Audrey Style: An Illustrated Biography of the Fashion Icon―Grace, Beauty, and Humor Through Original Interviews and Designer Sketches

by Pamela Clarke Keogh, Hubert de Givenchy (Introduction)

Everyone, it seems, is a fan of Audrey's. She was Gigi, a princess, Holly Golightly, a nun, Maid Marian, even an angel. And we believed her in every role. But Audrey Hepburn was also one of the most admired and emulated women of the twentieth century, who encouraged women to discover and highlight their own strength. By example, she not only changed the way women dress--she forever altered the way they viewed themselves. But Audrey Hepburn's beauty was more than skin deep. "You know the Audrey you saw onscreen? Audrey was like that in real life, only a million times better," says designer Jeffrey Banks. For the first time, this style biography reveals the details--fashion and otherwise--that contributed so greatly to Audrey's appeal. Drawing on original interviews with Hubert de Givenchy, Gregory Peck, Nancy Reagan, Doris Brynner, and Audrey Wilder, as well as reminiscences of professional friends like Steven Spielberg, Ralph Lauren, noted Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby, Steven Meisel, and Kevyn Aucoin, Audrey Style brings the Audrey her family and friends loved to life. With more than ninety color and black-and-white photographs, many of which have never before been published, and original designer sketches from Edith Head, Hubert de Givenchy, Vera Wang, Manolo Blahnik, Alexander McQueen, and others, Audrey Style gives measure to the grace, humor, intelligence, generosity, and inimitable fashion sense that was Audrey Hepburn.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Design

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 7, 1999

About the author

Pamela Clarke Keogh is the author of "Audrey Style," the worldwide bestselling photographic biography of Audrey Hepburn. Educated at Vassar College, she worked as a journalist, television producer, and screenwriter.

Reviews

[Tirzah Eleora · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the recent death of Hubert Givenchy the internet has been awash with photos of the flawlessly dressed Audrey Hepburn, and I checked this book out of my library solely for the pictures but wound up devouring the text as well. The book focuses primarily on Audrey’s fashion sense and personality, but it also reads as a brief biography. It’s an engagingly written and thoughtful portrait of her, and it’s a quick read.

[m d · Rating 4 out of 5]

***** photos, *** text.

[Rebecca Hemphill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't she lovely

[Brit Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taught me how to do the makeup looks from her but movies A++++

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

audrey and i share a little heritage (dutch), the same height, and the same shoe size. and that's where the similarities end. but i was tickled to learn it (from this book) all the same.

it's mostly a style biography, with an intro by givenchy. audrey fans will get a kick out of the fashion sketches and modish style suggestions inspired by the queen herself.

but it's not all ferragamo shoes and little black dresses. we are given a bit of her gracious character as well. and in the end, i think that's probably what made her so stylish.

[Amanda Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I just picked this up from the library to look at the photos but then I got to reading. It was so entertaining and enlightening. It gave me such a better view of the real person, felt as though I made some connections with her. A quick read, wanted to watch all her movies afterward.

[Justė Knygu_gurmane · Rating 5 out of 5]

O dabar apie pačią knygą. Žinoma, ji nuostabi (turbūt ir negali būti kitaip, kai rašoma apie tokį asmenį kaip Audrey). Nors ji vadinasi Audrey Style, bet joje visas Jos gyvenimas, visi kino filmai (kuriuos PRIVALAU pamatyti, nes mačiau tik porą), Jos meilės ir nemeilės, Jos draugai ir šeima. Žinoma labai detaliai aptartas ir Jos išskirtinis tam metui stilius. Netgi Jos pomėgiai, gerbėjai ir nedarbinė veikla.
Tiesa, aktore ji neplanavo būti. Nuo 11 metų šokusi baletą, apie nieką daugiau ir nesvajojo, kaip tik būti primadona bei šokti nuostabiausiose pasaulio salėse. Stipraus charakterio ir užsispyrimo dėka pasiekė nepriekaištingą techniką, tačiau turėjo per ilgas kojas ir buvo per aukšta (aukščiausia klasėje), tad jos svajonei buvo lemta sudužti. Bet turbūt taip ir turėjo būti, nes vos 22 metų jau buvo suvaidinusi filmą nuo kurio prasidėjo Jos didžioji kaip aktorės karjera. Niekas nesugebėjo atsispirti Jos žavesiui ir šarmui. Visi Ją mylėjo ir dievino. O Ji labiau už viską mylėjo savo šeimą, savo gyvūnus, savo namus ir UNICEF veiklą, kuria užsiėmė paskutinius savo gyvenimo metus.

She was the first to make something that’s not sexy, sexy – Cynthia Rowley

Ne paslaptis, jog Audrey turėjo nepriekaištingą uoslę stiliui ir buvo (manau vis dar yra) stiliaus Ikona daugeliui. Knygoje labai detaliai aprašomas Jos stilius su konkrečiais pavyzdžiais kaip susikurti tokį įvaizdį. Net gi pateikiami ir Audrey makiažo variantai, bei nurodoma kaip juos pasidaryti, tad jei tik turite noro būti kaip Ji – pirmyn.  Nors pati Audrey visada pabrėždavo, jog neverta vaikytis madų, o svarbiausia gerai pažinti savo kūną ir atrasti savą stilių. Jos artimų draugų rate buvo tokie dizaineriai, kaip Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Ferragamo ir dauguma kitų. O Hubert de Givenchy buvo vienas iš geriausių Jos draugų lydėjęs ją visą gyvenimą. Buvo toks artimas jai, jog net buvo su Ja ir Jos šeima paskutinėmis Jos gyvenimo minutėmis.
Tokių žmonių kaip Audrey yra tik vienetai. Ne todėl, kad ji buvo įžymi aktorė, bet kokią turėjo širdį ir kaip troško mylėti bei skleisti tą meilę. Skaičiau jos istoriją ir negalėjau nesižavėti. Galiu drąsiai pasakyti, jog nuo šiol Ji viena iš mano mėgstamiausių visų laikų moterų.

[Huda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Audrey fan. Everyone of my family and friends knows that. This book was a gift from a friend. Not a typical biography or a photos glossy book. The author portrait Audrey as the style icon that she totally was and still is (nothing new here!) and focused on describing her as the perfect person out of this place and time. I do love Audrey and for me she is all that, but Audrey herself would not have agreed at all. I liked the makeup and styling tips based on Audrey's style, that was a nice idea and a useful one. The photos were very well chosen. I would never feel tired looking at them.
If you are an Audrey all time fan, nothing new to be discovered in this book (possibly the tips will be interesting!) if you are curious to exploring Audrey's legacy, it is a nice one to read.

[Sam Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little view into the life, friends, and values of Audrey Hepburn was a pure delight. The photographs were gorgeous, and the references to Audrey's spirit and character were so inspiring. At times the author's praise becomes overly saccharine and overbearing. Yet this book is meant to be about the love Audrey put out into the world and the immense love she received as a result -- so is it really too much? Audrey Style is a coffee table book that gives more of look into Audrey's life than a coffee table book would ever be expected to give, and I will keep it as the future centerpiece of my own apartment.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Audrey, but I did not love this book. The pictures are amazing, but the book itself is very repetitive. I kept reading it because it would slip in something I did not know about my role model. After including a funny anecdote or a touching story she would then talk about her lifestyle or eating habits for the fourth time. Audrey is such a fascinating person, but I had to force myself to finish this book.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equal parts biography and style inspiration, this little book is rife with photos, stories, and fashion illustrations. Except for a little section of "essentials" for an Audrey closet, there isn't really a how-to guide for aping her style. It's more of an inspirational work, an insight to what made her tick.

[Brian Grouhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a truely interesting book about one of my favourite movie stars! Both a biography and a fashion biography of Audrey Hepburn. This was to me a very insightful story into Audrey's life and instant rise to stardom accompanied by many, many photographs helping depict her story. One that I would recommend if you are a fan of any of her movies!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much enjoyed and I learned a bunch I didn't know! She is a wonderful person. Hoorah for great people!

[Hana Fadness · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about my idol! Fairly quick read with stunning images. I enjoyed learning more about Audrey.

[Mishon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two words. Audrey Hepburn. That is all.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it excessively vain, materialistic and "my way is perfect"

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable book, loved the pictures and the mini biography.

[Diann Blakely]

When the dog days of August commence their humid yowl, and the body and brain stagger toward the promise of cooler seasons, readers may balk at even compulsively readable novels. Thus the appeal of picture-books-for-grownups like AUDREY STYLE, which offers a time-honored prescription for treating end-of-summer malaise: pretend the heat isn't there, an accomplishment that Miss Hepburn, the epitome of haute white-girl glamour, seemed to make effortlessly throughout her career as a film and fashion icon. Or if you're the sort unfazed by temperature elevations, rest assured that AUDREY STYLE is a worthwhile diversion from that stack of Serious Books you've been meaning to finish by Labor Day.

John Engstead's cover photo of the young Hepburn includes at least a few of her "instruments": thickly contoured eyeliner, oversized penciled brows, a Hermès scarf, and a characteristic, coolly quizzical expression. Would this portrait and others in AUDREY STYLE fascinate if she hadn't made BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S; if she hadn't been couturier Hubert de Givenchy's muse; and if she hadn't discussed publicly her terrible childhood of hiding from the Nazis in Dutch cellars? Probably so. For Hepburn's face was able to "transmit" a naked and enormous kindness that was born of suffering and, in the end, was inseparable from her physical beauty. She knew, like Holly Golightly, whose similarly difficult past resurfaced with attacks of "the mean reds," that "glamour is a way of making history bearable," to quote poet Mark Doty.

