Tree, daughter of a cinema actress, quickly became known creating costumes in the 1920s for various European theatre revues in London, Madrid, Rome, and Brussels. She also designed for the Folies Bergère, the Concert Mayol and les Ambassadeurs. In 1930 she worked for British cinema and later for Hollywood. Through her creations for great artists such as Jean Harlow, Judy Garland, Lana Turner and many others, she acquired an international reputation.