Reading Up on Rochas

Anytime you slip on a sleeveless bustier or slide your hands into your skirt pockets, send a silent thanks to the late fashion designer Marcel Rochas. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, Rochas pioneered such silhouettes and helped define that “je ne sais quoi” of French glamour. During his 30-year career, which began with perfume, Rochas dressed the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich and Mae West. Rochas’s daughter, Sophie Rochas, followed in the family’s fashion footsteps, working at Elle and as a costume designer. Now, she’s published an intimate portrait of her father that includes personal accounts and photos. It’s part family album, part archive, and full of French glamour.