The French word “mannequins” usually means models, so Mannequins de Paris is not about lifeless mannequins, but actual living models. In particular, it’s about the models at a haute couture fashion house in Paris who decide to break up by any means necessary the affair between the house’s head designer and a beautiful singer from Cannes. Their goal is to save the designer’s marriage, because he co-owns the house with his high powered wife, and a split could bring disaster for the models. We didn’t actually read the book, though. We know what happens because it’s a novelization of the screenplay from the 1956 film of the same name, also written by François Campaux. We may check that out later. It sounds positively Bardotesque, though it stars Madeleine Robinson, Ivan Desny, and Mischa Auer. Mainly, though, we wanted to highlight this cool cover art by André Bertrand. He’s a new name for us, but one we’ll keep watch for in the future.
