A gorgeously illustrated exploration of the history, culture, and design process of the famed fashion house Chanel Chanel: The Making of a Collection traces the design process of the world-renowned fashion house, revealing how a collection is created. Moving from the studio to the fashion show, fashion writer Laetitia Cénac has unprecedented access to explore a world that is usually carefully guarded from the public eye. With hundreds of beautifully rendered fashion illustrations from acclaimed artist Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Karl Lagerfeld's approach to design is brought to life, as are the talents of the masterfully skilled artisans--the embroiderers, flower makers, shoemakers, hat makers, and more--who specialize in everything from buttons and leather to lace, silk, and cashmere. Delving into the history and culture of the brand, while also detailing contemporary collections, Chanel: The Making of a Collection is a richly visual insider's look at the enduring creative legacy of this haute couture icon.

This book is a literary museum exhibition, a curated selection of 100 iconic and signature looks of the house of Chanel, from the timeless Little Black Dress to the impeccably simple tweed suit, the apothecary-style perfume bottle, two-tone pumps, abundant strands of faux pearls and stones, and diamond-quilted leather handbag, from Mademoiselle’s revolutionary designs to Karl Lagerfeld’s unexpected and even irreverent variations on her original codes.

Ever since his first show for the house in 1983, Karl Lagerfelds Chanel collections have consistently made headlines and dictated trends the world over. For the first time, every Chanel collection ever created by Lagerfeld is here gathered in a single volume a unique opportunity to chart the development of one of the worlds most influential fashion brands and discover rarely seen collections. This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house of Chanel, from the days of Coco Chanel to today, followed by a brief biographical profile of Karl Lagerfeld, before exploring the collections themselves, which are organized chronologically and introduced by a short text unveiling each collections influences and highlights. Each collection is illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images, showcasing hundreds of spectacular clothes (from evening dresses and day suits to casual and sports pieces), details, accessories (from hats and jewelry to handbags and shoes), beauty looks and set designs and of course the top fashion models who wore them on the runway, from Claudia Schiffer and Linda Evangelista to Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book. A treasure trove of inspiration, this richly illustrated publication will be the must-have reference for all fashion professionals and Chanel obsessives.

With World War II looming over Paris, an American woman becomes entangled in the intense rivalry between iconic fashion designers Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in this “fascinating” (Hazel Gaynor) novel from the acclaimed author of The Beautiful American. Paris, 1938. Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli are fighting for recognition as the most successful fashion designer in France, and their rivalry is already legendary. They oppose each other at every turn, in both their politics and their designs: Chanel’s are classic, elegant, and practical; Schiaparelli’s are bold, experimental, and surreal. When Lily Sutter, a recently widowed young American teacher, visits her brother, Charlie, in Paris, he wants to buy her a couture dress—a Chanel. Lily, however, prefers a Schiaparelli. Charlie’s socially prominent girlfriend soon begins wearing Schiaparelli’s designs, too, and much of Paris follows in her footsteps. Schiaparelli offers budding artist Lily a job at her store, and Lily finds herself increasingly involved in the designers’ personal war. Their fierce competition reaches new and dangerous heights as the Nazis and World War II bear down on Paris.

After being sent to Paris on assignment for Look magazine, Douglas Kirkland lived with Coco Chanel for three weeks and captured both the public and the intimate moments of her daily life.

An extraordinary look at Karl Lagerfeld's most iconic runway shows for Chanel, which have transformed the way we experience fashion. Lagerfeld showcases in an oversize format ten years of Chanel's most influential fashion shows shot by English photographer Simon Procter. Over the past decade, fashion shows have evolved into monumental productions, requiring a level of sophistication and creativity on par with the clothes they present. This has been most evident in Paris at the now legendary runways of Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. To capture the energy of the events, Procter visually re-creates the epic sets--from a luscious forest scene to a rocket launch--combining multiple photographs to illustrate in a single image the many perspectives of the intense but fleeting spectacle. The resulting artworks are held in collections worldwide and published in this book for the first time alongside never-before-seen candid images of Lagerfeld and the models preparing backstage. Lagerfeld offers the reader an unparalleled look into the wide-ranging creativity of one of history's most respected and iconic designers, making this an invaluable resource for all lovers of fashion and especially admirers of Chanel and Lagerfeld's incomparable legacy.

Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is an illustrated biography of Coco’s Chanel's life from the internationally reknown illustrator and author, Megan Hess. It features key moments from Coco's amazing life and iconic items from the fashion empire that she built. Think an illustrated picture book for adults, told through Megan's stylish and feminine illustrations with a fun, whimsical and magical bent. Coco Chanel takes us on a romp through the three distinct chapters of Coco's life: from Coco’s early life and building the brand, to the empire she created, to the legacy she left behind, and how her style is still influential and iconic today. Hess’s book literally paints a picture of the woman who forever changed the way women dress.—The Australian Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a beautifully presented biography of the designer—Books + Publishing National Style lovers, unite! This amazing guided tour of Chanel’s game-changing empire is made for coffee tables—Cleo Australian illustrator Megan Hess, whose work graces prestigious designers and brands including Chanel, Carrier and Tiffany and Co., creates a whimsical adventure through the world of Mademoiselle Chanel—PRIMOLife