Born in 1909 into an old Italian family as Count Renato Zavagli-Riciardelli delle Caminate, René Gruau published his first drawing at the age of 14. At 18, he was being commissioned by Italien, French and English magazines. In the early 1930s, his mother moved to her native city where he took her family name, Gruau. For René Gruau, his mother would always remain the embodiment of the values and charms of society, of elegance and aristocracy of manners. Through his close friendship to Christian Dior, Gruau entered the world of advertising graphics. Gruau’s classic style was a perfect complement to Dior’s designs and very soon he became instrumental in developing the image not only for Dior’s perfumes but also for many famous luxury products, including Rouge Baiser, Bas Scandals etc. From the late 40s onward, the “Gruau Style” blazed across the covers and pages of the leading fashion magazines: Silhouette, Vogue, l’Officiel, Le Magazine du Figaro, International Textiles, Flair etc. Gruau’s designs, ads and illustrations characterize the graphic art of the forties and fifties as no other works have done. The widespread reproduction of these works and Gruau’s incredible productivity magnified their impact. The era had found its true artist. Retrospective exhibitions of his art have been held in Paris, Rome, Munich, Cologne, New York and Tokyo museums.