All About Irene
Hollywood Designer and Karlyn’s Grand-Aunt Irene Lentz (Gibbons)
On Hollywood, Designs and Red Carpets
I had the pleasure of attending Greg LaVoi’s launch of his new line of designs inspired by someone in my own family. My great-aunt Irene Lentz has been gone now, for over four decades.. but not forgotten. Since I started my Irene-Lentz.com site back in 2009, I have had the pleasure of meeting (online and off) many Irene fans, a couple of authors and several talented individuals in the media and design world. I’ve received wonderful letters and testimonials from these folks reminiscing on their respect and love of Irene’s talent and skill in fashion design. It’s such a gift to hear this. Over the years; I’ve learned so much from the amazing people who have taken the time to write and share the results of their experience, connections to Irene Lentz, their years of research, projects and/or their writings related to my aunt. I’m truly honored.
Hollywood limelight was probably a weekly event in my great-aunts life. I imagine Irene rubbing elbows with celebrities was a pretty common occurrence in her career as a Hollywood Fashion Designer. I have seen the list of movies she worked on and incredible actresses she dressed. It’s a life and time I can only imagine.. from what I know of Hollywood, the photos I’ve seen from Irene’s personal collection, and stories I’ve heard from my mother and grandmother.
Most recently, I walked the red carpet at Greg’s design launch. Fun? You bet! The whole event was just amazing and Greg’s design line was phenomenal.. seriously. It was an honor to Irene and a pleasure to be a part after all these years. It is especially gratifying to think that this launch of new, reinvented designs, inspired by my aunt Irene, will be available to the public via Greg’s “Irene by Greg LaVoi”. New generations of people and designers will have the chance to get to know Irene Lentz, the original, through Greg’s very talented and thoughtful work. I imagine now, that the Irene Legacy will continue to thrive for years to come and that is something very impressive to look forward to.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contacted me regarding your interests and connections to my great-aunt. I respond to all communications I receive and they continue to intrigue and delight me. Thank you for your time and oh-so-kind words.
These (below) are some additional images I personally took of the red carpet. If you care to see more from this awesome event, click to this link of my photos of the Irene by Greg LaVoi Fashion Show. Thank you and enjoy!
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- Yes, Impressive logo – Irene by Greg LaVoi. That’s Irene’s hand-signature in Greg’s new label. Lovely. Raleigh Studios Hollywood irene inspired design Fashion show red carpet photos by Karlyn
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- This photo is from when we first arrived at the studio check-in. The photographers are getting ready to starrt snapping away. Raleigh Studios Hollywood irene inspired design Fashion show red carpet photos by Karlyn
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- Kyra Sedgwick and Greg LaVoi – Raleigh Studios Hollywood, Iirene inspired design Fashion show red carpet photos by Karlyn
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- My shot at the red carpet runway as folks started coming through.. Raleigh Studios Hollywood irene inspired design Fashion show red carpet photos by Karlyn
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- Karlyn and Garry, right after red carpet walk, Raleigh Studios Hollywood irene inspired design Fashion show red carpet photos by Karlyn
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Posted new sketch at Irene’s
I just posted the beautiful new sketch I received from Christian Esquevin. It is a costume sketch by my great-aunt, Hollywood Fashion Designer, Irene Lentz and Sketch-Artist Virgina Fisher, for the movie “Easter Parade” and was worn by one of the strolling women on the 5th Avenue “Easter Parade” scene.
Click here to view!
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Irene’s own site
I’ve made the leap from adding a page about my great-aunt Irene Lentz, to creating a site for her. This will be her new home, and with the help of author friends and fans, will get this site filled with wonderful new content, photos to share and more.
Visit us at http://www.irene-lentz.com/
I hope you stop by and leave a comment, thanks.
Karlyn
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Irene Lentz
Irene Lentz (also known as Irene Gibbons), was a costume designer and my great-aunt. Her work as a successful clothing designer in Los Angeles led to her long career as a costume designer for many great films in Hollywood.. until her death in 1962.
There is a lot more information about my great-aunt Irene on the wide world web these days, which is delightful to see, though occasionally misguided.
I have gotten know several members of my extended family through articles about Irene, as well as friends, authors and fans (some of whom have posted here before) who have an interest in Irene and her work. Through the sharing of information and years of devoted research (by authors) on Irene, I hope to bring to you the most factual information available, links to sites where Irene’s fashion is featured, as well as possibly some photos you may not have seen before. I have several items myself I need to get together and scan, but welcome others to share as well.
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Irene’s Design for Claudette Colbert
Just came across a new article about my grand-aunt Irene and one of her designs for actress Claudette Colbert in the movie No Time for Love in 1943, posted by allsewnup.com. Irene is listed as the “Costume and Wardrobe Department” for this movie and I believe was working for MGM at this time. You can see this article, that includes photo snippets from the movie, here.
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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.
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