Irene (costume designer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irene Lentz
Irene Lentz, Edythe Chapman, and Charles Ray in A Tailor-Made Man (1922)
Born	(1901-12-08)December 8, 1901 Baker, Montana, U.S.
Died	November 15, 1962(1962-11-15) (aged 60) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Other names	Irene Gibbons
Occupation	Costume designer, fashion designer, actress
Known for	Designing costumes for motion picture actors
Label(s)	Irene Inc.
Spouse(s)	F. Richard Jones Elliot Gibbons

Irene Maud Lentz (born December 8, 1901 – died November 15, 1962) was a famous American fashion designer and costume designer. She was also known professionally by just one name: Irene. Irene started her career as an actress. Later, her talent for designing clothes in Los Angeles led her to become a top costume designer for movies in the 1930s. She also sometimes used the name Irene Gibbons.

Early Life and Acting Career

Irene Lentz was born in Baker, Montana. Her parents were Emil Lents and Maud Walters. When she was young, Irene started acting in silent films. This was in 1921. She often played supporting roles, meaning she was not the main star.

Irene worked with famous comedians like Ben Turpin and Billy Bevan. Her first movie was directed by F. Richard Jones. They later got married. Sadly, Jones passed away in 1930 due to illness.

Becoming a Fashion Designer

Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

A 1959 skirt suit designed by Irene, made of striped wool and silk. (From the RISD Museum)

Doris Day in Midnight Lace (1960)

Irene learned how to sew when she was a child. She had a great sense of style. So, she decided to open her own small dress shop. Her designs became very popular.

Because of her success, a fancy department store called Bullocks Wilshire asked her to design clothes for their special salon. This salon served rich customers, including many Hollywood stars.

Designing for the Movies

Irene's designs at Bullocks caught the eye of people in the film world. Soon, she was hired by movie companies to create costumes for their films. She was known simply as "Irene."

Her first movie job was in 1933 for the film Goldie Gets Along. She designed clothes for the star, Lili Damita. Later, she designed for Mae West in Go West, Young Man (1936).

Her big break came when she designed gowns for Ginger Rogers in the 1937 movie Shall We Dance. After that, she worked for many major film studios. These included RKO, Paramount Pictures, and Columbia Pictures.

During the 1930s, Irene Lentz designed costumes for many famous actresses. Some of these stars were Constance Bennett, Hedy Lamarr, Joan Bennett, Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard, Ingrid Bergman, and Loretta Young. She is also known for creating the "dressmaker suit," which was very popular in the late 1930s.

Irene later married Eliot Gibbons, who was a writer. His brother, Cedric Gibbons, was a very important set designer at MGM Studios. When the main gown designer at MGM left in 1941, Cedric hired Irene. By 1943, she was a top costume supervisor at MGM. She became famous for her beautiful designs. She is especially remembered for the unique clothes she made for Lana Turner in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).

In 1950, Irene left MGM to open her own fashion business. After almost ten years, actress Doris Day asked Irene to design costumes for her film Midnight Lace (1960). Irene also designed for Doris Day in Lover Come Back (1961). Her last movie project was A Gathering of Eagles (released in 1963).

Awards and Recognition

Irene Lentz was recognized for her amazing work in costume design.

• She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White for B.F.'s Daughter (1948).
• She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Color for Midnight Lace (1960).

Later Life and Legacy

Sadly, Irene Lentz passed away on November 15, 1962. She was almost 61 years old. She is buried next to her first husband, director F. Richard Jones, at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

In 2005, Irene Lentz was honored by being added to the Costume Designers Guild's Anne Cole Hall of Fame. This shows how important her work was in the world of fashion and film.

Selected Filmography

Irene Lentz designed costumes for many movies. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Irene Lentz para niños