Ladislaus Czettel
Hungarian inventiveness, French charm and Slavic fantasy
by Angelo Luerti
A unique insight into the life and career of the prolific designer Ladislaus Czettel (1895-1949) is available for the first time in this new book. Superbly produced, the book is a limited edition hardback, privately published in Milan, Italy and contains 240 pages and over 200 photographs many in colour.
Czettel was one of the most versatile international stylists and costume designers active from the 1920s to the 1940s and contributed to over 200 theatrical productions (mainly revues and opera’s), 8 films and dozens of fashion collections in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, London and New York. However, the bulk of his work was seen in Germany and Austria during the 1920s and 1930s with forays into Paris.
One of many costume and set designers who blossomed in the Jazz Age, Czettel joined the ranks of artistic brilliance shared by such talent as Charles Gesmar, Marco Montedoro, Dolly Tree, Zig, Rene Hubert, Jose de Zamora, Hugh Willoughby, Erte and many others.
Stylistically Czettel displayed a duality in his designing. His theatrical creations were usually more flamboyant, colourful, detailed and intricate whereas his fashion creations displayed more restraint and were simpler, stylish and yet incredibly effective.
Born in Budapest, Hungary, Czettel eventually made his home in Vienna. However, in 1938 he was forced to escape Austria as he was Jewish and settled first in London and then finally New York.
The author Angelo Luerti is a world-expert on costume design for the Paris Music hall in the Jazz Age. He published the ground breaking book Not Only Erte exploring costume design for the Paris Music Hall 1918-1940 and a biography of the celebrated French designer Charles Gesmar.
The book is currently available on eBay (Italy) or by contacting the author Angelo Luerti directly.
Key Points
- Examines each phase and each production that Czettel worked on.
- Chapters are arranged chronologically.
- Looks at his work in Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Paris, London and New York.
- Accompanied by relevant visual documentation in black and white from newspaper and magazine features.
- Archival photographs of finished costumes by Czettel seen on the stage or screen.
- Reproductions of numerous costume designs by Czettel in black and white and colour.
- Unique photographs of Czettel at work.
- 240 pages and over 200 photographs in black and white and colour.
- Evokes the splendour and glamour of Jazz Age costume and fashion design.
- Very reasonably priced at 60 Euros.
