Intimate Chanel

(Hardback)

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Description

The most personal account of the life and work of legendary designer Coco Chanel ever published, with contributions from her great-niece and from the archives of her eponymous fashion house. Coco Chanel's life and work have been recounted often in print and film - everything except the details of her most private self: her fondness for symbolism and poetry, the men she loved, her family, and in particular her nephew Andre Palasse, whom she raised like a son. His daughter Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie-Chanel's only direct descendant and goddaughter to both Chanel and the Duke of Westminster-enjoyed a close-knit relationship with the designer for more than forty years. In this biography, she opens her doors and shares personal memories of her great-aunt. This work-divided into five chronological parts, including Chanel's dark periods-plunges the reader into the private world of the icon, offering intimate insight. Photographs of Chanel's personal effects, many of which have never before been seen or published, include presents from her great love Boy Capel, furniture, favorite jewelry, talismans, clothes, family photographs, rare documents, correspondence, and books with personal inscriptions. The Chanel fashion house offered privileged access to the couturiere's iconic pieces in their archives. In Intimate Chanel, Palasse-Labrunie discloses all that was "important" to her great-aunt and recounts their private conversations, unveiling who her "Auntie Coco" really was: a very different Chanel from her public persona.

Reviews

"This is the first book about the influential designer to include stories from one of her family members. Grand-niece Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie shares personal memories and photographs of her Auntie Coco in this 208-page book." ~InStyle

"The intriguing tome is a must for Chanel enthusiasts, fashion lovers and the like." ~Le Petite Blog

Author Bio

Isabelle Fiemeyer has written biographies on Coco Chanel and Marcel Griaule, as well as a novel in her native French. Francis Hammonds photographs have been published in Elle Decor and Martha Stewart Living as well as Historic Houses of Paris (2010), Elegant Entertaining (2009), and Mariage Freres French Tea (2003). Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie is Chanels great-niece.