Rene Gruau: (1909-2004)
French-Italian illustrator Rene Gruau was born in Rimini, Italy; son of the Earl Alessandro Zovagli Ricciardelli delle Caminate and Maria Gruau. He later chose his mother's name as his pseudonym. The youngest of a large family, Gruau became an orphan
at the age of fifteen. His talent in the art of drawing allowed him to earn his living. He worked as a designer for a brief period from 1937 to 1938 in Holland, England and France. It wasn't until the magazine Marie Claire hired him, that Gruau would get the opportunity to gain experience in fashion illustration.
Following the conclusion of World War II a variety of prestigious magazines requested his artistic collaboration. Such magazines included Vogue, L'Oficiel de la Couture, Femina and Harper's Bazaar. Successfully his style was characterized by a dazzling minimalism whose intent, was to make the printing process a lot less complicated. Typical of his time was the influence of Orientalism and their application by a variety of fashion illustrators. His large surface designs and alternate photographic themes, and geometric patterns were common among his illustrative work. Gruau was partial to Chinese shadows and incorporated this particular constituent in his craft.
Gruau reached the peak of his career in the Art Deco Era, also known as the period of the "new look." Some of his most extolled achievements were: his illustrations for the book Cucina Cucita a Mano(Hand-sewn Kitchen), for Dior; his illustrations for applauded fashion designers Balmain and Jacques Fath; and his associative works with Novita magazine, the official magazine of the textile sector, in Italy. He would eventually leave illustration behind, to follow yet another avenue of fashion; advertisement.
Later in his career Rene Gruau devoted himself to the promotion of fashion accessories, for example, perfumes. First launching Diors perfume line and later Elizabeth Arden's, Griffe's, Balmain;s and Jacques Fath's. He also worked with cosmetic houses, fabric manufacturers, and ready to wear clothing couturiers. Then in 1956 with his posters for Moulin Rouge and Lito; Gruau would storm the Paris fashion scene with his most well known advertisement campaigns,created for Schu-Schu perfume by Schuberth and Bemberg's fabric manufacturers. His formulation of the image for the Academy of Costume and Fashion in Rome and his creation of Laura Biagotti's logo would be the icing on the cake, to an already brilliant career. A fashion innovator definitely worth commemorating, Gruau's fashion ascendancy and augmentations can still be seen all over the world.
