Helen Dryden
Encyclopedia
Helen Dryden was an American artist and successful industrial designer
in the 1920s and '30s. She was reportedly described by the New York Times as being the highest-paid woman artist in the United States, though she lived in comparative poverty in later years.
and moved to Philadelphia when she was seven years old to attend Eden Hall. During her early childhood years Dryden showed unusual artistic ability, designing and selling clothes for paper dolls. Eventually she sold a set of her paper dolls and dresses to a newspaper for use in its fashion section. This in turn led to a position as illustrator for Anne Rittenhouse's fashion articles in the Philadelphia Public Ledger and The Philadelphia Press
.
Dryden was largely self-trained, describing her works as "a combination of things I like, in the way I want to do them." Her artistic education consisted of 4 years of training in landscape painting under Hugh Breckinridge and one summer school session at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Deciding that she had no real interest in landscape painting, Dryden focused her complete attention on fashion design
and illustration.
. Less than a year later, however, Condé Nast
assumed management of Vogue and set out to make changes. Upon seeing Miss Dryden's drawings, they directed the fashion editor to contact her immediately. Soon Helen had a Vogue contract that led to a 13-year collaboration (1909–1922) in which she produced many Vogue fashion illustrations and covers.
. She designed the costumes and scenery for the musical comedy Watch Your Step, followed by designs for several other stage plays including Claire de Lune, the fanciful drama based loosely on a Victor Hugo romance. Although the play starred Lionel
and Ethel Barrymore
, Helen Dryden's costume designs were generally given equal credit for the play's success.
, Dryden turned her attention to industrial design
, producing a number of designs for tableware, lamps, etc., on behalf of the Revere Corp. She had a highly paid job with the Dura Company until the stock market crash of 1929, at which point she was replaced by George W. Walker
. It seems Dryden never fully recovered from this blow. According to Christopher Gray, "The 1925 census recorded her living at 9 East 10th Street with her 25-year-old Philippine-born cook and butler, Ricardo Lampitok. But by 1956 Dryden was living in a $10-a-week hotel room paid for by the city's Welfare Department; at the time, she referred nostalgically to her '$200-a-month' 10th Street apartment".
It was her work on the interior of the 1936 Studebaker Dictator
and President
that established Helen Dryden as an important twentieth-century industrial designer. Although her work was developed under the watchful eyes of the renowned automotive designer Raymond Loewy
Studebaker ads proclaimed, "It's styled by Helen Dryden."
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
in the 1920s and '30s. She was reportedly described by the New York Times as being the highest-paid woman artist in the United States, though she lived in comparative poverty in later years.
Education
She was born in BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and moved to Philadelphia when she was seven years old to attend Eden Hall. During her early childhood years Dryden showed unusual artistic ability, designing and selling clothes for paper dolls. Eventually she sold a set of her paper dolls and dresses to a newspaper for use in its fashion section. This in turn led to a position as illustrator for Anne Rittenhouse's fashion articles in the Philadelphia Public Ledger and The Philadelphia Press
Philadelphia Press
The Philadelphia Press is a defunct newspaper that was published from August 1, 1857 to October 1, 1920.The paper was founded by John W. Forney. Charles Emory Smith was editor and owned a stake in the paper from 1880 until his death in 1908...
.
Dryden was largely self-trained, describing her works as "a combination of things I like, in the way I want to do them." Her artistic education consisted of 4 years of training in landscape painting under Hugh Breckinridge and one summer school session at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Deciding that she had no real interest in landscape painting, Dryden focused her complete attention on fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
and illustration.
Fashion illustration
After moving to New York in 1909, Helen Dryden spent a year trying to interest fashion magazines in her drawings. None, however, showed any interest in her work and many were harsh with criticism. Dryden was particularly disappointed in her rejection by VogueVogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
. Less than a year later, however, Condé Nast
Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
assumed management of Vogue and set out to make changes. Upon seeing Miss Dryden's drawings, they directed the fashion editor to contact her immediately. Soon Helen had a Vogue contract that led to a 13-year collaboration (1909–1922) in which she produced many Vogue fashion illustrations and covers.
Costume design
In addition to her prolific career as an illustrator, in 1914 Dryden launched a successful career as a costume designerCostume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
. She designed the costumes and scenery for the musical comedy Watch Your Step, followed by designs for several other stage plays including Claire de Lune, the fanciful drama based loosely on a Victor Hugo romance. Although the play starred Lionel
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
and Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors.-Early life:Ethel Barrymore was born Ethel Mae Blythe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second child of the actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew...
, Helen Dryden's costume designs were generally given equal credit for the play's success.
Industrial design
Following the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels ModernesExposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes
The International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts was a World's fair held in Paris, France, from April to October 1925. The term "Art Deco" was derived by shortening the words Arts Décoratifs, in the title of this exposition, but not until the late 1960s by British art critic...
, Dryden turned her attention to industrial design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
, producing a number of designs for tableware, lamps, etc., on behalf of the Revere Corp. She had a highly paid job with the Dura Company until the stock market crash of 1929, at which point she was replaced by George W. Walker
George W. Walker
George W. Walker was an industrial and automotive designer. His most notable work was the original Ford Thunderbird....
. It seems Dryden never fully recovered from this blow. According to Christopher Gray, "The 1925 census recorded her living at 9 East 10th Street with her 25-year-old Philippine-born cook and butler, Ricardo Lampitok. But by 1956 Dryden was living in a $10-a-week hotel room paid for by the city's Welfare Department; at the time, she referred nostalgically to her '$200-a-month' 10th Street apartment".
It was her work on the interior of the 1936 Studebaker Dictator
Studebaker Dictator
The Studebaker Dictator was an automobile produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1927-1937. Model year 1928 was the first full year of Dictator production.In the mid-1920s, Studebaker began renaming its vehicles...
and President
Studebaker President
The Studebaker President was the premier automobile model manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1926-1942. The nameplate was reintroduced in 1955 and used until the end of the 1958 model when the name was retired....
that established Helen Dryden as an important twentieth-century industrial designer. Although her work was developed under the watchful eyes of the renowned automotive designer Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy was an industrial designer, and the first to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, on October 31, 1949. Born in France, he spent most of his professional career in the United States...
Studebaker ads proclaimed, "It's styled by Helen Dryden."