I-D: STELLA MCCARTNEY SENT ANIMALS DOWN THE RUNWAY View full article at i-d.com
For AW20, the lifelong vegan designer showed an Erte-inspired collection full of faux fur coats, fake leather tracksuits and...fancy dress animal costumes.
“We’re the only luxury house who aren’t killing animals to create fashion shows,” Stella McCartney said after her AW20 show on the Monday morning of Paris Fashion Week. “But I wanted to communicate that in a fun way.” That “fun way” was a group of dancing, fancy dress costumed animals, who walked the finale with the models. They were there to greet guests too, as they walked into the Opéra Garnier, where show-goers were also encouraged to take a sapling and plant a tree in an effort to make the show carbon neutral. “We all have to be involved in making the fashion industry more environmentally conscious,” she said.
But Stella has done more than most, constantly championing this approach. The world has started to catch up though, and we’re all more aware of the impact fashion has on the environment, and that we need to do all we can to reduce that. The inherent contradiction, of course, is between capitalist consumerism and creating a more sustainable future. All fashion is bound with desire, the want for new things, but Stella has managed to create incredibly desirable garments -- fake leather boots, faux fur coats -- that at least lessen that strain.
Beyond the joyful finale this show was an exploration of the work of French-Russian artist Erté, who Stella met by chance on a plane when she was 12. Stella turned his illustrations and prints into flowing dresses and matching two-piece ensembles. “I love the theatricality of Erté’s work,” Stella said, “the drama and the absolute glamour.” And it was there in this collection, but mixed in with more familiar Stella-isms: shaggy jumpers, laser cut leather, cosy suiting. Stella is at her best when mixing ease with drama, finding some sweet spot between the two. She rarely over complicates anything, letting the silhouette do the talking.
NUMERO PARIS FASHION WEEK COVERAGE View full article at Numero
On the historic floors of the Palais Garnier, Stella McCartney invites sea creatures and swirls of rhinestones to her creations, in homage to the drawings of the illustrator Erté.
In the heart of the Palais Garnier, for only a few minutes, the little rats of the opera house give way to long and sinuous sea creatures. Shining with rhinestones, jellyfish seem to float on the surface of black and purple silks. These sea animals do not adorn the ballet costumes of the Ondine mermaid but invite themselves on the latest creations from the Stella McCartney fashion show. Diving into the fashion archives, the British designer pays tribute this season to designer Erté, a Franco-Russian figure in Art Deco, whose elegantly dressed characters colored the covers of prestigious magazines, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. More than a century after their creation, his designs reappear on the long Stella Mccartney combinations.
Delicately affixed to silk and perforating the leather, these ornaments are all precious details enhancing the silhouettes of the collection. Always in harmony with the active women she dresses, the clothes imagined by the British designer are this season broad and fluid, floating in dresses and loose suits with long sleeves. The mineral nuances tint vegan leather, a durable fabric like the label, which has been committed since 2001 against the use of animal fabrics, such as fur and leather. To complete these sober silhouettes with a touch of temerity, the pointed, slightly Gothic ankle boots run through the famous floors of the opera house built during the Second Empire.
