Audrey Hepburn in Paris

by Meghan Friedlander, Luca Dotti (Introduction), Giambattista Valli (Foreword)

Introduction by Luca Dotti and Foreword by Giambattista Valli

A gorgeous, sophisticated celebration of Audrey Hepburn’s lifelong connection to the City of Light, featuring all the places in Paris she loved most, illustrated with vivid photographs, and featuring never-before-published stories about her films, family, friendships, photoshoots, and fashions.

One of the world’s most iconic actresses and one of the world’s most iconic cities together in one extraordinary volume.

There has always been a special connection between Audrey Hepburn and Paris. In Audrey Hepburn in Paris, Meghan Friedlander, curator of the fan site Rare Audrey Hepburn, and Audrey’s son Luca Dotti offer a unique look at the legendary actress’s life and love affair with the City of Light.

The influence of Paris on Audrey is visible in everything from her films to her fashion choices to the friendships she cherished. Through rare or never-before-published photographs, quotes, and anecdotes, this intimate book offers an intriguing portrait of the star in all her many facets—from the roles she played in films to her roles as devoted mother, doting pet owner, avid gardener, and devoted humanitarian, all played out against the backdrop of this special place that was ever present in her memories. Audrey Hepburn in Paris gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her life there—capturing her favorite sights, sounds, and shops, always with a characteristic sense of charm, glamour, and joie de vivre that is perfectly Parisian.

Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Paris that made it so precious to Audrey, from famous films, chic couture, fabled photoshoots, and elegant events to the quieter moments with family and friends rarely seen by the public, including her friendship with her close companion and go-to designer Hubert de Givenchy.

Illustrated with 200 full-color and black-and-white photographs, packed with tender, funny, and glamorous personal stories told by Audrey and those who knew her best, Audrey Hepburn in Paris reveals this beloved star as never before—and pays homage to the city that shaped so much of Audrey’s life, through Audrey’s eyes. 

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Photography, Travel, Biography, Film, Coffee Table Books

208 pages, Hardcover

Published February 13, 2024

About the author

Meghan Friedlander is not your average millennial Audrey fan. Her blog, Rare Audrey Hepburn, quickly became the golden rule for anyone interested in the best narrative and unseen images of the timeless star we all love, including Audrey’s son, who specifically chose Meghan for this project: a voyage in Hepburn’s steps in the City of Light! Meghan’s incomparable style and limitless archival ability are all distilled in this magic venture that transports us on the very scene where legends are created. Audrey Hepburn in Paris is her first book.

Reviews

[‎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Over time, Paris would become her home away from home, a place where she could escape to when times were stressful. “Paris has brought me a lot of luck,” Audrey once said, and it was true. She would form some of her happiest memories in the life-altering city.”

First of all, this is the most gorgeous book I own. From the physical quality of the book to the photographs and content inside, it’s truly beautiful to have in your home. That said, this is so much more than just a coffee table book. The author, Meghan Friedlander, has been running a blog about Audrey Hepburn for over a decade, and her dedication really shows. She traces Audrey’s every step through the magical city of Paris while sharing stories and fascinating details along the way. Since many of my favourite Audrey films were shot in Paris, reading about the behind the scenes moments was an absolute joy. The writing style and format are easy to enjoy, and the introduction by Audrey’s younger son, Luca, is a particularly sweet touch. This book is filled with so much warmth.

[Jaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book about Audrey Hepburn that I've ever read and it completely exceeded my expectations. Meghan Friedlander does such a fantastic job making everything come to life. The amount of detail that went into describing her outfits and important (or simple) moments in her life made me feel as if I were watching it all go down in front of me. It was as if I were in Paris with Audrey preparing for these roles, events and much more.

If there is one celebrity in the world you should look to for inspiration, it's Audrey Hepburn. She carries such beauty and a love/appreciation for the things and people around her. It's a shame that we lost her so soon, but knowing that her legacy still carries on today is heartwarming. To be loved the way she is by her friends, family and fans says a lot about who she was and how she was able to impact people. I hope the world will continue to adore and learn from her. Everyone should carry even just a little part of Audrey in themselves.

[Patrícia Ferreira gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Audrey Hepburn for over a decade and an avid reader of the Rare Audrey Hepburn blog, so I kind of knew what to expect: extensive research, vivid descriptions, and stunning photographs - some never seen before - to offer an immersive experience beyond a typical coffee table book. However, I was surprised!
As a long-time fan of Audrey, I’ve read quite a few books about her life and career, and let me tell you - this went directly to my Top 5!
Meghan provides a captivating perspective of the Audrey Hepburn artist - a much more interesting one, in my humble opinion. If you are looking for the naive, susceptible, melancholic Audrey, I am sorry, but this book is not for you.
The narrative of ‘Audrey Hepburn in Paris’ is one of my favorite things! In this book, you’ll find an assertive, intelligent, and utterly professional Audrey Hepburn. Alongside the third protagonist of this book, Hubert de Givenchy, Audrey left a timeless imprint on Fashion History.

