Gerdago (Gerda Iro-Gottstein). Design for a film costume. Austria, 1935. Ball-dress for Maria Andergast in Manja Valewska.

Design for a ball-dress for Maria Andergast in the costume film Manja Valewska.

Given by Mr. H. L. Bohm

'Gerdago' was the alias of Gerda Gottstein (28 Aug 1906-20 Jan 2004), an Austrian costume designer. She trained in Berlin and Paris between 1927-29 and became an assistant to the architect Oskar Strnad (1879-1935). Between 1931-34 she worked as a theatrical costume designer. Her first film work was for the 1933 Austrian film "Leise flehen meine Lieder", directed by Willi Forst (1903-80), a biopic of the composer Franz Schubert. The V&A have six Gerdago designs for the following films:

Manja Valewska (1936): Ball-dress and afternoon dress for the actress Maria Andergast (1912-95). (E.85 and 86-1949)
Zauber der Bohème (1938): Dress for Marta Eggerth (b.1912) (which she wore to sing 'Immer wenn ich glücklich bin') (E.87-1949) and evening dress for Mimi Shorp (1905-74). (E.88-1949)
Maskerade (1934): Costume for Paula Wessely (1907-2000). (E.89-1949)
Dschainah, das Mädchen aus dem Tanzhaus(1935): Costume for Rosy Barsony (1909-1977). (E.90-1949)

As she had married a non-Jew, Gerda Irro (sometimes spelled Iro) survived the Anschluss (the German invasion of Austria) although her parents died in concentration camps. After the war ended, Gerdago resumed theatre design in 1947 for the Vienna Citizens Theatre and also resumed film design., specialising in period costuming and historical films such as the Sissi trilogy (based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.) Between 1947 and 1970 she designed costumes for at least 65 films. Her last film was the 1980 film Johann Strauß – der König ohne Krone. She died in Vienna, aged 97, in January 2004.

- Daniel Milford-Cottam (February 2012)

E.85-1949