Paul Poiret’s autobiography tells the extraordinary story of the meteoric rise of a draper’s son to the ‘King of Fashion’. From his humble Parisian childhood to his debut as a couturier, to his experiences during the First World War, Poiret reveals all in this captivating tale. His artistic flair, coupled with his remarkable and highly original cutting skills, enabled him to translate the spirit of Art Deco into revolutionary garments and his memoirs bring this astonishing period to life.

An astute businessman, Poiret describes the expansion of his fashion empire to encompass furniture, décor and the first designer perfume and evocatively recounts the extravagant Oriental garden parties at which his guests would parade his latest creations.

Paul Poiret established his own fashion house in 1903 and dominated the fashion world in the first decade of the twentieth century. He died in Paris in 1944.