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Beautiful. Willful. Charming. Blunt. Grace Coddington’s extraordinary talent and fierce dedication to her work as creative director of Vogue have made her an international icon. Known through much of her career only to those behind the scenes, she might have remained fashion’s best-kept secret were it not for The September Issue, the acclaimed 2009 documentary that turned publicity-averse Grace into a sudden, reluctant celebrity. Grace’s palpable engagement with her work brought a rare insight into the passion that produces many of the magazine’s most memorable shoots.
With the witty, forthright voice that has endeared her to her colleagues and peers for more than forty years, Grace now creatively directs the reader through the storied narrative of her life so far. Evoking the time when models had to tote their own bags and props to shoots, Grace describes her early career as a model, working with such world-class photographers as David Bailey and Norman Parkinson, before she stepped behind the camera to become a fashion editor at British Vogue in the late 1960s. Here she began creating the fantasy “travelogues” that would become her trademark. In 1988 she joined American Vogue, where her breathtakingly romantic and imaginative fashion features, a sampling of which appear in this book, have become instant classics.
Delightfully underscored by Grace’s pen-and-ink illustrations, Grace will introduce readers to the colorful designers, hairstylists, makeup artists, photographers, models, and celebrities with whom Grace has created her signature images. Grace reveals her private world with equal candor—the car accident that almost derailed her modeling career, her two marriages, the untimely death of her sister, Rosemary, her friendship with Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Liz Tilberis, and her thirty-year romance with Didier Malige. Finally, Grace describes her abiding relationship with Anna Wintour, and the evolving mastery by which she has come to define the height of fashion.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY FINANCIAL TIMES
“If Wintour is the Pope . . . Coddington is Michelangelo, trying to paint a fresh version of the Sistine Chapel twelve times a year.”—Time
Grace Coddington lives in New York City and Long Island with her partner, Didier Malige, and their two cats, Bart and Pumpkin.
CrazyJosephineDavolo
Posted Fri Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2012
it is so hard to visualize "Vogue" without the artistic vision of Grace Coddington. Her photo spreads are like an ethereal dream--giving one thoughts as to just what Ms. Coddington is like realistically. Fear not. She's "freakin' awesome"!!! For anyone who is not too fond of autobiographical or biographical reads, this is the exception. Ms. Coddington has lived, and continues to live, an interesting and fun life. Her story covers her childhood up to the present. The BEST thing about the book is her memories of the '60's (for me, it is a period of the best fashions EVER. E.V.E.R.) She covers the dirt so well--but classy enough that she isn't being trashy. She is truly a class act! Her tone is never smug or condescending. She writes as though you are sitting with her and having a great conversation--on a big fluffy sofa, with a fire going, and a pot of tea. She really comes across as an approachable and likeable woman. If you are looking for a great read, please--get this. It is an amazing book, a quick read and just wonderful!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.While Anna Wintour is featured on the dvd cover of "The September Issue," the behind-the-scenes documentary of Vogue Magazine's annual fahion bible, Grace Coddington emerged as the star, in part because she so clearly didn't care to be involved. Her indifference to the fame game that has taken over the fashion industry makes her seem incredibly genuine and down to earth which comes through in her memoir, Grace. While there are no major bombshells (unless you count a make out session with Mick Jagger), Coddington tells the story of her life from a quiet upbringing on a remote island off the coast of Wales to her days in London during the "swinging 60's" and the career switch from modeling to being a fashion editor. Sometimes her matter-of-fact tone is startling as in the telling of her miscarriage, the last time she was ever able to get pregnant. She offers a fascinating glimpse at how modeling has changed over the years, including her opinion of some of the top girls. Her chapter on Anna Wintour and their artistic differences is also interesting. Throughout the book are charming sketches, and photos of Grace's career, both as a model and an editor, appear in the back of the book.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 2012
Lively text, very interesting glimpse behind the scenes of the fashion world, well illustrated,
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2012
I have mixed reveiws. Sounded good but was not great
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Beautiful. Willful. Charming. Blunt. Grace Coddington’s extraordinary talent and fierce dedication to her work as creative director of Vogue have made her an international icon. Known through much of her career only to those behind the scenes, she might have remained fashion’s best-kept secret were it not for The September Issue, the acclaimed 2009 documentary that turned publicity-averse Grace into a sudden, reluctant celebrity. Grace’s palpable engagement with her work brought a rare insight into the passion ...