Paul Morand's last book, one of the most appealing of his oeuvre, brings together around the figure of Chanel, portraits of Misia Sert, Erik Satie, Serge Lifar, Georges Auric, Raymond Radiguet, Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Churchill, among others. Based on a series of intimate conversations between Morand and Coco Chanel, written in the great storyteller's marvellous prose, this book artfully sketches the character of the elusive, mysterious and charming creature who inspired Malraux to say: "Chanel, De Gaulle and Picasso are the greatest figures of our times." Hailed on its publication in 1976 as "a great celebration of a book, a finely cut, sparkling gem," The Allure of Chanel attracted the attention of Karl Lagerfeld, who embellished it with seventy-three drawings, sketched for this special illustrated edition. ** Deluxe flapped paperback edition **
"It's an interesting memoir because it's all about what she thinks not what she did." - David Patrick Columbia, The New York Social Diary
"Morand was a citizen of the world, with a sharp eye and a neat turn of phrase." - The Tablet
"This enchanting, tiny book is the closest anyone can get to a face-to-face with Coco. It's written in her voice ('that voice that gushed forth from her mouth like lava') and in her words ('those words that crackled like dried vines'), and though it's full of lies, omissions and contradictions, there's enough raw truth in it to reflect the extraordinary woman who was Chanel, even though glimpsed shard by shard in a broken mirror." - The Spectator
"Paul Morand recaptures a WWII-era conversation between the author and the fashion icon." -Publisher's Weekly
"Reads beautifully ... this enchanting book is the closest anyone can get to a face-to-face with Coco... written in her voice and in her words." - The Spectator
"Morand was the all-round aesthete." - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian
Paul Morand was born in Paris in 1888 and after studying at the Ecole des Science Politiques he joined the diplomatic corps, serving in London, Rome, Berne and Bucharest. His first collection of stories,Tender Shoots (1921), was introduced by his friend Marcel Proust. In a long and busy life, he found time to write poetry, novels, short stories and travel books. Morand was made a member of the Academie Francaise in 1963. He was married to the Romanian princess Hélène Soutzo, and he died in 1976, the year the first edition of The Allure of Chanel was published in Paris.
Paul Morand's last book, one of the most appealing of his oeuvre, brings together around the figure of Chanel, portraits of Misia Sert, Erik Satie, Serge Lifar, Georges Auric, Raymond Radiguet, Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Churchill, among others. Based on a series of intimate conversations between Morand and Coco Chanel, written in the great storyteller's marvellous prose, this book artfully sketches the character of the elusive, mysterious and charming creature who inspired Malraux to say: "Chanel, De Gaulle and Picasso are the greatest figures of our times." Hailed on its publication in 1976 as "a great celebration of a book, a finely cut, sparkling gem," The Allure of Chanel attracted the attention of Karl Lagerfeld, who embellished it with seventy-three drawings, sketched for this special illustrated edition. ** Deluxe flapped paperback edition **
Reviews
"It's an interesting memoir because it's all about what she thinks not what she did." - David Patrick Columbia, The New York Social Diary
"Morand was a citizen of the world, with a sharp eye and a neat turn of phrase." - The Tablet
"This enchanting, tiny book is the closest anyone can get to a face-to-face with Coco. It's written in her voice ('that voice that gushed forth from her mouth like lava') and in her words ('those words that crackled like dried vines'), and though it's full of lies, omissions and contradictions, there's enough raw truth in it to reflect the extraordinary woman who was Chanel, even though glimpsed shard by shard in a broken mirror." - The Spectator
"Paul Morand recaptures a WWII-era conversation between the author and the fashion icon." -Publisher's Weekly
"Reads beautifully ... this enchanting book is the closest anyone can get to a face-to-face with Coco... written in her voice and in her words." - The Spectator
"Morand was the all-round aesthete." - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian
Author
Paul Morand was born in Paris in 1888 and after studying at the Ecole des Science Politiques he joined the diplomatic corps, serving in London, Rome, Berne and Bucharest. His first collection of stories,Tender Shoots (1921), was introduced by his friend Marcel Proust. In a long and busy life, he found time to write poetry, novels, short stories and travel books. Morand was made a member of the Academie Francaise in 1963. He was married to the Romanian princess Hélène Soutzo, and he died in 1976, the year the first edition of The Allure of Chanel was published in Paris.
