Synopsis
This portrait of the celebrated fashion designer and arbiter of style reveals him to be a superstitious, spendthrift, savvy, and charming man who made up for his difficult childhood by living as elegantly as he could.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1996-09-01 |
| Size | | Length: | 314 pages | | Height: | 9.8 in | | Width: | 6.8 in | | Thickness: | 1.5 in | | Weight: | 28.0 oz |
Publisher's Note
Dior's career, a veritable fairy tale, is set in a rich tapestry of Paris cultural life before, during, and after the war. Much of Dior's daily inspiration emanated from the world of the intellectual and artistic elite, in which be moved with such people as Erik Satie, Francis Poulenc, Henry Sauguet, Jean Cocteau, and Raoul Dufy. Born at the end of an era in which luxury seemed reserved only for the happy few, Dior again revolutionized the world of fashion by introducing, in the early 1950s, "ready-to-wear" in his Dior Boutique. Until then, couturiers had worked essentially if not exclusively for the very rich and famous. With his boutique, Dior brought high fashion to the world at large. Marie-France Pochna guides us skillfully through the constellation of Paris high-fashion luminaries: Lanvin, Balenciaga, Lelong, Hermes, Givenchy, and Jacques Fath. Rivalries and gossip might have divided the fiefdoms, but absolute perfection in design and high standards of fashion united the Paris "family" of haute couture. From 1947, when the House of Dior was established on Avenue Montaigne near the Champs Elysees and burst upon the scene following its first collection, we follow the Duchess of Windsor, Olivia de Havilland, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Bergman, and many more society celebrities and film stars - all Dior clients - to their fitting rooms.
Industry Reviews
"...Ms. Pochna brings to her subject a reporter's doggedness and a mechanic's knack for assembling a whole from dozens of parts."
New York Times Book Review - Holly Brubach (01/12/1996)
"As a study of the private tragedy that lurked behind one of the most remarkable careers of the century...this is a fascinating biography which demands to be read."
Literary Review - Tim Ashley (03/19/1998)
"He was witty, sophisticated and intelligent; Nadia May reads in the same mode. Her performance is smooth and effortless; her diction is perfect, and she glides through the plethora of French names and phrases with alacrity."
AudioFile - Nadia May (02/01/2000)
"In 1947 Dior's first fashion show appeared in Paris and won him instant acclaim as the 'king of fashion'. Pochna's biography of Dior presents a fine, in-depth examination of the figure whose New Look entered Paris at just the right moment. Personal biographical notes blend with artistic and design observations in a well-rounded coverage.
Midwest Book Review - Unknown Critic Staff (11/01/1996)
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