Published to accompany the major exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, this book is destined to become a must-have work of reference for all fashion lovers. The couturiere Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was a key figure in Paris fashion between the two World Wars. Following in the footsteps of her mentor Paul Poiret, she designed her first knitwear collection in January 1927. Decorated with trompe-l'oeil motifs in black and white, her sweaters were an immediate success in both France and the USA. In 1935, the Maison Schiaparelli opened in the Place Vendome in Paris, selling collections designed for sports, city and evening wear. Like her arch-rival Gabrielle Chanel, Schiaparelli also worked closely with artists, including Man Ray, Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dali, with whom she created a lobster dress. Taking a cue from Surrealism, her creations were hugely imaginative and made use of innovative new materials. The 'Schiap' style continued to develop through the 1930s. Her most famous collections had themes including the circus (summer 1938) and astrology (winter 1938-39). In 1937, Schiaparelli launched the fragrance Shocking, named after shocking pink, which had become her signature colour. Alongside vintage photographs, sketches and contemporary features from Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, this volume presents specially photographed masterpieces from the collection of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. All 120 garments and accessories from the Schiaparelli archive are illustrated, along with a selection of her drawings dating from 1933 to 1953.

An introduction to the work of the celebrated fashion photographer. An experimenter and innovator, Erwin Blumenfeld (1897-1969) produced an extensive body of work including portraits and nudes, celebrity portraiture and advertising campaigns - but it is his fashion photography for which he is best known. Having fled Paris during World War II, Blumenfeld forged a stellar path in New York, where he worked for Harper's Bazaar, American Vogue, Helena Rubinstein, L'Oreal and Elizabeth Arden. Discover Blumenfeld's masterful work through sixty full-page reproductions in this title in the Photofile series. The curator Emmanuelle de l'Ecotais contributes an introduction.