Some of the most important people in fashion Chanel, Alaia, Blahnik, Yves Saint Laurent, Pucci, Kenzo and Missoni are known for their public image and their iconic designs. But what kind of world have they cultivated behind closed doors? From France to Italy, from England to Morocco, come along on a private visit to the remarkable homes of the worlds great couturiers, stylists, muses and fashion personalities. Ivan Terestchenkos glorious photographs revel in the decor, works of art and the personal collections of these legendary designers.

From Charles Frederick Worth to Nicolas Ghesquière, designers have propelled fashion from an elite craft into a cornerstone of contemporary popular culture. This brilliantly written analysis of the achievements of the 50 greatest names in international fashion explores their lives, both personal and professional, drawing on the latest academic research and on the best of fashion journalism, including the authors' own interviews with designers spanning a 30-year period.The designers' working methods and career highlights are outlined in detailed and wittily written entries that capture the spirit of their times. From Poiret and Patou to Gernreich and Galliano, the sometimes provocative selection of 50 names poses stimulating questions about the definition of a fashion designer in the modern era. A ground-breaking book, this is a definitive introduction to fashion designers that is essential reading for both students and general readers alike.

Step into the private quarters of more than 100 American designers and get another point of view of couture's most celebrated names-including Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, and Donna Karan. A copublication with the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

"Chanel, Alaa̐, Courrg̈es, Pucci, Kenzo, and Missoni . . . but also Yves Saint Laurent, Manolo Blahnik, Franca Sozzani, and Christian Louboutin. From France to Italy, from the UK to Morocco, with stops in the Egyptian desert and the Aegean islands, we are invited on a private visit to the remarkable homes of couturiers, stylists, muses, and fashion personalities. Far from the pressure of the catwalk and atelier, Terestchenko shows the dčor, the works of art, and the personal collections of these highly talented designers. Some interiors, such as Chanel's apartment at 31, rue Cambon, are mythic, while others like those of Victoire de Castellane, the designer of Dior's jewelry line, or Vanessa Seward, the designer of Azzaro, are completely unconventional. Minimal (Nicole Farhi), exotic (Franca Sozanni), and deceptively simple (Loulou de La Falaise) Beyond Chic is for anyone who loves fashion, interiors, and design"--

The most theatrical of arts inspires the most visionary fashion designers to create extraordinary costumes for extraordinary productions: a glorious book for fashionistas and opera fans. Fashion and opera are natural arenas for collaboration. In 2009–2010 alone, Viktor & Rolf, Miuccia Prada, Emanuel Ungaro, and Christian Lacroix made successful sorties as costumers for operas in New York, Baden-Baden, Naples, and Berlin. In this sumptuous new book, leading figures in the world of fashion— Giorgio Armani, Marc Bohan, Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, Miuccia Prada, Zandra Rhodes, Emanuel Ungaro, Gianni Versace, and Viktor & Rolf—are profiled, together with illustrations of their costume designs. Helena Matheopoulos’s interviews with many of the designers illuminate the journey that led each to the opera and the challenges of working in a demanding new medium. Costume designs for many well-loved operas—including Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, Aida, Thai¨s, Agrippina, Cosi` fan tutte, Attila, and The Magic Flute—are featured. The opera houses commissioning the costume designs include La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, the The´a^tre Royal de la Monnaie, the Are`nes de Ni^mes, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, and the San Diego Opera, among many others. Hundreds of color illustrations include original designers’ sketches, photographs of the finished costumes, and images of the actual productions, many of which feature breathtaking stage sets as well.

Covers the history of couture and its top designers.

This comprehensive guide explores the fundamental sewing methods fashion designers need and teaches professional garment construction. Chapter One introduces sewing tools and machinery (including industrial machines). It discusses how to work with patterns and explains cutting-out methods. Chapter Two is devoted to different fabrics and how they work, focusing on the construction of a garment, including fastenings and trimmings, and the use of materials to support structured pieces, such as corsets. Hand-sewing techniques and basic seams are explored in Chapter Three. Techniques are demonstrated with step-by-step photographic guides combined with technical drawings. A guide to making garment details and decorations, such as pockets, waistlines, and necklines, is found in Chapter Four. Chapter Five addresses fabric-specific techniques, for everything from lace to neoprene. The best technical approaches to use for patternmaking and construction are discussed for each fabric. Catwalk images demonstrate how these kinds of techniques are employed by designers.