Omar Kiam

Born Alexander Kiam in Monterrey, Mexico, to Texan parents.[1] Kiam picked up the nickname "Omar" at Riverview Preparatory School in Poughkeepsie, New York.[2] He later went to the Poughkeepsie Military Academy in New York.[3] His first job as a designer was producing caps for babies for a department store in Houston.[3] Kiam chose to retain his nickname professionally, as he appreciated the link to Omar Khayyám.[4]

Janet Gaynor, costumed by Kiam, in A Star is Born

Following a stint in Paris as a student, Kiam returned to the United States and opened his studio in New York City, where he produced work for Broadway theatre.[3] Among the theatre productions he costumed were Dinner at Eight, the Robert E. Sherwood play Reunion in Vienna, and the Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayer Barnes play Dishonored Lady.[5] In 1933 he moved to Hollywood, where he headed the film costume design departments for Sam Goldwyn Productions and United Artists.[3][5] Before leaving Hollywood in 1939, Kiam also worked for David O. Selznick and Hal Roach.[3]

One of Kiam's most notable films was the 1937 film A Star is Born, for which he dressed Janet Gaynor.[2] He collaborated with Irene on Algiers.[5]

Although primarily known as a costume designer Kiam had also run a wholesale fashion design business supplying clothing to shops across the United States before he moved to Hollywood.[7]

After leaving Hollywood, in 1941 Kiam became head designer for the Ben Reig fashion label, a company founded in 1929. Also designing costume jewelry for them from 1948, he worked there until his death in 1954.[8]

Kiam won the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in 1941, and in 1946, won the Coty Award jointly with Vincent Monte-Sano and Clare Potter.[2] During the early 1950s Liz Claiborne worked for Kiam.[9]

Kiam died 28 March 1954 at the Ritz Tower Hotel in New York City, after struggling with a sickness that lasted seven months.[10][11]