When Joan Crawford appeared in Letty Lynton in 1932, no one could have predicted the ensuing reaction. The exquisite white cotton organdy Adrian gown worn by Joan caused a titanic fashion mania across the country. The effect was so astonishing that Macy’s replicated the gown and, during one of the most severe years of the Great Depression, a record 500,000 (some reports citing as many as 1 million) of the copies were sold. In the years that followed there was a spur of evolution in modern women’s clothing undeniably inspired by the gown, particularly the ruffles and lavish emphasis of the shoulders (a trend owed to Joan and her own impressive shoulders). Today the gown remains one of the most major contributions to the definitive style and styles that came to characterize the 1930s. Renowned designer Edith Head even declared Letty Lynton “the single most important influence on fashion in film history.” Indeed, the film had plenty to do with the immortalization of Hollywood as one of the respected and leading forces in fashion, a reputation it has retained ever since.
