wasn’t much at all in the way of articles or images. Now they are simply all over. Here is another article at Time Magazine I found just today.
I’m interested to find out more about this upcoming book about irene. I’ll let you know. :)
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Wow. Great story. You look very much like her. :)
Very neat!!!
That is so cool. And being that you’re a designer too…it must run in the family.
This was enjoyable!
Are you referring to Frank? I spent a few hours with him yesterday discussing irene and F. Richard Jones (he was my grandfather). Frank certainly has a fond interest in irene and has spent much time researching her and her life. I believe he has a considerable collection of her sketches and drawings. She was certainly a talented and remarkable designer.
Yes, that would be Frank. There has been a second author that we’ve heard from since this first as well.. two books are currently in the works about Irene now. It’s very exciting. Thank you for your comments!
i became intrigued by a dress i saw while briefly watching “shall we dance” i was even more so when i read some of your aunt’s incredible life story– i’m even more interested in finding out more about this facinating designers work.
Great to see this….Did Irene design the White dress Ginger Rogers wears to the song “they can’t take that away from me” in The Barkleys of Broadway 1949?…it’s beautiful!! No pictures on the net of this dress..
Audrey, I think you’ll find there are a few pictures of the white dress – try searching for the title of the movie on Google images. There are also several clips of it on YouTube. I’ve been trying to track down as many images and as much info on it as possible because it’s exactly what I want for my wedding dress!
I am very interested in the designs of Irene Lentz, and would like to know more biographical and design history. Has the biography mentioned above been published yet? I have been unable to find a book solely about Irene.
Hi: I’m writing the book about Irene, Karlyn’s remarkable Great Aunt; I recall her from days when I was a USC student working at Bullock’s Wilshire and she used to present her latest fashions. The book is in the preliminary editorial phase and will take some time to publish, since academic publishing is a very complex effort, indeed. Anyway, throw some questions about Irene my way and I’d be pleased to answer if I can. Regards, Tomas G.
Tomas, thank you for the reply. I know that the Academy has an Irene Lentz collection (scrap books). I believe that LACMA does as well. I’m sure you have visited the paper collection, but as a researcher were you able to access the clothing collection? I am in the LA area, do you know of any good high end vintage stores where I might be able to view Irene’s designs? Decades maybe? I would love to collect, but am too poor at the moment. Just looking at her creations would be enough! I look forward to your book being published, I got on this Irene kick after recently touring the Bullock’s Wilshire building, totally incredible. You are so lucky to have experienced it! Good luck!
Erin, Good to hear of your interest in Irene; yes, I did research with Irene’s scrapbooks at the Academy and visited the LACMA’s Doris Stein Research Library, but never saw the museum’s collection of Irene apparel (on my list). I believe you have to make an appointment. Another significant L.A. collection of Irene apparel is at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in downtown L.A. You need to contact them too; check their website for exhibitions. The only vintage shop I know (there are probably others) is Paper Bag Princess: http://www.paperbagprincess.com/ Ms. Mason the designer is apparently a great fan of Irene and has posted a video clip about a fabulous find of Irene suits (Karlyn has it somewhere on her site, I think). Yes those early 1960s, working at Bullock’s Wilshire were like being in a movie; in fact, as a busboy in the tea room, I poured water for Doris Day, among others. I recall overhearing one of Irene’s closest friends saying to another, she had given away many of her “Irenes” to the cleaning lady! Everything was elegant at B.W. and it seemed as though I was wittnessing the end of the Hollywood era, and the associated glamor. Christmas was the best time at as they gave the staff little gold boxes with chocolates and let us take home the little handmade trees that decorated the dining tables. The main level perfume gallery off the lobby was decorated in the most fantastic manner with a huge tree and I think people dressed in elf costumes, etc. All was so special in that store, but Irene’s fashion shows were the most remarkable, as she would enter the elevator lobby off the fifth floor tea room and lounges, all heads would turn, since was dressed in a finely tailored gray suit with gloves and a cloche hat. She warmly greeted her patrons and literally “glided” across the floor of the East Room (or lounge as the staff called it). When she took her seat at the end of the beige carpeted runway under the crystal lights, the musician trio (all wearing tuxes) would start the entrance music. It was usually show and movie tunes by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and others…sort of what you would hear in a Astaire/Rogers film. Then all the beauties would prance down the runway, almost dancing (slowly) to the live music. Well I could go on, but thanks for the questions and interest in this great mid-twentieth century American designer! Best for the holidays in Southern California from snowy Ohio! Tomas
Tom, thank you for that special glimpse into that time that you knew Irene. That was so much fun to read and imagine what it was like then. I so look forward to your book to read more about what you have to say and what you’ve learned from your years of research on Irene. Thank you for keeping my readers and myself informed. I look forward to more!
