Los Angeles’ only fashion museum is the ASU FIDM Museum.
ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America runs from August 28 to December 12, 2026, at the ASU FIDM Museum.
Specialized garment care was provided by Margaret’s artisans for 11 historic Adrian pieces featured in the ASU FIDM Museum’s landmark exhibition.
Our artisans provided specialized care for 11 historic Adrian garments, reflecting our shared commitment with ASU FIDM Museum to preserving fashion and costume history for future generations.”— Chuck Horst, President, Margaret's the Couture Cleaner
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Margaret’s the Couture Cleaner, a nationally recognized specialist in couture garment care, restoration, and textile preservation, is a Contributing Sponsor of ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America, opening August 28, 2026, at the ASU FIDM Museum in Los Angeles.
This exhibition delves into the career and impact of Gilbert Adrian (1903–1959), the Hollywood costume designer and American couturier whose work helped define Golden Age glamour and later influenced American fashion through his Beverly Hills couture house.
As part of its sponsorship, Margaret’s artisans performed specialized cleaning, care, and repair on 11 historic Adrian garments, including gowns, dresses, tailored suits, men’s sport shirts, and a coat. Each piece received a custom treatment tailored to its age, materials, construction, and design.
This partnership reflects the joint dedication of Margaret’s and the ASU FIDM Museum to preserving important examples of fashion and costume history for future generations.
“Historic garments tell their story through fabric, construction, and age. We’re proud to help ASU FIDM Museum preserve Adrian’s legacy.” — Chuck Horst, President, Margaret’s the Couture Cleaner
Adrian is most recognized for his time as chief costume designer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he created costumes for over 250 films and helped shape the on-screen personas of Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, and Norma Shearer. His credits include The Wizard of Oz, and the phrase “Gowns by Adrian” became a symbol of Hollywood glamour.
After leaving MGM, Adrian applied his mastery of proportion, construction, color, and drama to American fashion. He opened a couture salon on North Beverly Drive and produced collections that helped define a distinctly American design identity during a pivotal moment in fashion history.
Adrian’s designs are known for their technical ingenuity, featuring architectural shoulders, precise draping, geometric construction, and inventive fabric handling. His modern-art influences included Cubism and artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, translated into garments with striking graphic and sculptural compositions.
The 11 garments entrusted to Margaret’s showcase this range, including fluid crepe dresses, tailored suits, sculptural outerwear, and graphic sport shirts. Like vintage clothing, couture, costumes, private collections, and culturally significant textiles, these pieces required detailed assessment and specialized handling.
For Margaret’s, supporting ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America also ties the company to Southern California’s fashion heritage. Founded in La Jolla in 1953, Margaret’s has spent over seven decades developing specialized methods for cleaning, repair, restoration, and preservation of exceptional garments and textiles.
Today, Margaret’s collaborates with private clients, collectors, designers, luxury retailers, and cultural institutions to care for garments and textiles whose significance goes beyond their material value.
About ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America
Presented by the ASU FIDM Museum, ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America features over 50 rare garments and accessories from the museum’s collection, along with exceptional loans from private collectors.
The exhibition traces Adrian’s path from Hollywood costume designer to influential American couturier, highlighting his craftsmanship, artistic vision, and enduring connection to Los Angeles.
Exhibition Details
ADRIAN: Designing Hollywood, Dressing America
August 28–December 12, 2026
ASU FIDM Museum
919 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Wednesday–Saturday
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
About Margaret’s the Couture Cleaner
Founded in 1953, Margaret’s the Couture Cleaner is a family-run business specializing in couture garment care, cleaning, repair, restoration, and preservation. Its expertise includes vintage apparel, costumes, bridal gowns, handbags, leather and suede, fine textiles, and culturally significant collections.
As the first business in the nation to achieve Five Star Certified Cleaner status, Margaret’s has built its reputation on craftsmanship, attention to detail, and specialized care for exceptional and irreplaceable items. Its artisans use proprietary methods for challenging textiles and materials, serving private collectors, luxury retailers, designers, and institutions.
Margaret’s serves clients throughout Southern California and provides specialized garment and textile care nationwide through CleanByMail®.
For more information, visit www.margarets.com.
Media Contact
Katia Graytok
Chief Marketing Officer
Margaret’s the Couture Cleaner
katiag@margarets.com
Katia Graytok
Margaret's the Couture Cleaner
katiag@margarets.com
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Introduction to Margaret's the Couture Cleaner
