King of Fashion

Born in Paris, Paul Poiret (1879-1944) established his own fashion house in 1903 and dominated the fashion world in the first decades of the 20th century. He died in Paris in 1944. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition Poiret: King of Fashion was the world's leading decorative arts exhibition of 2007.

• Chapter I - Youth: 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 Cheruit, M/ Doucet --- Chapter II - Chez Doucet: The Saleswoman, Rejane, The revue at the Epatant, My first earnings, My first adventure in love --- Chapter III - In The Army ---Chapter IV - Chez Worth: The coronation of Edward VII, A Russian princess --- Chapter V - My Debut as a Couturier, The Rue Auber, Bernard Naudin, A clairvoyante, Mrs Asquith, Professor Akldar --- Chapter VI - My Influence: Le Minaret, Plus ca change, Aphrodite, Paul Iribe, Georges Lepape, Boussingault, Dunoyer de Segonzac, Nabuchodonozor, Les Quat' Z'Arts --- Chapter VIII - The Faubourg Saint Honore: My garden, Capital punishment, Travels in Europe --- Chapter VIII - My Amusements: 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: Industrial Considerations, My mannequins, Rousseau --- Chapter X - The Decorative Arts: My travels in Germany, The creation of the Martine school, Raoul Dufy, The Exhibition of 1925 --- Chapter XI - At Work: Henri Bataille, My occupations, The Comtesse Greffulhe, The isle of Tudy, London, The Russian Ballet, Cubism --- Chapter XIII - The Fetes I Gave: The Fete des Rois, The Thousand-and-Second Night, Boni de Castellane, Fetes at the Opera and at Cannes --- Chapter XIII - The Pavillon du Butard: Ange-Marie Gabriel's Pavilion, Les Festes de Bacchus, Isadora Duncan, Max Jacob --- Chapter XIV - The War: Private Poiret, on the black list, Lisieux, Bordeaux and Clemenceau, Rhiems and reams of champagne, Military tailoring, Court-martialled, and a negro colonel --- Chapter XV - In Morocco: Marrakesh, Fez, Marshal Lyautey, A Pasha's hospitality, At Demnat --- Chapter XVI - Back in Paris: The Oasis Theatre: The shows I gave, The artistes: Yvette Guilbert, Bruant, etc, The parties there --- Chapter XVIII - In America, My criticism of and my enthusiasm for America, John Wanamaker, Yankee Art...??, Travel notes --- Chapter XVIII - My Lectures to the Americans, In New York, In Chicago, In Chickasha, In Los Angeles, Travel notes --- Chapter XIX - Gastronomy: Le Club des Cents, L'oeuf du pecheur, Editions-de-luxe, Literature, My Collections, Cocteau, Denouement fatal --- Chapter XX - The Philosopher