Les dynasties du luxe

by Yann Kerlau

Histoire de sept dynasties qui incarnent le luxe : Cartier, Chanel, Ferragamo, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton et Rolls Royce... Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès, Gucci... Des noms qui font rêver ! En quelques décennies, ces dynasties de créateurs, synonymes de luxe et de prestige, ont acquis une renommée mondiale. Mais que sait-on de ces joailliers, couturiers, chausseurs, maroquiniers, selliers, fabricants de bagages ou constructeurs de voitures ?
Yann Kerlau révèle tout de l'histoire de ces familles aux origines romanesques : leurs combats, leur ascension, leur chute et même leur disparition. Des parcours personnels haletants qui dessinent en creux l'histoire d'un XXe siècle où régnèrent le paraître et les signes extérieurs de réussite.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, History, France

468 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[PAULINA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louis-François Cartier, Gabrielle Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guccio Gucci, Thierry Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Frederick Henry Royce & Charles Rolls – who doesn`t dream of such a career; we admire them, respect them or sometimes we are consumed with envy hearing their names, but everyone must admit that they deserve recognition thanks to persistence and strenuous work. Yann Kerlau introduces us to a world interspersed with success and failure, joy and sorrow, dynamics and stagnation, creating something like a fairy tale weaved with colorful phrases and surprises with the lightness of his pen. According to me, a chapter on Ferragamo and his unexpected journey to America deserves special attention – Salvatore is the soul of a true master of his own fate; his face bore the stamp of suffering but he finally got his chance and married a wonderful woman. I also reccomend a story of a strict, whimsical, woman-warrior Gabrielle Chanel – can we imagine the world without her, of course not.

[Alina Stepan · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte in care ai tot: istorie, saracie, lux, revolutii culturale, politice si sociale, Burse, tradari, pasiunea pentru lucrul facut cu excelenta, vise (si realizari) de expansiune internationala, dinastii, fondatori, aliante, tradari…
O istorie a secolelor 19 si 20 (hai, si-un strop de 21!) prin lentila unor povesti pasionante care te fac sa visezi.
Un mic bemol in traducerea cartii (Ines Hristea): daca nu as sti franceza, nu as inteleg ce inseamna ‘anvizajat’, ‘langaj’, ‘neseseruri’ si alte asemenea barbarisme traduse pe jumatate sau deloc. Iarasi, cred ca in textul original nu aveai, de fiecare data cand se mentionau barba sau mustata, sintagma ‘impodobit cu’.

[Diana Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it to be inspirational and motivational. I enjoyed reading it, even though sometimes I got lost in all the names, years and other details. I recommend it for business owners and fashion enthusiasts.

[Marzena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed and rich- both literally and figuratively- insight into history of luxury providers. Kerlau created a book you can read like a fairytale, but it's far away from being fake. Instead, a bibliography with long list of sources makes it realistic to the root. Each chapter is a different brand's story, more or less detailed, more or less fascinating, but all the same impressive.