The first English-language edition of Paul Poiret's autobiography, with a striking black and gold binding.

Poiret wrote his autobiography after his couture house had collapsed in 1929 and when he was struggling to make ends meet, although this side of his life is largely omitted from the book. Instead, he recounts how he changed the course of Parisian fashion, liberating women from their corsets, also detailing his influences and designs. His contributions to his field have been likened to Picasso's legacy in 20th-century art.

First edition in English, first printing; 8vo; 16 full-page photographic illustrations, including portrait frontispiece, minor age-toning, else unmarked internally; publisher's black cloth, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover, red topstain, light rubbing to front cover, previous bookseller's label affixed to rear pastedown, with unclipped pictorial dust-jacket, slight chipping and wear to edges; a near-fine example in a very good dust-jacket.