SUSTAINABLE STYLE AT STELLA MCCARTNEY View full article by Suzy Menkes at Vogue Italia
Anyone who needed to understand the passion and commitment of Stella McCartney to her cause – a better treatment of Planet Earth – had only to see the group of passionate eco warriors who attended her 10pm talk. The event was held in the plush theatre up the sweeping steps of the Opéra national de Paris, where 12 hours later Stella’s Autumn/Winter 2020 morning show would take place. The energy and beliefs of Christiana Figueres, leader on global climate change, were moving and instructive. But Stella matched that fervour in her show, where the surprise elements were wild animals – a cow, crocodile, fox, monkey, rabbit, and wolf – walking through the gilded grandeur. They were not real animals, nor stuffed ones (perish the thought!), but rather performers who joined the models in the finale. And for Stella this was in no way a joke. “I try to sugar-coat it and put in a bit of humour and fun, so the finale was a joyous way of trying to show that these animals are the ingredients of everyone else’s fashion shows,” Stella said. “We are the only luxury fashion house in the world that isn’t killing animals for objects on the runway. I wanted to plant that seed, but in a fun way.” Stella was confirming that after a quarter of a century of effort, she had reached her goal. Everything from bags to boots was produced with a sustainable ethos. Being responsible and ethical does not hinder the expression of the designer’s luxury world. As well as well-cut plaid coats and draped dresses, she dressed up the collection with the opulent illustrations of Erté, the Russian aristocrat who moved from set design to the art world in the 1920s. Stella met him in person when she was 12, by chance, on a plane with her mother, and subsequently worked in his studio. “I wanted to bring to this collection some sort of romance and a little more theatricality,” she said. “I worked with Erté prints from the archives – the first time they have been used – using original prints and the original colourways. “It was taking things that I grew up with and as a fashion designer find so dreamlike. But I wanted to bring them into now, and try to make them functional and real.” Stella achieved her goal in bringing art into her worthy causes.
STELLA MCCARTNEY LAUNCHES FALL 2020 COLLECTION IN COLLABORATION WITH ERTE ARCHIVES
Stella McCartney launched her Fall 2020 collection in Paris on March 2nd. The collection included 'prints done in collaboration with the Erté archive. McCartney’s show notes state that she met the famed fashion-loving artist as a child. The prints she used had a characteristically Deco feeling, and one could see a touch of the Twenties in a range of lovely dresses, some with unfussy vertical ruffles. Or maybe it was the power of suggestion, because McCartney beautifully adapted the patterns to her aesthetic.'
Presenting an exciting jewelry collection based on the inimitable work of Romain de Tirtoff, better known as Erté We are pleased to debut a new line of jewelry adapted from original designs by Erté (French, born Russia, 1892–1990)—the celebrated artist, designer, and bon vivant.
Born into a distinguished St. Petersburg family, the young Romain de Tirtoff chose not to follow his aristocratic male relatives into a career in the military. Instead, at age 18, the budding artist left Russia for Paris, where he embarked on a long, storied career as an illustrator and costume and set designer known as Erté (from the French pronunciation of his initials, “RT”).
The artist is especially renowned for the fabulous covers he created for Harper’s Bazaar from 1915–1936. Soon after designing his first cover, Erté received a 10-year contract to work exclusively for the magazine. He ultimately contributed more than 240 covers featuring his signature Art Deco illustrations.
The Met is fortunate to house a major collection of Erté’s original gouaches. In 1967, the Museum bought the complete contents of one of the artist’s shows from a New York City gallery (examples shown at top, above, and below). “It was, I believe, without precedent that a museum bought an entire exhibition of a living artist,” Erté wrote many years later. “Certainly, it was a first time for The Met.”
Here, we reveal a selection of our new adornments:
Erté Zizi Jewelry These stunning designs are named for Zizi Jeanmaire (French, born 1924), the sophisticated ballet dancer whom Erté often costumed. In 1976, the French government made Erté an “Officer of Arts and Letters”; the ceremony was held at Maxim’s in Paris, and Zizi herself presented her friend with the prestigious blue rosette medal. The jewelry boasts ornate openwork crescents reminiscent of the shape of a tutu or a dancer’s arched, upraised arms, and each piece is decorated with Swarovski crystals, a show-stopping look that will stand out and make a statement.
Erté Deco Openwork Jewelry In 1925, Erté was hired by MGM as a costume and film set designer, where he created garments for glamorous stars such as Lillian Gish, Norma Shearer, and Carmel Myers, whom he notably dressed for her famous role in the 1925 silent film, Ben-Hur. His tenure in California was fairly short, however, and he returned to Paris to resume his career as an illustrator and designer for the theater. This handsome ring and hinged bangle are crafted in silver plate with enamel and Swarovski crystals. Their black-and-white palette and pierced geometric patterns recall the graphic, streamlined aesthetic of the 1920s–30s.
