Leila Menchari: The Queen of Enchantment

Description

For more than 30 years, Leila Menchari (born 1928) was responsible for designing the traffic-stopping window displays at Hermes' prestigious flagship store at 24 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honore in Paris. Menchari's aesthetic vision and her sense of colour and texture created magnificent installations that brought the best out of silk and leather. Born in Tunis and considering herself a citizen of the world, Menchari was inspired by her journeys to the Near and Far East, her encounters with extraordinary figures of the art world and her Beaux-Arts training. For Hermes she created Egyptian archaeological sites with sand and crumbling statues and iconic scenes of Paris with monuments crafted out of organza, among many other fantasies. Featuring a preface by Hermes CEO Axel Dumas, this extensively illustrated, sumptuous publication focuses on 137 Hermes storefronts created by Leila Menchari between 1978 and 2013.

Michele Glazier is a writer who has published over 20 works - novels, short stories and literary essays on art. She is also at the helm of Editions des Busclats publishing house.

Illustrates her intricate, ornate oeuvre.--Joseph Akel "L'Officiel"