‘Audrey Hepburn in Paris’ is about partnership, friendship, affection and (mostly) love. And I couldn’t have loved this book a bit more!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely addition to my collection with wonderful photographs

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should have been called Audrey Hepburn, and What She Wore, In Paris. It deserves 3.5 stars probably.

First, I love Audrey Hepburn. Charade and Funny Face, both covered in this book, are among my top 10 favorite films. I have read other material on Audrey, so I came to the party with plenty of knowledge of my own.

Second, the idea of this book was a great one for Audrey fans; a deep dive into how her time in Paris shaped her life and career, with small chapters dedicated to each reason for being there: films, photo shoots, etc. There are many beautiful photos, including several I have not seen before. There are some small, fun facts I enjoyed learning.

My main fault with the book is that perhaps there wasn’t enough material to write about so it is often filled with minutiae that was boring. Knowing the details of everything Audrey wore? Yes, though some of the outfits described are not accompanied with photos. The details of what other people wore sometimes, less interesting.

It also seems like the book was written like a coffee table book, like chapters were meant to be independent of each other, as if you could open the book in the middle and start reading. I found some instances where she was describing people, places, and things for the first time, except she had already mentioned them earlier in the book. The repetitiveness didn’t help keep the book feel interesting.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written and researched book about Audrey Hepburn's time in Paris and her life. I expected nothing less from Ms. Friedlander. I've followed the author's blog 'Rare Audrey Hepburn' for quite some time and after reading that Ms. Friedlander would be writing a book about Audrey Hepburn, I was ecstatic.

I appreciated the many footnotes referenced throughout the book and thoroughly enjoyed reading about Ms. Hepburn's friendship with Hubert de Givenchy throughout their years together. They truly possessed a memorable friendship. The photographs of Ms. Hepburn and the small stories behind the photographs were very interesting to read. I learned a lot of new quirks about Audrey Hepburn and discovered a multitude of new articles to muse over now. I definitely will purchase this book for my personal collection.

[Mary Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE Audrey Hepburn and LOVE Paris. Fantastic photos of her. The book dragged only when the author went into detail about people or events that Audrey was connected with but that weren't ABOUT Audrey. Fine to have a paragraph or two, but a page or two or three? No. (Reminded me of Dan Brown novels when he did info dumps unrelated to the plot, because he'd obviously learned them while researching the novel and felt it necessary to share what he learned.) I eventually learned to skip or skim those, looking for any references to Audrey. But overall a delight.

[Megan Crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Audrey Hepburn fan and ardent follower of Rare Audrey Hepburn on Instagram, I had high expectations for this book. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I can't help but admire the meticulous research and dedication that went into each and every page. The untold stories and facts were a delight to read and the photos throughout each chapter were stunning. What a beautiful and thoughtful homage to Audrey, her life and career in Paris, and her contribution to fashion.

[Linda Marlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice little book with great photographs celebrating beautiful actress and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn's, relationship with the city of Paris over the years of her adult life. The author had the cooperation of one of Ms. Hepburn's sons and some of her friends, so there are some personal stories as well as ones long known to fans. I came away from reading the book with more respect and affection for Audrey than ever, as well as nostalgia for her timeless beauty and fashion sense.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I love Audrey Hepburn, I'm sorry to say that I could not get into this book at all. The pictures are wonderful and I did read a bit here and there, but overall it was just too wordy. I did read the chapter on "Charade" which is one of my favorite movies and I liked the intro by her son, Luca Dotti.

[Melissa Cavanaugh (melissasbookbliss) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Audrey Hepburn in Paris” by Meghan Friedlander is an elegant tribute to Audrey Hepburn's enduring bond with the City of Light, this celebration showcases many of the places in Paris she cherished most. It is illustrated with photographs and includes never-before-published anecdotes about her films, family, friendships, photoshoots, and fashion.

[David Pazmino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan. Hearing her son, Luca Dotti, speak lovely about her, as well as Meghan. I loved every second of this book, and all the photographs were amazing.

I would love to see a book all about her life, not just paris!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. Has many beautiful pictures of the clothes she wore and the description of what they looked like along with the people she worked with and socialized with.

[Ann J · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid Audrey Hepburn fan, this book hit all the marks. Stunning photos and behind the scenes look at her life. I may have to break down and purchase this book for my own collection.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/2OwNDrUDTsA

Enjoy!

[Russell Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is so-so the subject is sparkling.

[Maria Lyssenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for an Audrey fan, enjoyed every single page of it!

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written and heavily researched with incredibly beautiful pictures. Just an all around lovely book.