The Devine Fashions of Erte

Erte, the enigma of the fashion illustration world, was a Russian born (Romain de Tirtoff), Paris based artist, best known for his elegant and flamboyant fashion and theatre designs of the 1910s and 1920s. From 1915 to 1936, Erte made a choice of designing for Harper's Bazar or Vogue, by tossing a coin. Harper's, winning the coin toss, was Erte's exclusively for twenty two years, designing exquisite covers, lighthearted gay and imaginative designs and illustrations. Illustrations that are highly sought after by collectors today.

Erte had a totally free hand in planning his work for Harper's Bazar until 1920. Then the only obligation was he was expected to relate four of the covers to seasonal collections, and two others devoted to furs and cosmetics. Erte was also the only creative designer on the French scene who actually illustrated his own creations.

Erte's fashion designs were assembled into full page layouts by the fashion editorial staff of Harper's. Many creations of Erte's in Paris were made for export exclusively for Altman and Bendel in New York. During the war years Erte was couturier for export only.

Furnishing readers with fashion designs, covers art and word pictures of the European fashion scene, Erte's illustrations show gowns, coats, pajamas, aviation and tennis out-fits, hats and accessories of all sorts and for each season. Tassles, long trains, fur muffs, capes, eccentric pockets, hair stylings and other extravagant flourishes are second nature to Erte in these designs. The drawings themselves are striking poses of the "temptress" type of feminine allure, and are works of art in their own right. Even by today's fashion standards, Erte's creations are "to die for."