Book Description

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) is a fashion icon unlike any other. She invented modern clothing for women: at the height of the Belle Époque, she stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits, and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She introduced slacks, costume jewelry, and the exquisitely comfortable suit. She made the first couture perfume-No. 5-which remains the most popular scent ever created.

In this beautiful volume, the glorious life of the incomparable Coco Chanel shines again through hundreds of illustrations and the lively prose of Edmonde Charles-Roux, her official biographer and close friend. Chanel knew and collaborated with the likes of Picasso, Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Cocteau, Jean Renoir, and Visconti-even as she matched their modernist innovations by liberating women from the prison of 19th-century fashion and introducing a whole new concept of elegance. The staggering collection of photographs amassed by the over decades of friendship with Chanel sheds new light on one of the great stories of the modern age. AUTHOR BIO: Edmonde Charles-Roux began her journalistic career at Elle and ultimately became editor-in-chief of French Vogue. She has published three novels, among them To Forget Palermo (Oublier Palerme), which won the Prix Goncourt in 1966. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Coco Chanel - The Originator of Modern Women's Fashion
I am so glad this book is back in print.Written by the Senior Editor of French Vogue, who was also a close friend and biographer of Chanel, this is a must have for fashionistas.I own the original version which has all black and white photos.This new version, published 25 years after the original has new color photos and illustrations added.The book has also been revamped with all the new additions, but retains the original text.If you only get one book about Chanel, get this one.It is worth every penny.

The Big Beautiful World of Chanel
Visually pleasing and well-written, here is a book that would surely please Mademoiselle Chanel if she were still with us.

Fans of Chanel and "Fashionistas" alike will undoubtedly be delighted with this big, beautiful book and its vast number of Chanel photos, which document Coco's personal world of fashion.

Linda Painchaud-Steinman, Park Edge Books

Please bring this book back!
*Chanel and Her World* is a great document of a great woman!I've neverseen another Chanel book with so many pictures, and that's what it's allabout when it comes to one of the century's most important style-makers. It's a CRIME that it's out of print, because I MUST OWN IT. ... Read more

Book Description

The much-acclaimed biographer's unflinchingly honest, wise, and forgiving portrait of her own famous parents: two wildly talented Russian émigrés who fled wartime Paris to become one of New York's first and grandest power couples.

Tatiana du Plessix, the wife of a French diplomat, was a beautiful, sophisticated "white Russian" who had been the muse of the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Alexander Liberman, the ambitious son of a prominent Russian Jew, was a gifted magazine editor and aspiring artist. As part of the progressive artistic Russian émigré community living in Paris in the 1930s, the two were destined to meet. They began a passionate affair, and the year after Paris was occupied in World War II they fled to New York with Tatiana's young daughter, Francine.

There they determinedly rose to the top of high society, holding court to a Who's Who list of the midcentury's intellectuals and entertainers. Flamboyant and outrageous, bold and brilliant, they were irresistible to friends like Marlene Dietrich, Salvador Dalí, and the publishing tycoon Condé Nast. But to those who knew them well they were also highly neurotic, narcissistic, and glacially self-promoting, prone to cut out of their lives, with surgical precision, close friends who were no longer of use to them.

Tatiana became an icon of New York fashion, and the hats she designed for Saks Fifth Avenue were de rigueur for stylish women everywhere. Alexander Liberman, who devotedly raised Francine as his own child from the time she was nine, eventually came to preside over the entire Condé Nast empire. The glamorous life they shared was both creative and destructive and was marked by an exceptional bond forged out of their highly charged love and raging self-centeredness. Their obsessive adulation of success and elegance was elevated to a kind of worship, and the high drama that characterized their lives followed them to their deaths. Tatiana, increasingly consumed with nostalgia for a long-lost Russia, spent her last years addicted to painkillers. Shortly after her death, Alexander, then age eighty, shocked all who knew him by marrying her nurse.

Them: A Portrait of Parents is a beautifully written homage to the extraordinary lives of two fascinating, irrepressible people who were larger than life emblems of a bygone age. Written with honesty and grace by the person who knew them best, this generational saga is a survivor's story. Tatiana and Alexander survived the Russian Revolution, the fall of France, and New York's factory of fame. Their daughter, Francine, survived them. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Memoir to Remember
Francine du Plessix Gray who, has written several fine novels as well as complex and satisfying biographies of the Marquis de Sade and Simone Weil, now tenderly explores the lives of her famously mercurial parents. "Them" is a success any way you look at it; the elegant writing and the loving way she examines the life she had with these completely self-absorbed people make this memoir worth reading.

Her parents were Tatiana Yakoleva, a renowned New York designer of hats, and Alex Liberman, who was one of the creators of modern fashion journalism at Vogue. The du Plessix in Francine's name comes from her birth father, a hero of the French Resistance who died early in World War II. Although he never adopted her, Alex Liberman was the father she knew and loved, the man she and her mother always saw as the one who rescued them from the horrors of war. Tatiana had already fled one revolution, leaving Russia to live in Paris as a teenager with her grandmother, aunt, and uncle. In her early 20s, she met the dynamic Russian revolutionary poet and playwright Vladimir Mayakovsky during one of his visits to France. He wrote one of his most beautiful poems to her and begged her to return to Russia with him. But her fear was too great, and she married diplomat Bertrand du Plessix before Mayakovsky could return to again persuade her. Mayakovsky had been under growing scrutiny for his criticism of increasing oppression in the new Soviet Union, and he committed suicide shortly thereafter. His letters were one of the Tatiana's most carefully guarded items when she fled Europe.

