Who? The ‘café society’: a group of socialites, patrons and artists who frequented fashionable restaurants, night-clubs and resorts in Paris, London, New York and the Cote d’Azur.
What? A glamorous peer into the extravagant lifestyles of the Parisian café society habitués and frequenters, from 1920 – 1960. Generously illustrated with many never-before-seen images, the eponymously named book takes a thoroughly documented glimpse into their houses, villas, yachts, parties, clubs, polo fields, and photo albums.
Why? The members of this sophisticated and avante-garde set – which included the likes of The Windsors, Mona Bismarck, Cecil Beaton, Yves Saint Laurent, Elsa Schiaparelli, Diane Vreeland and Lee Miller – spurred creativity in style and fashion and their influence is still profound today.
Where? Café Society: Socialites, Patrons and Artists: 1920 to 1960 by Thierry Coudert is published by Flammarion this month.
Text by Lucia Davies
