When Cristobal Balenciaga died in 1972, the news hit the front page of The New York Times. One of the most innovative and admired figures in the history of haute couture, Balenciaga was, as Elsa Schiaparelli said, "the only designer who dares do what he likes." He was, said Christian Dior, "the master of us all." But despite his extraordinary impact, Balenciaga was a man hidden from view. One woman knew Balenciaga very well indeed. The first person he hired when he opened his Paris house (at the time furnished with only a table and a stool) was Florette Chelot, who became his top vendeuse - as much an adviser as a saleswoman.
A sparkling life of the monumental fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga.About the AuthorMary Blume, a native New Yorker who lives in Paris, was a longtime columnist for the International Herald Tribune. She is the author of Cote d'Azur: Inventing the French Riviera and of a collection of her Herald Tribune pieces, A French Affair.
Book InformationISBN 9780374534387
Author Mary BlumeFormat Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Farrar, Straus & Giroux IncPublisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc
Weight(grams) 247g
Dimensions(mm) 209mm * 140mm * 16mm