Marcel Rochas. Jeunesse, simplicité, personnalité

Description

Although Marcel Rochas made his mark on fashion history from the 1920s until his death in 1955, his work and career are largely unknown. At best, some people remember his corset, or perhaps the iconic black lace, or, more likely, his perfumes, some of which are still on the market today. This overlooks the fact that he was hugely famous in his day, on a par with Patou, Schiaparelli and Lelong, and that his fame extended far beyond France's borders.
Rochas entered the world of couture somewhat by chance: as a great admirer of women, he designed simple, youthful, elegant and sporty lines, reflecting the image of his young wife Yvonne, which set him apart and brought him his first successes. From then on, and in line with his marriages, he continued to offer a constantly evolving vision of women and to reinvent his style: architectural and artistic under the influence of Rina, then classic, demure and delicate when he married Hélène.
He experimented in all directions, playing with shapes, patterns - as with his bird collection - fabrics and textures. He then enjoyed unprecedented media coverage, which he knew how to exploit to perfection. His contribution was not limited to haute couture, accompanying the advent of ready-to-wear fashion. Rochas opened a boutique selling more affordable clothing, as well as a range of accessories - including his perfumes - which always reflected the same aesthetic consistency.
A true jack-of-all-trades, he also designed costumes for theatre and cinema, such as for Jacques Becker's film Falbala. Finally, he developed a communication system that he applied to all types of media: advertisements, labels and even the backs of his garments were in line with his graphic charter. This book traces Marcel Rochas' career, placing him at the heart of fashion history.
It presents the full extent of the work of a man who was at once a fashion designer, businessman, socialite, media personality and savvy communicator... always with a certain sense of audacity.