Karlyn
The videos mentioned and that I’ve found online since can be viewed here: http://www.mefeedia.com/collections/irenelentz/
I know about your aunt designs and how wonderful she was. Is there a place where her designs can be viewed?
Karlyn, Your Great Aunt, Irene, designed my Grandmother’s wedding dress. It was a wedding present to her from her Uncle Eddie and Aunt Althea. Uncle Eddie worked with Irene at the Studio. I was going to wear the dress at my wedding as well, but I couldn’t button it up. Much to small for me. My Grandmother’s dress has covered buttons going all the way up the back. The dress is extraodinary.
Karlyn: So great to hear that the book is moving along. I look forward to having the chance to read it, as well as everyone else. Obviously that’s MY favorite era! Cedric Gibbons, was politically active along w/Robert Taylor, in the same groups, same ideologies, & certainly the same timeframe. As the author of Taylor’s bio, I can’t get enough of more detailed storylines from that period. We need to resurrect Classic Hollywood! Please keep us posted.
Linda J. Alexander´s last blog post..James joined Robert Taylor Movie Star
Karlyn:
Some Untruths About Irene:
Cedric Gibbons (Irene’s brother-in-law) did not hire Irene as executive costume designer at MGM, nor was he her supervisor.
Louis B. Mayer, chief of the studio, hired her. His daughters, Edith Goetz and Irene Selznick, were long time patrons of her Bullock’s Wilshire salon, and Irene told a reported that they recommended her to their father to replace Adrian. She began the job in July of 1942
Gary Cooper was not the “love of Irene’s life.” She was very upset when he died as she had been a friend of the Cooper family since the early 1930s and socialized with him and his wife “Rocky” (Veronica Balfe) and Irene’s husband Eliot Gibbons (Rocky was his niece).
Irene’s first husband, by first hand accounts from people who knew Irene, F. Richard Jones, was the “love of her life.” She grieved, possibly the rest of her life for him. He died less than a year after their marriage of T.B.
Best wishes for the season,
Tomas (her researcher)
Thank you Thomas! It’s such a pleasure to hear from you and learn more about my great-aunt Irene.
I’ve seen some of these things mentioned online and it’s nice to know that through your personal research for your book, that you’ve uncovered the truth and want to bring the truth out in the open. I know that when we get your book, we’ll learn so much more.
I wish I had personally known Irene. My mother and grandmother have shared some interesting stories of life back then with Irene. That old Hollywood era seemed like such a glamorous time. I know it wasn’t all glamor for Irene and that she must have worked very hard for her success.
Tom, Do you have any news on when we can expect your book to come out?
Hello Peter! Hearing that F. Richard Jones was your grandfather, I would love to hear from you. I’m sorry that I’m seeing your post two years later! Thank you,
SteveR, Philadelphia
Last night I saw (for the first time) musical “The Barkleas of Broadway”. I liked the movie, but when I saw gown wore by Giger Rogers I just died. It was THE most beatiful gown I have ever seen! Problem is I can’t find it on internet and I would like to see it again. Is there any address where I can see Irenes gowns? (sorry for my poor english – not my mothers tongue…)
Iva Koermendy, Croatia, Europe
Iva, you can read more about Irene and view some of her fashions and sketches, at irene-lentz.com.
http://www.irene-lentz.com/
Thank you.
Hi Tomas,
Did you get your book published? I would love to read it. It sounds fascinating!
.-= Mary Hall´s last blog ..Oscar Style Watch: Vintage Vogue Designer "Irene" =-.