[15] Living on an insurance policy income of $200 a month,[8] Redé moved to New York City, where he briefly attempted to acquire American citizenship.

[15][16] He traveled to California to work for an antique dealer,[8] where he earned money to support his sister[13] and befriended Elsie de Wolfe (known as Lady Mendl),[12] as well as Salvador and Gala Dalí.

A married Chilean millionaire, Lopez-Willshaw (1900–62)[13] lived with his wife Patricia Lopez Huici in a lavishly decorated house[12] in Neuilly, France[13] and was "famous for his extravagant costume entertainments.

[18] Upon Lopez-Willshaw's urging, in 1946 Redé moved to Paris in the entourage of Lady Mendl, an interior decorator[8] returning to Versailles from California.

[12] Lopez-Willshaw's wife, a first cousin born Patricia Lopez-Huici, was cool towards her husband's companion, though the three often attended social events as a group[8][19] and traveled together, moving between suites in European and American hotels, the house in Neuilly, a yacht (Gaviota IV), and an apartment in California.

[8][20] Redé had become an "important influence in Paris society" by the early 1950s with his luncheons and dinners at the Hotel Lambert, which were known for their decor, luxury, and food.

"[18] Redé was described as "the Eugène de Rastignac of modern Paris" by Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon and as "the best host in all Europe"; his parties were the center of le tout-Paris.

Members of the circle included the poet and patron of the Surrealists, Marie-Laure de Noailles (1902–70); musicians such as Henri Sauguet, Georges Auric, and Francis Poulenc; and the artist Christian Bérard.

[21] Nina Ricci designed the costumes of Redé and the Lopez-Willshaws for the famous 1951 Bal oriental given by Carlos de Beistegui at his Venetian palace, the Palazzo Labia.

[20] In 1956, at Redé's Bal des Têtes, the young Yves Saint Laurent provided many of the headdresses—the Duchess of Windsor being one of the judges—and received a boost to his career.

To manage it, he joined Prince Rupert Loewenstein in taking control of Leopold Joseph & Sons, a bank where he served as the deputy chairman.

[24] In 1972, Redé had his portrait painted by the fashionable painter Anthony Christian, and he was named in the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.

[8] By his own account, Redé was largely uninterested in affection or sex, and had only ever loved a Polish classmate at Le Rosey, an interest he never acted on.

"[13] After their move to Paris, Lopez-Wilshaw unofficially lived with Redé at the Hôtel Lambert[8] while maintaining a formal residence with his wife in Neuilly.

[13] In 1953, author Christian Mégret published Danaé, a popular roman à clef based on Redé's and Lopez-Willshaw's life together.