Adele Harms with Fox Fur, Standing, Jul. 1919

In this 1919 fashion photograph, Adele Harms (1890–1968), the sister of Edith Schiele (1893–1918), poses in a dark, long-sleeved satin dress with a fox fur stole and matching hat. It is not the only photograph showing Adele Harms modeling clothes. Like her sister, Adele was interested in fashion, especially hats, and in August 1916 even tried to set up her own milliner’s business. In November 1915, her brother-in-law Egon Schiele (1890–1918) even advocated on her behalf, writing to the head of the Wiener Werkstätte’s fashion department, Eduard Wimmer-Wisgrill: “[…] my sister-in-law would like to take on an executive role in the milliner’s department of the W. W. [Wiener Werkstätte]. […] If a position in her field of expertise were to open up now or in the future, I would ask you to keep her in mind for it.” (ESDA 96). It is possible that Adele Harms worked briefly at the Wiener Werkstätte’s new premises on Kärntner Straße in 1916. From 1918, she was registered as a milliner at Sankt-Veit-Gasse 53 in Vienna’s 13th district.

KJ, 2024