Erte
Romain de Tirtoff (Erte) was born in St. Petersburg and created his first successful costume design at the age of 5. He moved to Paris in 1912 to fulfil his ambition of becoming a fashion illustrator. He is perhaps best remembered for his gloriously extravagant costumes and stage sets that he designed for the Folies-Bergere in Paris and George White's Scandals in New York, which exploit his taste for the exotic. Erte is now unchallenged for the title of 'the father of Art Deco'. His work has influenced a generation of artists, architects and designers, both in fashion and commerce, and his art is collected and treasured world wide.