Photos from the family's arrival in New York make them look like a tight-knit trio, but Tatiana and Alex were terrible parents. They shuttled off Froshka, as they called her, with all sorts of extraneous family and friends. A friend had to tell her that her father was dead. They failed to tell her when they got married. They were as ambitious and thoughtless as two people can be. But they loved her very much.

What makes this memoirs so remarkable is how warmly du Plessix Gray writes about all this. She does not see herself as a victim, which is probably why she has a close and healthy family life as an adult. Beautiful writing, fearlessness, and compassion make this a memoir that will hold readers captive from start to finish.

We cannot choose our parents . . .
"Them" is an engrossing read.Mrs. Gray portrays her parents in their full roundedness with no holds barred when it comes to revealing their faults as well as their virtues.In reading the memoir, I found myself saying "what fascinating people yet how obnoxious. . . how powerful an emotion love is to permit a daughter to see all her parents' faults and still treat them with respect."The book is also a portrait of a time and an industry (magazine publishing) and of people finely attuned to the needs of fashionable society.It's also about Change and how we all become outmoded when our work fails to meet changing fashions. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Expected alot more than received
being a fasion student in America I look for any resource that I can find pertaining to real Haute Couture, but this book was a real disappointment. It basically has everything that I've already learned expect for the roses thats a pretty good idea. But for home sewers its absolutely PERFECT! Home sewers will really get alot of experence from this book.

transformed me from a beginner to a confident sewer
I bought this book about 6 months ago and read it from cover to cover. I was fascinated, but I didn't want to write a review until I had actually tried some of the techniques.

Well, I've done the piped pockets, the bias cvered seams, and I'm working on the flounce collar (which happens to be fashionable again), and they look pretty good!!

But worth all the money, are the pages on manipulating patterns. With commercial patterns costing well over $10 today, this book enables you to play with what is already in your collection. Before this, I was a slave to the pattern companies, but now, I know how to make what I want. I eliminated a waist seam on a jumper for my daughter, and created an unusual skirt by combining two patterns.

My confidence in my ability to construct a garment, and have it look professional, has increased mani-fold.

Hidden bonus: pattermaking basics and garment copying
The gimmick of the first two-thirds of this book is that the author shows various designer ready-to-wear garments with an interesting construction method or detail, and then she shows you, step-by-step and in detail, how to reproduce it. Where there is a trick or shortcut that reduces the time to do something without lowering the quality she uses it, but on the other hand she includes many labor-intensive methods where the quality would be improved by such methods. She covers facings, hem, pockets, trims, fasteners, and more. The book is not so comprehensive in the number of things it covers that it could replace a reference-style book, but where it covers something, it does so in detail (an you need to read closely sometimes). The illustrations are excellent--way above average for a sewing book. The really interesting thing about this book is the last third on patternmaking basics. She covers the three basic ways to copy a garment (measuring, tracing, and rub-off), and tells you how to check your copied pattern pieces against each other, how to true them, etc. She then goes into pattern modification techniques. I managed to copy a Land's End buttondown shirt with a certain amount of success following her instructions.

Modesto CA
Anyone serious about sewing garments that look expensive should get this book. Lots of pictures and instruction that is very helpful in constructing top notch garments. A must have book for any sewing buff.

A Must Have like all of Claire's other books
All sewing books I buy should be able to teach me at least 1 new-to-me technique before I rate them. This one is a winner. Worth its weight in gold for the information you get.'I rate myself an intermediate sewist with patternmaking skills. It is a must for intermediate and advanced sewing enthuasiasts and if you are a beginner then you will need this book to inspire and guide you to becoming an advanced sewist. My friend's daughter wanted a dress made with a cowl neckline. I had never made this style before and had no idea how to. I drafted the pattern, fitted the muslin, corrected the pattern and was raring to sew! I went through all of my sewing books looking for information on sewing cowls. I have just about all sewing books....Claire's book not only showed me how to sew this but also how to "stay" the cowl. It was the best piece of information ever. The neckline was perfect and I could see without the "stay" how the neckline kept misbehaving!

