This elegant volume--featuring silver gilded pages and an open spine binding so that it lays flat to show off the photographs to their best advantage--explores Dior's long history of creativity, beauty, and success through a celebration of one of our most profound emotions. "Women, with their ever-sharp instincts, understood that I not only wanted to make them more beautiful, but happier too." --Christian Dior Since 1947, through its haute couture and fragrance collections, the House of Dior has enhanced the lives of women by bringing them moments of resplendent beauty. On the radiant faces of Dior's models and muses, and through the exuberance of its creative studios and runway shows, joy shines like a bouquet of fireworks and luminous smiles. Through this emblematic selection of iconic illustrations and behind-the-scenes images from fashion shows and workshops, this beautifully crafted volume traces Dior's recurring themes of creativity, the inspiration of nature, friendship, and success. Drawing from Dior's own archives and from those of fashion's greatest photographers, the book presents privileged moments graced by the women and men of Dior who express the house's eternal joie de vivre. An inspiring text drawing from literature, philosophy, and Dior's creative history, celebrates the many facets of an exalted state of being, providing the unique perspective that resides at the heart of this beautiful book.

Charlotte Smith had already had more than her fair share of fabulous dresses and adventures. She lived life to the fullest in London, Paris and New York before falling in love with Australia and making it her home. Then she discovered that she had inherited a priceless vintage clothing collection from her American Quaker godmother, Doris Darnell. When the boxes started arriving, they were filled with more than three thousand pieces dating from 1790 to 1995, from Dior and Chanel originals to a dainty pioneer dress. But when she unearthed her godmother’s book of stories, the true value of what she had been given hit home. This wasn’t merely a collection of beautiful things; it was a collection of lives. Women’s lives. Tiny snapshots of our joys and disappointments, our entrances and exits, triumphant and tragic. This is a book for any woman who knows a dress can hold a lifetime of memories.

Christian Dior: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Master is a stunning illustrated biography of legendary designer Christian Dior from internationally renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess. Discover the key moments of Dior's fascinating life and iconic items from the fashion world that he created. Dior's love of flowers, creativity, femininity and good-luck charms were woven into everything he designed, and his New Look remains iconic to this day. Elegantly enclosed by a hardback cover and ribbon, Megan's beautiful illustrations follow Dior through three distinct chapters: the highs and lows of his early life, set against a backdrop of bohemian and wartime Paris; the couture house that he built into an empire in just ten years; and the incredible legacy he left behind for one of fashion's most influential brands. Christian Dior is a celebration of a man whose life was as remarkable as the clothes that he created, brought to life on the page by the expert hand of Megan Hess.

Sometimes compared to the Saint-Tropez of Brigitte Bardot in the 1950s, Comporta, with its relaxed pace and artistic community, is the ideal destination for those looking to wander off course. It’s the newfound favorite of personalities such as Jacques Grange, Farida Khelfa, François Dumas, the Espírito Santo family, and Madonna, who shares photographs of taking her kids to the beach and horseback riding in the dunes of nearby Carvalhal on weekends. This fishing village boasts swaths of beaches, patchworks of rice paddies, and an ecosystem filled with storks and frogs, all a serene backdrop for the striking homes found there: rustic cabanas and thatched-roof huts reflecting the carefree lifestyle that has become Comporta’s hallmark. This distinctive setting challenges the minds of architects and designers, yielding unique spaces that delightfully blur the line between interior and exterior. Within these pages, the region’s characteristic cobalt blue is reflected from the sky and sea to the walls, shutters, and design pieces that adorn its homes, both picturesque and bold. Discover the beauty and joy of simplicity with Comporta Bliss

Inheriting a priceless vintage clothing collection sounds like every woman’s dream come true. But when Charlotte Smith discovered that her American godmother, Doris Darnell, had made her custodian of more than three thousand pieces dating from 1790 to the 1990s, including originals by Chanel and Dior, she was more than a little daunted. Then Charlotte uncovered her first treasure— an exquisite 1920s evening dress—and promptly fell in love. And once she found her godmother’s book of stories, the true value of her inheritance hit home. This wasn’t merely a collection of beautiful things, it was a precious collection of women’s lives. Tiny glimpses of our joys and disappointments, our entrances and exits, triumphant and tragic. In her previous book, Dreaming of Dior, Charlotte shared some of these gorgeous dresses and the stories of the women who wore them. Now, in Dreaming of Chanel, with special appearances by Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, Pucci, Valentino and many more, Charlotte offers another unforgettable glimpse inside the magical wardrobe every woman would love to own.