Culture Chanel: The Woman Who Reads opens a window into Gabrielle Chanel's mind, offering an extraordinary and intimate look at the cultural influences behind the creation of a global fashion empire. In this lavishly produced leather-bound volume, through an incredible collection of photographs, sketches, letters, and handwritten book dedications, author and curator Jean-Louis Froment explores the multitude of correspondences that existed between the iconic designer and her books, the narratives that inspired the text of her fabrics, forms and colors. Alongside ancient poets, her close friendship to a star-studded list of writers, artists, thinkers, and musicians are attested to as great influencers of her life's work, including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, Pierre Reverdy, Igor Stravinsky, Guillaume Apollinaire, Alberto and Diego Giacometti, among others.