Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Joining Rizzoli's recently published studies of two other great 20th-century French couturiers, Paul Poiret and Christian Dior, this volume attempts to place Chanel's achievements within the context of the artistic trendsparticularly Cubismprominent when she was. The book opens with a survey of fashion history, emphasizing the great portrait artists of Europea valuable essay in general but not completely germane to the work at hand. The chapters are presented as long captions, without firm conclusions, and are sometimes difficult to follow. Thankfully, the translation from the French is, unlike that of Dior and Poiret , carefully done. All three volumes carry magnificent illustrations. Sally R. Sims, Univ. of Maryland Lib., College Park (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Chanel-the very name conjures up elegance. In this gloriously illustrated biography, art historian Leymarie takes Chanel beyond the boundaries of the fashion world, revealing that she was an active participant in the artistic milieu that flourished during her time. The book begins with an incisive overview of costume history, illustrated with a number of historical pieces and paintings. The author then moves to the remote regions in south central France where Gabrielle (``Coco'') Chanel lived a particularly difficult childhood, rose above her circumstances, and eventually took control of her destiny. While Leymarie certainly doesn't ignore Chanel's impact on fashion, it is her life (and life-style) that dominates these pages. Picasso, Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Cocteau-the great and near great are well represented here, with Chanel shining as bright as any of them. Featuring 240 illustrations, 90 in color, this is a must-have item for fashion collections, as elegant as the subject herself. List of illustrations; no index. IC. 746.9'2 (B) Chanel, Coco / Costume designers-France-Biography [CIP] 87-45553