THE MASTER OF US ALL: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World

Mary Blume

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York,USA

Year 2013

Pages 175

This book is about 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 30 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 this book the author 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.