{"product_id":"master-of-us-all-9780374534387","title":"Master of Us All","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA sparkling life of the monumental fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOne of the most innovative and admired figures in the history of haute couture, Cristóbal Balenciaga was, said Christian Dior, \"the master of us all.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDespite 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Master of Us All\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMary Blume\u003c\/b\u003e, a native New Yorker who lives in Paris, was a longtime columnist for the \u003ci\u003eInternational Herald Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eCôte d'Azur: Inventing the\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eFrench Riviera \u003c\/i\u003eand of a collection of her \u003ci\u003eHerald\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eTribune \u003c\/i\u003epieces, \u003ci\u003eA French Affair.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Fsg Adult","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50674806456594,"sku":"9780374534387","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_10ecbcc4-1d41-4b02-add4-e175719fa6f7.jpg?v=1733866007","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/master-of-us-all-9780374534387","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}