Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Youth 7
My family
Bichette's funeral
The first automobiles
My games
The Exhibition of 1889
The Ecole Massillon
My first theatrical emotions
Umbrellas and how I loved them
Mme Chéruit
M. Doucet
Chapter II Chez Doucet 21
The Saleswomen
Réjane
The revue at the Epatant
My first earnings
My first adventure in love
Chapter III In the Army 34
Chapter IV Chez Worth 38
The coronation of Edward VII
A Russian princess
Chapter V My Debut as a Couturier 43
The Rue Auber
Bernard Naudin
A clairvoyante
Mrs Asquith
Professor Akldar
Chapter VI My Influence 54
Le Minaret
Plus ça change
Aphrodite
Paul Iribe
Georges Lepape
Boussingault
Dunoyer de Segonzac
Nabuchodonozor
Les Quat' Z'Arts
Chapter VII The Faubourg Saint Honoré 66
My garden
Capital punishment
Travels in Europe
Chapter VIII My Amusements 77
The Mortigny Club
Eschmann at the Embassy
Forain
Abel Truchet
Sailing
My first pinnace
On board the Henriette
Chapter IX The High Art of Dressmaking 86
Industrial considerations
My mannequins
Rousseau
Chapter X The Decorative Arts 93
My travels in Germany
The creation of the Martine school
Raoul Dufy
The Exhibition of 1925
Chapter XI At Work 102
Henri Bataille
My occupations
The Comtesse Greffulhe
The isle of Tudy
London
The Russian Ballet
Cubism
Chapter XII The Fetes I Gave 110
The Fête des Rois
The Thousand-and-Second Night
Boni de Castellane
Fêtes at the Opera and at Cannes
Chapter XIII The Pavillon du Butard 119
Ange-Marie Gabriel's Pavilion
Les Festes de Bacchus
Isadora Duncan
Max Jacob
Chapter XIV The War 127
Private Poiret, on the black list
Lisieux
Bordeaux and Clemenceau
Rheims and reams of champagne
Military tailoring
Court-martialled, and a negro colonel
Chapter XV In Morocco 139
Marrakesh
Fez
Marshal Lyautey
A Pasha's hospitality
At Demnat
Chapter XVI Back in Paris: The Oasis Theatre 146
The shows I gave
The artistes: Yvette Guilbert, Bruant, etc.
The parties there
Chapter XVII In America 151
My criticism of and my enthusiasm for America
John Wanamaker
Yankee Art…??
Travel notes
Chapter XVIII My Lectures to the Americans 170
In New York
In Chicago
In Chickasha
In Los Angeles
Travel notes
Chapter XIX Gastronomy 185
Le Club des Cents
L'œuf du pêcheur
Editions-de-luxe
Literature
My collections
Cocteau
Dénouement fatal
Chapter XX The Philosopher 196