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Lot 111 RENÉ GRUAU HAUTE COUTURE ILLUSTRATIONS COMMISSIONED BY FLEUR COWLES (LOTS 111-132)
Fleur Cowles (1908-2009) began her career as a columnist for The World Telegram but is best remembered as a style icon, pioneering editor and socialite. In 1946 she married Gardner Cowles of the Cowles Publishing Empire and was highly influential in the redesigning of Look magazine, where she became associate editor, and sought to appeal to a female readership. As a present Gardner Cowles gave her the opportunity to create her own magazine, Flair, in 1950. She herself said "unlike most wives who choose yachts, horses, jewels (which I never wanted), I preferred the costly luxury of creating a magazine". Amongst the contributors to Flair were her friends Salvador Dali and Lucian Freud. Although the magazine only ran until 1951, it was lavish and progressive with pop-outs, textured paper, scents and pull-outs. Fleur Cowles commissioned leading artists of the day including the celebrated fashion illustrator René Gruau.
Fleur Cowles (1908-2009) began her career as a columnist for The World Telegram but is best remembered as a style icon, pioneering editor and socialite. In 1946 she married Gardner Cowles of the Cowles Publishing Empire and was highly influential in the redesigning of Look magazine, where she became associate editor, and sought to appeal to a female readership. As a present Gardner Cowles gave her the opportunity to create her own magazine, Flair, in 1950. She herself said "unlike most wives who choose yachts, horses, jewels (which I never wanted), I preferred the costly luxury of creating a magazine". Amongst the contributors to Flair were her friends Salvador Dali and Lucian Freud. Although the magazine only ran until 1951, it was lavish and progressive with pop-outs, textured paper, scents and pull-outs. Fleur Cowles commissioned leading artists of the day including the celebrated fashion illustrator René Gruau.
RENE GRUAU (1909-2004)
PARIS - CITY OF LIGHT, CIRCA 1950
Closed25 October 2011
Price Realised
GBP 13,750
More Information
Specialist note
The gold dress is probably a design by Jacques Fath.