It is one thing to say that The Allure of Chanel ($20) attributes authorship to Paul Morand, but is probably also true that is it written by Coco Chanel. This book, deftly illustrated by Karl Lagerfeld, was the result of Coco Chanel’s invitation to Morand to visit her in St. Moritz at the end of World War II. He made notes of their conversation, which were brought to light only after Chanel’s death. In this book, Chanel traces her life from her very lonely childhood, through her career and her relationships with some of the men in her life.
One of several beautiful sketches by Karl Lagerfeld
It is evident that Morand attempted to make himself invisible between the reader and Coco’s raw, sharply written accounts of her life. Written in the first person as if transcribed from Chanel’s own words, I had a feeling that I was seeing Chanel’s world through her own eyes.
If you have read other accounts of Chanel’s life, or seen some of the films that depict it, you know that she was a woman who forged her way forward in business using talent and determination, and that her journey was not an easy one. Rather, Chanel’s life was a process of revelation, a deep interest in uncovering the genuine, and in defining beauty as truth. Nonetheless, Chanel seems to exhibit little patience for other woman–she had few female friends during her adult life, and some of her harshest words are reserved for her description of others of her gender.
Like many born and raised generations ago, readers are cautioned that some of Chanel’s writing evidences certain prejudices that are at times offensive. Further, the controversial period of Chanel’s life during World War II is neither explained nor, as far as I could tell, addressed. The text is extremely well written, quite honest, and beautifully illustrated by Karl Lagerfeld. To be completely honest, I would have bought the book for the illustrations alone. This is not an easy read due to Chanel’s laser-beam perceptions, as some are quite scathing. All in all, I found that most of the book provided a clear look inside the voice of Chanel from its originator, and so a worthy read for those interested in piecing together an understanding of Chanel.
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