Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Adrian and Edith's Head to Toe

To most, its just the place in Disney's Hollywood Studio's to purchase Mouse Ears. But Adrian and Edith's Head to Toe, located on the right side of Hollywood Boulevard as you approach Sunset Boulevard, is in fact a clever homage to two very distinguished figures from Tinsel Town's golden age. The shop's tag line "Costumes to the Stars" and its interior props and decorations are the clues that lead to celebrated designers Edith Head and Adrian Adolph Greenberg.

It is rare that the names of costume designers live on in the way of stars and directors, but these two individuals have each achieved similar legendary status. Known simply as Adrian on most screen credits, Greenberg created costuming for over 250 films, working primarily for MGM during the 1930s. His most celebrated work was likely for The Wizard of Oz, which included Judy Garland's famous and iconic ruby slippers. Ironically, he was never nominated for an Academy Award.

Such was not the case for Edith Head, who earned 34 Oscar nominations over a career that spanned some five decades. Some of her more well known efforts include The Ten Commandments, Roman Holiday, Samson and Delilah and The Sting. She had just completed work on the Steve Martin comedy Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid prior to her death in 1981.

It is speculated that Head was also the inspiration behind the character Edna Mode in Pixar's The Incredibles.

2 comments:

Andy said...

Welcome back and excellent history lesson! I never tied to the names to the shop, though it is rather obvious once you point it out...

DebWDW said...

Really good info. The Studios is almost my favorite park, and you've just reminded me how many details I still haven't noticed yet!