upcarta
  • Sign In
  • Sign Up
  • Explore
  • Search

The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World

  • Book
  • Feb 5, 2013
  • #Biography
Mary Blume
@MaryBlume
(Author)
www.goodreads.com
Paperback
4.6/5 93 ratings
Paperback
See on Goodreads
3.83/5 59 ratings
1 Recommender
1 Mention
1 Ask
A sparkling life of the monumental fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga One of the most innovative and admired figures in the history of haute couture, Cristóbal Balenciaga was, s... Show More

A sparkling life of the monumental fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga

One of the most innovative and admired figures in the history of haute couture, Cristóbal Balenciaga was, said Christian Dior, "the master of us all."

Despite his extraordinary impact, Balenciaga was a man hidden from view. He saw to it that little was known about him, to the point that some French journalists wondered if he existed at all. Even his most devoted clients—Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Hutton, a clutch of Rothschilds—never met him.

But one woman knew Balenciaga very well indeed. The first person he hired when he opened his Paris house was Florette Chelot, who became his top vendeuse. She witnessed the spectacular success of his first collection, and they worked closely for more than thirty years, until 1968, when Balenciaga abruptly closed his house without telling any of his staff. Youth-oriented fashion was taking over, Paris was in upheaval, and the elder statesman wanted no part of it.

In The Master of Us All, Mary Blume tells the remarkable story of the man and his world. Intimate and revealing, this is an unprecedented portrait of a designer whose vision transformed an industry but whose story has never been told until now.

(From Goodreads)

Show Less

Number of Pages: 240

ISBN: 0374534381

ISBN-13: 9780374534387

Recommend
Post
Save
Complete
Collect
Mentions
See All
überbleu @tony_huszar · Jun 27, 2022
  • Answered to What books were life changing for you?
  • From Twitter
Asks
See All
  • Lili
    • Ask
    What books were life changing for you?
    84 answers
  • upcarta ©2025
  • Home
  • About
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • @upcarta