Fashion Designer Erté in Hollywood!
What French couturier came to Hollywood to design for the motion picture industry, at the request of director Cecil B. DeMille?
It was none other than Erté, whose real name was Romain de Tirtoff. This prolific couturier, raised in the Russian aristocracy, emigrated to Paris and worked closely with French designer Paul Poiret. The talented Erté later signed a contract with Harper’s Bazar, and provided a plethora of covers for the popular Hearst magazine.
Erté was summoned to Hollywood by director DeMille for a prospective film, but when publisher William Randolph Hearst heard of the meeting, he grew uneasy. Hearst then arranged for Erté to design for Cosmopolitan Pictures, which was dedicated to producing the films of Hearst’s mistress, Marion Davies. Erté obliged and went on to design both sets and costumes for the 1920 film, The Restless Sex, starring Miss Davies.
Hearst hadn’t forgotten his wife, Millicent, though. Mrs. Hearst, in addition to Hearst’s mistress, also loved beautiful clothes, so Erté created several designs in her honor. The entire affair was well publicized to reassure the public of Mr. Hearst’s respectability.
Hearst later recommended Erté’s talents to his close friend, Louis B. Mayer, of MGM Studios. Mayer had Erté in mind for a 1925 production, to be entitled simply, Paris. Erté was promised creative control over much of the production, but when the final shooting script arrived, he was incensed since it portrayed Parisian life in what Erté considered a completely objectionable manner.
To make matters worse, one of the top stars at the time, Lillian Gish, got into an “artistic disagreement” with Erté over her proposed costumes for La Bohème. According to Erté biographer Charles Spencer, Gish felt that Erté’s calico creations would look “too new” on the silver screen and insisted he use worn silk. When Erté vehemently refused, Gish sought assistance from MGM’s wardrobe mistress, who dutifully complied.
Hopelessly European and well into his 30s at the time, Erté grew disillusioned with Hollywood and in late 1925, returned to Paris, but not before designing costumes for several MGM films, notably the silent version of Ben Hur.
Fast forward decades later, and Erté’s career in the U.S. was resurrected during an Art Deco renaissance. His friendship with art dealers Eric and Salome Estorick paved the way for his designs to become successful in the commercial art world.
I was a part of this Art Deco renaissance and from 1985 – 2000, worked for Dyansen Galleries, the American company responsible for publishing several Erté sculpture collections. I’ve attended countless Erté exhibitions and handled a large volume of Erté’s works, including original gouaches, graphics, and innumerable bronzes, which my employer published.
Having been constantly surrounded by Erté’s art, it never mattered that I never got the chance to meet the man. Through his countless designs produced over the years, I felt I already had.
I knew Erté through his genius, which was considerable.
Coming soon…all the gossip about the art world!