Erté Deco Figural Jewelry Sinuous and bold forms take center stage in these artful pieces, several of which recall Erte’s original designs for “George White’s Scandals,” the lavish Broadway stage revues that ran from 1919–39. In the necklace, a pair of theatrical phoenix-birds echo his curtain design for the 1926 production of The Birds, while the radiant skyscraper pin evokes his set for the 1927 Manhattan Mary at the Majestic Theatre. The gleaming Serpent Cuffs illustrate his endless fascination with the ancient and the exotic. When you’re looking for a dramatic piece to start the conversation going, these appealing designs will be sure to attract notice.
Our new necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings are beautifully crafted in 18K gold plate, silver plate, and rhodium plate, with decorative enhancements such as precious or semiprecious stones. Swarovski crystals, and hand-painted enamel.
Watch this space! Discover these and other Erté-inspired designs online at The Met Store beginning Tuesday, January 21.
Like a dandelion in a daisy-chain, I slotted in with the fashion editors to talk to Romain de Tirtoff, dit Erté. Their sallies pealed up from the clearing among the nettles where they took wine with him in his publisher’s garden, but his part of the dialogue was inaudible. I expect he was telling them that for a woman to be fashion’s slave is an offence against nature.
When my turn came to share heel-taps with the wasps, I found his tones were still somewhat faint at two yards. This should not be surprising from an 82-year-old being milked for his maximum publicity yield, but I prefer to think the real cause was a natural joy in quiet asides. This and his dreamy little chuckles make an atmosphere of assignation.
Designer Michael Halpern only graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2016, but the label has already become a household name of sorts and an instant go-to for sequined pieces reminiscent of disco days. For his fall 2019 collection, he sent a series of transformational dresses — including those that looked like metallic sunrises, golden gardens and glittering chests of ancient treasure — down the runway. Here's everything you need to know about the show.
Erté was destined for the imperial navy. Failing that, the army. His father and uncle had been navy men. There were painters and sculptors on his mother’s side, but they were thought very frivolous. Romain de Tirtoff (‘Erté’ came from the French pronunciation of his initials) was born in 1892 at the St Petersburg Naval School where his father Pyotr was inspector. When he was a little boy, his aunt bought him a set of wooden soldiers. Instinctively, he hated war, violence and, above all, uniforms. He burst into tears and threw the box out of the window. READ MORE
IN REVIEW: PHOTOS FROM THE ERTExKOBIHALPERIN LAUNCH AT NEIMAN MARCUS CHICAGO October 19th, 2017
On October 19th at Neiman Marcus Chicago, designer Kobi Halperin hosted an invite-only event to celebrate the launch of his ErtexKobiHalperin collection. Attendees listened to the designer explain his inspiration behind the collection and how he felt his vision connected to Erté's artistry. Guests enjoyed champagne as they shopped the new collection, mingling with jewelry design duo Deepa and Jay Lakhani, founders of Deepa Gurnani who collaborated with Kobi Halperin on a selection of items in the clothing line and who themselves recently released a collection inspired by Erté's designs. Erté himself was represented by the presence of two of his artworks, on display courtesy of Martin Lawrence Galleries.
