Customer Reviews

Designs by Erté: Fashion Drawings and Illustrations from "Harper's Bazar"

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Vogue editor Diana Vreeland once said that no one in the 20th century had a greater influence on fashion than Erte, this desite the fact that he worked for a competitor, Harper's Bazaar. That's an indication of just how revolutionary his work was for the times. Working with virtually no direction to blunt his creativity, Erte published paintings and sketches of ingenious fashions that are as playful and lighthearted as they are luxurious and exquisite. He envisioned modern women (from 1915 to 1926) as goddesses, ultra-chic stars, children of nature, and totally feminine creatures to be adored and exalted. His fashions reflect this, individualistic and charming, colorful and startlingly functional. The 8 color covers and many B/W illustrations show insight into a dimension of fashion that one normally sees only on the show runways: the never-ending well of creativity brought to life by a truly inventive mind unhampered with concerns of marketability. Peruse the illustrations and notice allusions to gardens, paper-weaving, architecture, tennis, various members of the animal kingdom, ceremonial draperies, sailing ships, and flames. Dresses, coats, masks, swimming costumes, sleepwear, and gowns all ornamented with beads, fur trim, sheer draperies, corded lacings, silver embroidery, leather and straw. Practical? Not really. Mass manufacturing? Not in a million years. This is extreme fashion, the stuff of couture, such as would be worn to the salon of writers and intellectuals. Erte loved best to design for the stage, and the drama and fantasy of theater is in evidence in each ornate illustration. Although for 3 years he produced designs for Altman and Bendel in NY, most of his work was strictly conceptual, and many readers of Harper's saved covers and sketches to muse over as they would an art history volume, as evidence of another world. Ignoring fashion trends, Erte generated innovative and outre designs that still amaze and delight those of us who appreciate true originality. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in textile or fashion design, but also to graphic designers, sculptors, and those who really enjoy art for its own sake. This book is, in one word: luscious.

As a designer of embroidery designs, this one was a winner for me. I love all of the publicatins from Dover!

Great graphics, imaginative design, fabulous period reference. Outstanding in every way!

What an excellent era of fashion design! I grabbed this book when it was published just to have a first-hand look at the outré clothing that was so prized by my two great aunts. This book covers the years from 1915-1937 when Erté's work was predominant in Harper's Bazar.
This book should be a study requirement for modern would-be high-fashion designers, who need to learn that high fashion should be elegant even when extravagant. I cannot look at Erté's creations and say they are too outmoded to be relevant.
Erté, born Roman Petrovich Tyrtov in St. Petersburg, Russia, lived to the ripe age of 97. When he passed in 1990, I was disappointed that there was only a very brief statement on the front page of the Fashion section of the New York Times. Yet, his work ushered in the Art Deco era in several fields - art, interior decor, sculpture and jewelry. He was a rare, driven, true artist who never strayed from his trademark elegant motifs, and was active until within 2 years of his death.
Back to the publication in this listing: The illustrations are very crisp, clean repros of his drawings, and the 8 full-page color plates are well chosen and exquisite. It is a permanent acquisition on our art shelves.

This book shows why ERTE` was so admired and so popular during the 1920's-1930's and beyond.

I have always wanted to see ERTE's drawings from Harper`s because those drawings are what ERTE` was (and is) known for. Well, this large paperback book introduces the reader to some of the exciting and creative designs that ERTE` created and printed in HARPER'S BAZAAR during the 1920's and 1930's.

"WOW", is the word I have to apply to the Harper's drawings created by ERTE`!! His designs were ABSOLUTELY ahead of their time! His designs were completely amazing and creative! Erte's drawings showed the type of clothes worn by famous Hollywood actresses during the 1920-1930's!! (I can visualize Joan Crawford wearing a fabulous Erte` design!)

There are a few colored HARPER`S magazine cover reproductions in the middle of this book, but the black and white line drawings that ERTE` included in the HARPER's magazines are what draws the reader to this book.

This book is great. Erte was a genius. I love looking through this book and only wish I could sew some of the fashions.

Erte was also very well know for designing costumes for Radio City Music Hall. Probably his most famous of all costumes were for "The Glory of Easter" production number in the Easter Show. His costume designs are still used to this day at the "Hall." I have a few of his sketches that are framed in my living room. He was the best.