Mary de Rothschild
A 1960 black silk Balenciaga coat given by the Baroness Alain de Rothschild (Mary de Rothschild) to the V & A museum.
Mary de Rothschild drawn by Cecil Beaton.
Memories of Florette, head vendeuse for Cristobal Blaenciaga.
Florette's clients included five or six Rothschilds, of whom her absolute favorite was the Baroness Alain de Rothschild, a sweet and beautiful woman who was painted by Balthus in a black Balenciaga coat.
The Baroness Alain was referred to as the Baroness Alain. Her sister-in-law Cécile de Rothschild, while also a baroness, was Mlle Cécile and just plain Cécile to Florette in the fitting room.
Florette and Cécile shared a passion for gardening and all her life she kept a set of gardeing tools Cécile had given her. "I always very open with Cécile, more than with the Baroness Alain. One day I said to her, "how can you and your friends spend a fortune on a dress you only wear once. For me, it's fine because it's how I earn my living, but it seems a little outlandish."
She said, "Florette, you don't realize with the life we lead - the servants, the houses, the upkeep - the money we spend on clothes is just a drop in the bucket."
"I had never thought of that," said Florette.
"I had never thought of that," said Florette.
Excerpted from The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World by Mary Blume.
Love and kisses, Juliana
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