Edmonde Charles-Roux
Encyclopedia
Edmonde Charles-Roux is a French writer.
.
, a volunteer nurse, first in a French Foreign Legion
unit, the 11th infantry regiment abroad. She was wounded at Verdun in rescuing a legionnaire.
Then she joined the Resistance, as a nurse. After landing in Provence, she was then attached to the 5th Armored Division, where she performed as a nurse but also as a divisional social assistant. She also served in the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) and the Mechanized Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE).
Decorated with the Croix de Guerre
, she was made Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur
in 1945, and received the distinction of vivandière d'honneur by the RMLE at the hands of Colonel Gaultier, corps commander.
, where she spent two years. From 1948, she worked for the French edition of Vogue
, becoming the magazine’s editor-in-chief in 1954.
Reading Vogue democratized luxury while giving access to the most innovative artists of the time, whether writers as Francois-Regis Bastide, Violette Leduc
and Francois Nourissier
or photographers like Guy Bourdin
, Henry Clarke
or William Klein
, or designers Christian Dior
, Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro
. By combining ready-to-wear and Pop Art
, she connected fashion with any other form of creativity. She left Vogue Paris in 1966, as the result of a conflict for wanting to place a black woman on the cover of the magazine.
; she met Defferre the same year and married in 1973. The novel was adapted to film as Dimenticare Palermo
in 1990 by Francesco Rosi
.
She is also known for publishing her photo stories on the lives of Defferre (L'Homme de Marseille 2001), or that of Coco Chanel (Chanel Time in 2004).
She wrote the books of several of Roland Petit ballets including Le Guépard and Nana.
She became a member of the Académie Goncourt
in 1983, she became president in 2002.
In 2008, she was part of the Commission headed by Hugues Gall and charged by Christine Albanel
, Minister of Culture, with the post of Director of the French Academy in Rome
, Villa Medici
.
In April 2010, she was awarded by French President Nicolas Sarkozy
, with the knighthood of Commandeur
de la Légion d'Honneur
.
Origin
She is the daughter of Francois Charles-Roux, Ambassador of France, member of the Institute of France, and last president of the Suez Canal CompanySuez Canal Company
The Universal Suez Ship Canal Company was the Egyptian corporation which was formed by Ferdinand de Lesseps during 1858, constructed the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869, and owned and operated it for many years thereafter...
.
A woman in the war
She was, during the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a volunteer nurse, first in a French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
unit, the 11th infantry regiment abroad. She was wounded at Verdun in rescuing a legionnaire.
Then she joined the Resistance, as a nurse. After landing in Provence, she was then attached to the 5th Armored Division, where she performed as a nurse but also as a divisional social assistant. She also served in the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) and the Mechanized Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE).
Decorated with the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, she was made Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1945, and received the distinction of vivandière d'honneur by the RMLE at the hands of Colonel Gaultier, corps commander.
Journalist
In 1946, she joined the staff of a magazine being created, a women's weekly: ElleElle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
, where she spent two years. From 1948, she worked for the French edition of Vogue
Vogue Paris
The French edition of Vogue magazine, Vogue Paris, is a fashion magazine that has been published since 1920.-1920–1954:The French edition of Vogue was first issued on June 15, 1920. More information about French Vogue in the 1920s is available in Mary E. Davis's book Classic Chic: Music, Fashion,...
, becoming the magazine’s editor-in-chief in 1954.
Reading Vogue democratized luxury while giving access to the most innovative artists of the time, whether writers as Francois-Regis Bastide, Violette Leduc
Violette Leduc
Violette Leduc was a French author.She was born in Arras, Pas de Calais, France, the illegitimate daughter of a servant girl, Berthe. In Valenciennes, the young Violette spent most of her childhood suffering from poor self-esteem, exacerbated by her mother's hostility and overprotectiveness...
and Francois Nourissier
François Nourissier
François Nourissier was a French journalist and writer.Nourissier was the secretary-general of Éditions Denoël , editor of the review La Parisienne , and an adviser with the Éditions Grasset Paris publishing house .In 1970, he won the Prix Femina for his book La crève...
or photographers like Guy Bourdin
Guy Bourdin
Guy Louis Bourdin , born Guy Louis Banarès, was a French fashion photographer.-Life and career:Guy Louis Banarès was born December 2, 1928, at 7 Rue Popincourt, Paris...
