Michele fitoussi helena rubinstein biography

  • Who invented beauty my girlfriend

    • Helena Rubenstein: The Woman Who Invented Beauty

    June 9, 2019
    "Madame" clearly has a very interesting story, which made this book a fun read. My problems with the book stemmed from the beginning, however, when the author made the conscious choice of presenting Helena's story as derived from HER imagination, which is understandable, but not my preference. I found myself wondering throughout my entire time with this book what was fact and what was fiction. For example, the author speculates about how Helena felt at specific moments throughout the first section of the book. I was not a fan of this personally because I read biographies to obtain facts, rather than the author's interpretation of the person's life.
    Also, I felt that the editing was a little sloppy, because there were cases where certain quotes were repeated two or three times throughout the book, sometimes only pages from each other-- and they were not presented in a new context, it genuinely seemed like an editorial blip.
    Additionally, the ending was incredibly anticlimactic, and I think a lot more could have been done to highlight the prestige of "Madame" at the time of her death, perhaps by wrapping up with a quote from someone close to her (such as O'Higgins).
    These are really my only problems with this book-- I purchased it after a particularly interesting exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris on Helena, and read it throughout the rest of my travels in France. It was fun, interesting, inspiring, and I felt like I really got a glimpse of who Helena may have been as a person-- what motivated her, what made her feel successful, guilty, happy, inspired, etc. I didn't find it cumbersome and boring like I do most biographies, so hats off to Fitoussi for her ability to delineate the history of Helena in such a way that was enlightening and fascinating.
  • Elizabeth arden

    • Helena Rubinstein, LA Femme Qui Inventa LA Beaute by Michele Fitoussi

    June 9, 2019
    "Madame" clearly has a very interesting story, which made this book a fun read. My problems with the book stemmed from the beginning, however, when the author made the conscious choice of presenting Helena's story as derived from HER imagination, which is understandable, but not my preference. I found myself wondering throughout my entire time with this book what was fact and what was fiction. For example, the author speculates about how Helena felt at specific moments throughout the first section of the book. I was not a fan of this personally because I read biographies to obtain facts, rather than the author's interpretation of the person's life.
    Also, I felt that the editing was a little sloppy, because there were cases where certain quotes were repeated two or three times throughout the book, sometimes only pages from each other-- and they were not presented in a new context, it genuinely seemed like an editorial blip.
    Additionally, the ending was incredibly anticlimactic, and I think a lot more could have been done to highlight the prestige of "Madame" at the time of her death, perhaps by wrapping up with a quote from someone close to her (such as O'Higgins).
    These are really my only problems with this book-- I purchased it after a particularly interesting exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris on Helena, and read it throughout the rest of my travels in France. It was fun, interesting, inspiring, and I felt like I really got a glimpse of who Helena may have been as a person-- what motivated her, what made her feel successful, guilty, happy, inspired, etc. I didn't find it cumbersome and boring like I do most biographies, so hats off to Fitoussi for her ability to delineate the history of Helena in such a way that was enlightening and fascinating.
    Bib ID:
    5719169
    Format:
    Book
    Author:
    Fitoussi, Michele
    Description:
    • Sydney, N.S.W. : HarperCollins, 2012
    • xii, 484 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., ports. ; 21 cm.
    ISBN:
    Summary:

    Long before "La Prairie" or the coveted "Creme de la Mer" there was Helena Rubinstein. Your mother or grandmother probably used Helena Rubinstein creams or cosmetics once upon a time. But not that many people know about Helena's Australian connections.This is the extraordinary story of the woman who created a cosmetic empire. The eldest of eight girls in a poor Jewish Orthodox family, Helena was born in Poland in 1872 and banished to Australia at age 24 for refusing to accept an arranged marriage.

    Notes:
    • Includes bibliographical references (p. 466-473) and index.
    • General.
    Subject:
    Copyright:

    In Copyright

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    Copyright status was determined using the following information:

    Material type:
    Literary, dramatic or musical work

    Published status:
    Published

    Publication date:
    2012

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    Helena Rubinstein: The Adventure of Beauty

    Helena Rubinstein's remarkable life--from the inception of her beauty empire to the legacy she left behind--is celebrated in this comprehensive book that retraces her inspiring story.

    Helena Rubinstein was the first to establish the link between beauty and science, at a time when makeup was worn only by actresses and prostitutes. Progressive and a feminist, she made beauty accessible, using cosmetics as a means of emancipation.

    A daring pioneer, she founded a world-famous cosmetics empire with intelligence, courage, intuition, and business acumen. Her visionary marketing and publicity campaigns secured her brand's success, and she left behind one hundred branches in forty countries and 30,000 employees. Until the end of her life, the world's richest woman remained faithful to her humble Polish‒Jewish roots and proud of her Yiddish accent.

    This illustrated biography recounts Rubinstein's life and legacy--the path to building her empire, her extensive art collection, her fascination with fashion and jewelry, and her groundbreaking achievements in launching the modern beauty revolution.