The Allure of Chanel by Paul Morand

[PressSpy]

The Allure of Chanel by Paul Morand

Publication OCTOBER 2008
ISBN 978 1 901285 98 7
Fiction/Biography - 200 pages - £12.00
Translated by Euan Cameron - First ever English translation

"What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5 of course" Marilyn Monroe

"Coco Chanel had an epic life. The company she founded continues to dominate haute couture, it will always be remembered for those suits that Coco pinned together in that little room on the Rue Cambon (...) She has herself become a timeless classic" The Sunday Times

ABOUT THE BOOK
Coco Chanel invited Paul Morand to visit her in St Moritz at the end of the Second World War when he was given the opportunity to write her memoirs; his notes of their conversations were put away in a drawer and only came to light one year after Chanel’s death.

Through Morand’s transcription of their conversations, Chanel tells us about her friendship with Misia Sert, the men in her life - Boy Capel, the Duke of Westminster, artists such as Diaghilev, her philosophy of fashion and the story behind the legendary Nº 5 perfume ... The memories of Chanel told in her own words provide vivid sketches and portray the strength of Coco’s character, leaving us with an extraordinary insight into Chanel the woman and the woman who created Chanel.

'There have been several Duchesses of Westminster. There is only one Chanel!' Coco Chanel on the end of her relationship with the Duke of Westminster

"The famous Coco turned up & I took a great fancy to her (...) much the strongest personality Benny (Duke of Westminster) has yet been up against" Winston Churchill writing to his wife from Bendor's hunting lodge at Mimizan in 1927

"She was strong willed and a femme fatale" Edmonde Charles-Roux, writer and President of the Academie Goncourt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul Morand was born in Paris in 1888 and after studying at the Ecole des Sciences Politiques he joined the diplomatic corps, serving in London, Rome, Berne and Bucharest. His first collection of stories Tendres Stocks (1921), had an introduction 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 1968. He was married to the Romanian princess Hélène Soutzo, and he died in 1976.

"Morand was a citizen of the world, with a sharp eye and a neat turn of phrase" The Tablet

"With insolence as his only baggage, this hurried man traveled across the continent with an insatiable curiosity towards his contemporaries (...) Modern, humorous and cynical, Paul Morand's prose has documentary value that will never go out of fashion" Lire.fr

For a review copy and further information please contact
books@pushkinpress.com
+44 20 7730 0750
www.pushkinpress.com

[joni1]

When Time magazine published its list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, Chanel was only the person in the fashion industry to be named. With that, her influence on not only her own field, but on the world as a whole, became obvious. “When I can no longer create anything, I’ll be done for,” Chanel once said. She was a dedicated workaholic who devoted herself competely to her work until the day she died at the age of 88. What were Chanel’s succses factors?

She Was Different: From her style to her personality to her marketing, everything about Chanel was unique. She brought a new vision of women’s fashion to the industry and, with its boyish qualities, simplicity and clean lines, she revolutionized the field. She brought fashion down to a practical level, all the while maintaining a sense of class and elegance that appealed to the elitest of women.

She Was Daring: She fashioned elegant women’s dresses out of the same material that was used to create men’s underwear, and at a time when women weren’t even supposed to be thinking about men’s underwear. She cut her hair and wore loose clothing when society told her she should have long, flowing hair and tight corsets around her body. Chanel was willing to take the risks she needed to in order to reach the top.

She Was Inspired: Chanel once attended a masquerade ball dressed as a figure from a Watteau painting. The compliments she received from her outfit prompted her to turn it into a woman’s suit. Everything from paintings to men’s clothing to architectural shapes to simple flowers served as inspiration for Chanel and wound up in some form or another in her creations. By looking to the ordinary in order to get ideas, Chanel was able to create the extraordinary.

She Communicated Success: For Chanel, beauty was not just about looking good. It was about presenting oneself in a way that garnered respect from the outside world and allowed one to move forward with one’s own goals. By taking care of your appearance, Chanel believed that you would be able to present yourself as a powerful and successful person, even if you weren’t there quite yet.

She Was Resilient: “Elegance is refusal,” Chanel said – refusal to give up. Chanel never lost faith in herself. Despite having to overcome her age and her ruined reputation, she was able to make a comeback in the industry at the age of 71. She reinvented her designs and gave them a fresh spin, which helped make her company a leader once again.

“May my legend prosper and thrive,” said Chanel. “I wish it a long and happy life.” Indeed, her company continues to thrive. By refusing to license out the Chanel name, the company has maintained strict quality control over its products, allowing it to stay at the top of its game in all the decades since Chanel’s death. Today, Chanel’s overlapping double ‘C’ logo continues to represent an image of chic and elegance around the world.