Edmonde Charles-Roux

Edmonde Charles-Roux was born on 17 April, 1920.

Daughter of Francois Charles-Roux , Ambassador of France and the last president of the Suez Canal Company.

WAR TIME

During the Second World War, she was a volunteer nurse and was wounded at Verdun in rescuing a legionnaire.

Decorated with the Croix de Guerre, she was made Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in 1945.

JOURNALIST. EDITOR. WRITER

In 1946 with Madame Lazareff , a weekly women's  magazine ELLE has been created, where Edmonde Charles-Roux spent two years. 

From 1948 she worked for the French edition of Vogue and soon became the editor-in-chief of  French Vogue. 

Vogue democratized luxury while giving access to the most innovative artists of the time. Photographers like Guy Bourdin, Henry Clarke, William Klein, Irving Penn or designers Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro. 

Edmonde Charles-Roux connected fashion with any other form of creativity by combining ready-to-wear and Pop Art.

She was fired from Vogue in 1966, as she wanted to place a black model on the cover of the magazine.

Beautiful photo by Willian Klein.

Three months later her book " Oublier Palerme" was published and obtained the Prix Goncourt.

The novel was adapted to film as " Dimenticare Palermo" in 1990 by Francesco Rosi.

She also known for writing the only true story about Coco Chanel. She spent hours with Mademoiselle Chanel and wrote the book " Chanel and her world"

In 1983 Edmonde Charles-Roux became member of the Academie Goncourt and in 2002, president.

Edmonde Charles-Roux is awarded with the knighthood of Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur.