from ‚Erté’s theatrical costumes in full color‘
For my current project I am looking at the development of Revues, Cabaret and the Theatre scene, since the birth of Cabaret (starting 1881, Paris). One of the main aspects I am focusing on is costume design. There are many costume designers who worked for big theatres and clubs and directors, such as The Folies Bergére, Théâtre Appollo, Bal Tabarin, Flo Ziegfeld, George White and many more. Erté was a Russian illustrator in designer who first worked in Paris and then moved on to work in America (Chicago, New York…) I quite like how he illustrates his designs. In many ways, it portrays the fashion of the time, but he still maintains an ‚out-of-this-world‘ air in his costumes, which allows the audience to escape to a new world, even when just looking at his illustrations. Erté not only worked in theatre, but also did illustrations for magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar. I am personally a big admirer of his work, but that is because I love the art and culture of the mid-war years. Not only was it an artistically stimulating time, but also socially and politically.
Athena, one of the Greek divinities in the scene „Le Bal des Arts“ in the movie „Restless Sex“, 1919
Octopus, for the show „At the Bottom of the Sea“ at the French Casino, New York, 1946
Costume for soprano Ganna Walska in „Manon“, Chicago Opera, 1920
Costume for musical-comedy and music-hall star Gaby Deslys, ca. 1915
The Queen, for „Louis XIV“ show at the Alhambra in Paris, 1933
Madame Butterfly for the Number „Heroines“ at the Teatro Calderón, Barcelona, 1945
Oriental costume for the Folies Bergère, 1920
‚Clock‘ for the Show „Awakening the Past“ at the Alcazar Music Hall, Marseille, 1923. The dial represents the present, the 18th Century lady represents the past and the cloaked man represents the future
Water, for a show at the „Bal Tabarin“, 1937
litchifriedrich 