GROSVENOR GALLERY ANNOUNCES "ERTE: A CELEBRATION" EXHIBITION, OPENING NOVEMBER 15 Grosvenor Gallery
Grosvenor Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of more than 100 original works by Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the artist's birth. The works originate from the private collection of renowned art dealers Eric and Salome Estorick, who founded the Grosvenor Gallery in 1960. The exhibition tours from it's successful display at The Hermitage in St Petersburg where it was also the inspiration behind the museum's White Nights celebration. READ MORE
The aesthetic of Erté is instantly recognizable, whether from his Vogue cover illustrations to fashions to set design to interior decor to jewelry to famous alphabet letters. Today, the fashion jewelry line is being brought to life by Deepa Gurnani, which has rolled out a robust selection of necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets, all with a modernized Deco feel. READ MORE
I had the amazing experience of working with the legendary Erté on two occasions. Both were tied into launches of his new works. The first was in 1974, it was the year that Saks Fifth Avenue (Corporate) was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the store’s opening in New York (the store opened on Fifth Avenue on September 15, 1924) and the Chicago store was celebrating this special event with an elaborate cocktail party. Designers had been asked to do special Art Deco inspired garments which we used in our Michigan Avenue windows as well as on models for the event. At the same time, Erté was launching his jewelry collection at the Circle Gallery in the Chicago Marriott Hotel on Michigan Avenue and I was asked to have models dressed in Art Deco garments do informal modeling for this cocktail party…what a perfect tie-in! One of his art pieces featured a gown with a beaded cobweb for a sleeve. We had a similar piece in our collection and I thought it would be amusing to feature it. READ MORE
“The ornately detailed designs are what first drew me to Erté, but most exciting were his explorations of what was futuristic at that time - the combination of geometry and fluidity, I wanted to explore that further.” Anjhe Mules, Founder & Creative Director
Faithful to Lucas Hugh’s creative aesthetic, the AW17 collection is a conceptual nod to French artist and designer, Romain de Tirtoff, better known by his pseudonym, Erté. The brand’s signature blend of style, technical performance and functionality are evident throughout the collection, with dynamic prints drawn from Erté’s richest illustrations taking centre stage.
The resulting collection is striking and energetic. Sleek and flawlessly cut, the Goldleaf and Moonlight series are embellished with gold transfers, are at once fluid and structured - opulent feathers weave around the frame to create a sense of constant flux. Daring and bold, the Erté series beautifully complements this, offering an expressive print in a range of key Lucas Hugh styles – including leggings, a sports bra, a tank and a one-piece.
HARPERS BAZAAR Watch Bazaar Light Up the Empire State Building with its Most Iconic Images In celebration of our 150th birthday, we projected 150 of the most iconic images from the pages of Harper's BAZAAR on the Empire State Building with help from our friends at Tiffany & Co. last night, giving way to the chicest light show New York has ever seen. Watch below and see some of your favorite fashion photography against the city skyline.
From vintage Vogue covers from the 1930s to exquisite sketches of actresses' dresses, head over to the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg this summer to see a selection of the most astonishing works by Russian-born French artist Erté. You won't be disappointed.
NY TIMES A Designer Launches a New Line With a Little Help From Beyoncé Things look great at present for Mr. Dundas. After leaving Roberto Cavalli in October, he has now launched, or more accurately, teased, a new collection under his own name. On Sunday evening, when Beyoncé took the stage of the Grammys to perform a medley of songs from “Lemonade,” she was dressed as a gold-encrusted goddess out of an Erté fantasy, in the first outfit to carry the Peter Dundas label.
HARPERS BAZAAR The Jazz Age - Bazaar in the 1920s Bazaar was committed to giving the look of its pages an equally modern edge. The design was driven primarily by two men. The first was Erté (the pseudonym for the Russian-born French artist Romain de Tirtoff), whose colorful, fluid illustrations were at once whimsical and elegant, and graced more than 200 covers over 21 years.
NY MAG Lavish Art Deco Fashions, Painted by Erté It’s impossible to look back on flapper dresses and 1920s fashions without mentioning the so-called “Father of Art Deco” Romain de Tirtoff, famously known as Erté. The artist’s career spanned over 80 years, during which he designed sets and costumes for both the stage and screen, jewelry, fine art, sculpture, and over 200 covers for Harper’s Bazaar. Known for an unwavering Art Deco style, he was equally renowned for his wide range within the art world, including his wildly popular Alphabet Suite prints, sketches for Paris fashion houses, and cognac bottle designs for Courvoisier.
