IT ISN'T ALL MINK

by Ginette Spanier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 27, 1960

Ginette Spanier is the directrice of Pierre Balmain, and much of the charm and chic that is Paris is hers. She also loves people, particularly people with ""star quality"", many of them who appear here and lend a definite glitter to her book. But she certainly learned that it isn't all mink (""a suburban title for a very unsuburban book"" as Noel Coward, one of her close friends, says in his introduction) during the war. So that her story, which is about equally the account of her years of hiding in Occupied France with her husband, a doctor, and also a Jew, and that of her success in the French high fashion world, is variable but always full of life and feeling. Paris born and beautifully brought up, first in France and then in England, Ginette returned to France after a short experience as a shopgirl (Fortnum & Mason's) to marry Paul-Emile just before the war. With its outbreak, Paul-Emile refused to leave his country, and the next years were spent in hiding, changing identity papers, jeopardizing those who took them in, until finally after the liberation of Paris they returned there- Ginette to work for the American Army. After the war, hard up, and with no real experience, her natural flair for clothes brought her to Balmain and she writes about all the excitement and exhaustion of creating a custom collection with experience as well as a passion for glamor.... A boutique item with lots of gift wrapping and the publishers promise to add their support to her native ""enthusiasm and overemphasis"".

Pub Date: Sept. 27, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1960

Categories: NONFICTION