cover image Theatre de La Mode

Theatre de La Mode

Rizzoli, Susan Train, Paris. Rizzoli International Publications, $45 (190pp) ISBN 978-0-8478-1340-7

As the final spring of WW II approached, the glamour and culture that traditionally festooned the City of Light was dimmed by lack of food, transportation, utilities and clothing; the French art de vivre seemed to have disappeared behind ration lines. However, in March 1945 a ray of hope gleamed from Paris's Museum of Decorative Arts: the /accent Theatre de la Mode, a dazzling, fantastical exhibition of the season's finest haute couture fashions, modeled by miniature mannequins who pranced, promenaded and reclined across stage sets designed by Christian Berard no hard copy for this, so pls check spelling, including accents. aa , Boris Kochno, Jean Cocteau /no book either, so we'd best go with what we have.g and others. A war-relief fund-raiser, the exhibition subsequently traveled across Europe and to the U.S. /why have you marked this?gs The /accent Theatre remained in residence at the Maryhill Museum in Goldendale, Wash. /why have you marked this?gs , until 1983, when Kent State University history professor Simon Garfinkel discovered it, contacted Vogue 's Paris fashion editor Susan Train, and thus began a successful transatlantic attempt to revive the exhibit. This beautifully illustrated volume tells the tale. (Apr.)