 Edzard was born and raised in Paris by her German-born father and Polish mother, both painters, and after a degree in economics she trained as a set and costume designer with Lila De Nobili and Rotislav Duboujinsky.She assisted Di Nobili on Franco Zeffirelli's productions of "Aida" and "Romeo and Juliet" at La Scala in 1963 and 1968.Edzard co-wrote and designed the film "Tales of Beatrix Potter" (1971), for which she was nominated for two BAFTA awards for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction.