The name Valentino has been synonymous with high fashion for almost fifty years. Based in Rome, Valentino is only one of two couture houses recognized by the French government outside of Paris. His exquisite designs are coveted and worn by young Hollywood and high society the world over. On the occasion of his last couture collection, presented in Paris in the spring of 2008, this landmark book celebrates forty-five years of Valentino's remarkable career. Published in association with a prestigious exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs's famed costume department in Paris, this volume focuses on Valentino's haute couture creations, highlighting the most important and iconic creations of his half-century in fashion through recurring themes in Valentino's work--variations on the ideas of volume, line, and texture as well as motifs such as geometry, pleats, and flowers--through new photography, sketches, fabric samples, and commentary on the dresses by Valentino himself. In addition, unprecedented photography by Francois Halard of Valentino's last fittings and backstage of his runway show reveals Valentino's private world for the first time. "Valentino On Valentino," a chapter of first-person accounts of the designs of these iconic dresses, along with Valentino's commentary on his fashion, will make this publication unique in the study of Valentino as a cultural and artistic icon.

This fascinating publication presents the roles two men have played in turning a small workshop in nineteenth-century Paris into one of the most successful and recognized brands in the world. Known for both craftsmanship and must-have high design, Louis Vuitton the luxury house was started by its eponymous founder in 1854. The first half of this publication traces the innovations by Vuitton, who turned the little-known guild profession of emballeur (packer) into the foremost luxury trunk maker in Paris, with a clientele that included in his lifetime the French nobility as well as the elite of a prosperous empire. Prime and never-before-seen examples of Vuitton's craftsmanship, along with the fashion that went into them, are the highlights of these chapters. The second half of the book examines the role of Marc Jacobs as Louis Vuitton's creative director (since 1997), who took the Louis Vuitton house into a new era with a series of collaborations with artists and designers-such as Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, and Stephen Sprouse-as well as designing a line of highly successful and desired clothing for the company. By examining two divergent but often similar careers one hundred years apart, Louis Vuitton / Marc Jacobs is not only a layered study of the evolution of a luxury brand in the past 150 years but also a celebration of technical and design innovations in the new century.

Emulated as the epitome of French style and honoured by international design magazines and editors, Jean-Louis Deniot is in demand. His legacy is already being compared to that of design greats such as Jacques Grange and Alberto Pinto. Deniot is an architect first, ensuring that the interior architecture of his rooms is harmonious before taking a sophisticated neoclassical approach to the decor. He brings education, logic, and design history to his work, with one eye looking at the most refined style of French eighteenth century and one eye on the sophistication of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His mix is highly individual, mixing art and custom-made furniture and pieces from different periods with masterful elegance. His rooms always look comfortable and timeless; never overly formal or trendy. In his second book, Deniot highlights his newest work from around the globe, showcasing his urbane and artful interiors from the United States to London, Paris, and Milan, and Moscow, Bangkok and New Delhi. With stunning photography and a series of insightful interviews between the designer and author Pamela Golbin, Destinations highlights a polished and richly layered classical style that is changing the scene for international design and offering inspiration and ideas to decorators, homeowners, and antiques enthusiasts.