FRANCE TODAY From Fashion to Movies: Erté & the History of Art Deco in Paris The world’s first Art Déco building was the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées built in Paris prior to the First World War. Between the two wars, the style was popularized by designers and artists who used its visual drama in theatre and movie sets and costumes, fashion design and graphic art that even today graces public murals and hangs on living room walls. One of the pioneering designers who worked in fashion, illustration, movies and theatre was Erté
WWD Erté Exhibitions to Bow in Russia, New York This summer the late Roman Tyrtov, the artist simply known as “Erté,” will be the focus of a solo show at the Hermitage Museum — more than a century after he left his native Russia. In line with that occasion, the Martin Lawrence Gallery in New York will unveil its own exhibition of his work to coincide with the June 22 opening overseas.
FOOTWEAR NEWS Delman Shoes Celebrated in Artwork of Erté at Met Museum Two legends are being remembered in an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the death of artist Romain de Tirtoff, better known as Erté, a selection of shoe-inspired art work he did for famed New York manufacturer Herman Delman, is being shown through Sept. 28 at the museum’s Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. Gallery. The museum acquired 13 original shoe designs by Erté for Delman in 1967.
NY TIMES A Deco Moment by Eric Wilson Among the unexplained trends to appear with some regularity in the spring 2012 runway shows — aside from a preponderance of mesh — Art Deco took the cake. Frida Giannini was the biggest proponent of the streamlined 1920s look with her collection for Gucci, called “Hard Deco,” but there were echoes at Etro as well, and flappers could be found at Ralph Lauren and elsewhere. But why? “It’s a way of women returning to a glamorous notion of dressing,” said Charlotte Perman, the author of a new book on Romain de Tirtoff, the Art Deco artist known as Erté, published this month by Chalk & Vermilion. “It is designed for splendor and extravagance.”
W MAGAZINE Art Deco Gold: The Erté Clasp Topping W editors' holiday wish lists: the Clasp, an Erté evening bag brought to life by Stefano Canturi (the international jeweler responsible for Nicole Kidman’s stunning Moulin Rouge “Satine” necklace) with the help of some 3,978 diamonds, 20 ounces of gold, black sapphires, rubies, and pearl tassels. Deceptively demure in size—just large enough for an iPhone and lip gloss—this one-of-a-kind object d'art comes with a $780,000 price tag. Extravagant to be sure, but a girl can dream.
FORBES Erté Originals: Remembering The Father of Art Deco Last week in SoHo, the Martin Lawrence Gallery showed the birth of the Art Deco movement: Dozens of originals by Romain de Tirtoff, aka Erté. The retrospective featured two floors of rare prints, limited edition serigraphs, and bronze sculptures. It also showed The Clasp, a $780,000 jeweled evening bag inspired by an Erté design from 1926.
THE WASHINGTON POST By Renowned Erté "You should do anything in life, but never try to design -- you have not the slightest capacity for it," Erte' was told soon after he started his first job, sketching clothes, in Paris almost 70 years ago. Erte ignored the advice. And at the age of 89, Erte' is enjoying his own revival. Born Romain de Tirtoff in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892, he was renowned in the '20s and '30s as a fashion illustrator and fashion and theater designer. Today, he is still making elegant new illustrations, costumes, jewelry and books to more acclaim than ever.
NY TIMES Erté, a Master of Fashion, Stage and Art Deco Design, is Dead at 97 Erte, the Russian-born Art Deco designer whose prolific career in theater, sculpture and the graphic arts spanned most of the 20th century, died here today after a short illness. He was 97 years old. Erte, whose name derived from the French pronunciation of the initials of his real name, Romain de Tirtoff, continued to work until just a few weeks ago. His recent designs included the set for the musical ''Stardust,'' which recently ended a run in Washington, and the set and costumes for ''Easter Parade'' at Radio City Music Hall.