Vogue 1 December 1919 - Helen Dryden - Framed art Print

Born in Baltimore in 1883, Helen Dryden was an accomplished artist who studied at the esteemed Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before passing away in 1972. She made her name early on in her career as an art instructor, fashion illustrator, and costume designer. She was known for her Art Nouveau and Art Deco inspired work on the covers of popular magazines like Vogue and Delineator.

Condé Montrose Nast, who bought Vogue in 1909 and assumed numerous roles such as owner, chairman, president, publisher, and apparently even interim fashion editor, was drawn to Dryden’s unique, non-photographic art. He loved her simplified and stylised approach.

Dryden was quickly hired as a fashion editor, churning out the first of about 100 whimsical cover designs within three months. This work spanned from 1910 to 1923. Her contributions to Vogue’s editorial and artwork helped affirm its influence in the budding fashion industry and elevated her to a trendsetter for the high-fashion elite. Despite facing numerous initial rejections, she soon became widely known as "America’s highest-paid female artist".

Parallel to her work at Vogue, Dryden started a second career in 1914 as a costume designer for Broadway theatre, where she worked on at least seven productions until the early '20s.