Romain de Tirtoff, better known as Erté, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1882. He was the son of a Russian Naval Academy inspector, but his father recognized that the Navy was not a career choice for his son. Erté went to Paris in 1912 to fulfill his dream of working in fashion. He collaborated with Poiret, and later submitted some illustrations to Harper’s Bazaar. William Randolph Hearst recognized Erté’s unique style and creativity and signed him to an exclusive 10-year contract. Her first magazine cover was in January 1915 and was entitled Scheherazade.