Hepburn's glamour never became glacial because she refused to hide her vulnerability--something that requires acknowledging the sufferings of others as well. Thus she shines with her most unfiltered radiance in Audrey Style's photos of her "retirement" years, which included tireless work for UNICEF until her untimely death from cancer at the age of 63.



(originally published in the NASHVILLE SCENE)

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few weeks ago, I was in Chicago visiting colleges when I stumbled across a little bookstores called Afterwords. It was a couple of blocks away from my hotel, and I wanted to move into it. It's both new and used, used downstairs, and if you're ever in the city I highly recommend you check it out. Anyway, I was checking out with my mom and actually just about to leave when one of the employees stopped me and said, "Are you that girl who likes Audrey Hepburn?" When I had been downstairs with my mom in the used biography section, I told her how I could never find Audrey Hepburn biographies used. The lady had overheard me and found this book in the used books that had just been brought in. Yet another reason to visit Afterwords. Not only is their selection awesome, but the employees are super nice and helpful.

As far as biographies go, this is pretty lighthearted. I would've liked to have something with a bit more depth to it. This was obviously written by a fan who consulted with people very personally close to Audrey. Next time I'll chose something written by somebody with more impartiality. The book itself is very visually appealing. The pictures of Audrey are beautiful and some of them new to me, and the layout of the book is appealing. Small little tangents about Audrey's style and lifestyle tips as well as her background along with quotes from friends and colleagues made it more fun. It did give me a good basic background in a women who I very much admire but didn't actually know much about before.

[Stacy Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter has been going through a big Audrey Hepburn movie kick. We've watched Roman Holiday, Sabrina, My Fair Lady, Charade and Breakfast at Tiffany's. She just can't get enough of her. Not that I mind much, I could watch her movies for hours. We ooh and aah at her gorgeous wardrobe and discuss her dresses until we've driven all the men and boys from the room. (Although, they always seem to find their way into the family room when we watch her movies) So on our next trip to the library, I shouldn't have been surprised that Isabella gravitated straight to this stylish coffee table book. It's actually a great read and packed full of pictures and costume drawings from her movies as well as interviews with close friends, stylists, family and the designers who dressed her. Hepburn's class act shines through all she says and does. Every single person interviewed mentioned what a charming, cultured, well-mannered, kind and gracious person she was. It was interesting to read about the clothes designed for each movie and how much of say Audrey actually had. For Sabrina, she was given a budget and told to hit the Paris boutiques to find clothes from a designer she liked. Although this is a book about her iconic style and fashion choices, it read like a well-written biography, packed with informative stories from her life.

[sachi]

友人のブログに紹介されていた言葉に惹かれた。
職場にとても前向きな先輩がいるので、
おふたりを重ねて、目標にしているところ。
愚痴をこぼしそうになったら、思い出してる言葉。


"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years."

[Natalie (CuriousReader)]

The book is filled with photographs of Audrey throughout her life, stills from her films to captures of her work with Unicef, and more. The photos are amazing and lovely and a reason it's worth checking this out if you're an Audrey fan. I wasn't a fan of the writing style of Keogh, it was much too "free" for me. What I mean by that is that often it felt a bit too interpretive, written like fiction - like she had been inside her head, basically I guess I prefer a slightly more fact-focused straight type of non-fiction. And there were parts of the writing that felt too "idolizing" to me, but in the end I did enjoy learning a bit about Audrey and her life.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on Audrey Hepburn. There are a few nuggets of new biographical information I hadn't read elsewhere, but most of the written content is rather recycled, albeit pleasant enough to read again. What makes this book special is the unique collection of well-reproduced photographs not available in other sources. Definitely worth it for Audrey fans.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for any Audrey fan. There were a few inacurracies which you would know if you have read the book by her son, Sean Ferrar but all in all enjoyable. There are many points of views from people who worked with Audrey in EVERY facet of her life including; designers, directors, photographers and even just friends. So glad to read this after my last 2 duds!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful book is about fashion icon and actress Audrey Hepburn, and discusses her fashions over the years and tries to define her 'style'.

You'll love this if you're a fan of Audrey, and I certainly am, and her wardrobe over the years, which I also admire greatly.


**#100 of 100 books pledged to read/review during 2015**

[Retna · Rating 3 out of 5]

She gave another dimension of beauty. Sexy can become elegant as well. I love her. I love her style, her looks, her way of thinking, and this book along with the pictures somewhat capture that of her.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely coffee table book with great history and stories I received for Christmas. A fairly quick read and entertaining if you're an Audrey fan; a good blend of coffee table book and biography; great gift to give.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy quick read. Obviously the author was as much in love with Audrey as she says everyone else was. But that's OK. It gave me a basic understanding of Audrey's history and who she became. Lots of beautiful photos.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent array of what makes Audrey... Audrey. What I particularly enjoy about this sort of book is the inclusion of anecdotes from people who knew her. It reinforces what the author tis writing about and gives a better sense of the person you are reading about.

[Carolyn]

SOOO fabulous.....