, Henry Clarke
Henry Clarke
Henry Clarke may refer to:*Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke , duc de Feltre, French Minister of War from 1807 to 1814*Henry Clarke , was a member of the New South Wales Parliament...
or William Klein
William Klein
William Klein is a photographer and filmmaker noted to for his ironic approach to both media and his extensive use of unusual photographic techniques in the context of photojournalism and fashion photography...
, or designers Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
, Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro
Emanuel Ungaro is a French fashion designer.-Early life:Ungaro's Italian father fled to France from Francavilla Fontana of Brindisi province because of the fascist uprising in Italy...
. By combining ready-to-wear and Pop Art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
, she connected fashion with any other form of creativity. She left Vogue Paris in 1966, as the result of a conflict for wanting to place a black woman on the cover of the magazine.
Writer
Three months later, in 1966, she wrote Oublier Palerme and obtained the Prix GoncourtPrix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
; she met Defferre the same year and married in 1973. The novel was adapted to film as Dimenticare Palermo
Dimenticare Palermo
Dimenticare Palermo is a 1989 Italian political thriller starring James Belushi, Mimi Rogers and Joss Ackland and directed by Francesco Rosi and co-written by Gore Vidal. The film was released under the title The Palermo Connection in North America...
in 1990 by Francesco Rosi
Francesco Rosi
Francesco Rosi is an Italian film director. He is the father of actress Carolina Rosi.-Biography:After studying Law, but hoping to study film, Rosi entered the industry as an assistant to Luchino Visconti on La Terra trema...
.
She is also known for publishing her photo stories on the lives of Defferre (L'Homme de Marseille 2001), or that of Coco Chanel (Chanel Time in 2004).
She wrote the books of several of Roland Petit ballets including Le Guépard and Nana.
She became a member of the Académie Goncourt
Académie Goncourt
The Société littéraire des Goncourt , usually called the académie Goncourt , is a French literary organization based in Paris. It was founded by the French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt...
in 1983, she became president in 2002.
In 2008, she was part of the Commission headed by Hugues Gall and charged by Christine Albanel
Christine Albanel
Christine Albanel is a French civil servant. From May 2007 to June 2009 she was France's Minister for Culture and Communication in François Fillon's government.Albanel is agrégé in classical Letters...
, Minister of Culture, with the post of Director of the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
, Villa Medici
Villa Medici
The Villa Medici is a mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and now property of the French...
.
In April 2010, she was awarded by French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, with the knighthood of Commandeur
Commandeur
Commandeur is a title in French and Dutch , usually rendered in English as Commander, with different uses. The literal meaning is he who commands, parallel to Commandant. In most senses the German equivalent is Kommandeur....
de la Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
Works
- Oublier Palerme 1966 Grasset, novel, prix Goncourt 1966,
- Elle, Adrienne, 1971 Grasset, roman
- L'Irrégulière ou mon itinéraire Chanel 1974 Grasset, roman
- Stèle pour un bâtard 1980 Grasset, roman
- Une enfance sicilienne 1981 Grasset, roman
- Un désir d'Orient, vol I biography of Isabelle Eberhardt 1989 Grasset
- Nomade j'étais, vol II 1995 Grasset,
- L'homme de Marseille 2003 Grasset, photographic album
- Isabelle du désert, 2003 volume combining «Un désir d'Orient» and «Nomade, j'étais» Grasset,
- Le Temps Chanel 1979 La Martinière / Grasset, photographic album
English Translations
- To forget Palermo, Delacorte Press, 1968
- Chanel: her life, her world, and the woman behind the legend she herself created, Knopf, 1975, ISBN 978-0-394-47613-1
- Chanel and her world: friends, fashion, and fame, Vendome Press, 2005, ISBN 978-0-86565-159-3