With a foreword by Karl Lagerfeld, "this enchanting, tiny book"--a
series of transcriptions from interviews with the fashion icon--is the
closest anyone can get to a face-to-face with Coco [Chanel]" (The
Spectator)
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. Now, he presents them
here in The Allure of Chanel.
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 Number 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.