Another bit of information was on lining a wrap skirt....cutting the back lining on the cross grain....wonderful information. How would I ever have the know-how without the experience? Claire's books are winners. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Madeleine Vionnet's greatest distinction as a designer was her discovery of the bias cut. Cutting patterns along the bias forces the fabric to cling to the body and move with it, which created her trademark look of draped, form-conscious clothing. When designer Issey Miyake first saw a Vionnet dress, it was like the first time he saw Winged Victory at the Louvre: "I thought then that the statue of Nike had been reincarnated in the dresses by Vionnet. She had captured the most beautiful aspect of classical Greek aesthetics: the body and movement." Vionnet's long career as a dressmaker and designer began with the 20th century. Always conscious of women's bodies and inspired in part by modern dancer Isadora Duncan, she soon dispensed with corsets and other constricting garments, and used barefoot models to present her first solo collection. Though simple, her dresses were never plain; the use of a Cartier necklace as a halter strap is a classic Vionnet innovation. This inimitable combination of comfort and glamour made Vionnet's clothes a favorite among European nobility, Hollywood royalty--notably Marlene Dietrich, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Katharine Hepburn--as well as socialites and other trendsetters. Close to a century after its introduction, the bias cut remains an important element in clothing design.

Madeleine Vionnet is a tall book that echoes many of the designs inside. It is filled with contemporary photographs of the clothing, period pictures shot by Man Ray and Steichen, design sketches, and, perhaps most interestingly, patterns for the clothes. The accompanying text traces Vionnet's evolution from an 11-year-old seamstress, through her days apprenticing at the famed Callot Soeurs couture house in Paris, and on into the design empire that secured her an enduring spot in fashion history. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Get it while it's been remaindered...
...as it will go up significantly in price when it goes out of print. A gorgeous resource, with excellent photographs of Vionnet's dresses and, notably, the inclusion of scale patterns for many of the dresses depicted. One of the best available monographs on a designer from this time period.

Simply Wonderful!
I knew that I would love this book, but I did not know how much. The format is great. The pictures are nice and clear, and BIG. This book makes me wish I was alive in the 20's and 30's. Well worth the price.

Exceptional insight into bias construction. Amazing book!
Probably the best book I have read on bias construction. Decribes many of the techniques Vionnet used, like rules for mixing bias with straight weaves. The scale patterns are a major plus.

Magnificent magnificent MaGNiFiCenT
I unwrapped "Vionnet" and thought I'd give it a quick flip-thru before getting on with my day. I spent the next 6 1/2 hours splayed out on the living room floor with this book. (I'll leave erudition to the other reviewers...) It is simply magnificent.

A book that does justice to the genius of Vionnet.
I make and design clothes for the Madame Alexander doll Cissy. In the process of doing this, I began to do research on clothing made in the earlier part of this century. It was then that I discovered the beautiful work of Madeleine Vionnet. I saw the best work of many others, but Vionnet's dresses were pure magic, flowing and exquisite, so unlike anything of their period. So, when I saw this book with 38 patterns, I knew it was a necessity, and it certainly impressed me. The text was informative, and the photographs clear and showing the clothing well. Unduly impressive. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Concise story of Cristobal Balenciaga
This is a great book for those interested in knowing the career of Balenciaga.Marie Andrée Jouvre had already written a larger edition on the topic, a book callled "Balenciaga", published in 1988. She shows she really understands what she is talking about.What I liked most aboutthis book is that it gives a general overview of the work of this master,including somehigh quality pictures of his most famous dresses.And forthose who really prefer pictures, this is the book for you. The writtenpart is really small, yet effective. ... Read more

Book Description

Alex Madsen brings to life Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the queen of fashion who revolutionized women's styles forever.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not Captivating!
I did not enjoy this book and wished I did my own research on a better author to portray Coco Chanel. It was lengthy in boring details and never developed a true feeling for the subject matter. Coco lead an extremely captivating life - so I find it difficult to believe that someone could write such a book lacking in depth!

tough read
I'm still reading but wanted to mention that if you have never taken a French class, it is very hard to pronounce most of the names in the book.

Although very insightful finding it a hard read.

Fascinating book, full of details and historically correct.
This book was extremely interesting to read. Considering Chanel's habbit of often lying about her past, many biographers had given up on trying to tell her story. That's probably why the book lacks reasoning behind certain facts of her life, although the author did the best he could to provide hisown viewpoint about some of the unenswered questions. The book is wonderfuland it leaves the reader with plenty of room to use his/her own imaginationto reveal some of the mysteries behind Chanel's great genious. ... Read more

Book Description

There are moments in history where events converge to create something rare and special. Jacqueline Kennedy's selection of Oleg Cassini to design her personal wardrobe as First Lady was one of those moments, not only in fashion history, but political history as well. As creator of the "Jackie look," Cassini made the First Lady one of the best-dressed women in the world and a glamourous icon of the Kennedy era.

During the thousand days of the Kennedy administration, Cassini designed over 300 outfits for Jackie Kennedy--coats, dresses, evening gowns, suits, and day wear. He coordinated every aspect of her wardrobe, from shoes and hats to gloves and handbags.

For the first time, Oleg Cassini offers a fascinating and comprehensive view of his role as Jackie's personal couturier. His international background allowed him to fit comfortably into the Kennedy poltical dynasty, and offered him unprecedented access to both Jackie and John Kennedy as a designer and a trusted friend. From the details of his long-standing friendship with the Kennedy family to his first meetings with the First lady to his thoughts on Jackie's clothes and their legacy, Cassini's recollections are far-ranging and informative.

Cassini's original sketches are accompanied by 200 color and black-and-white photographs of the First Lady as she tours India, France, England, and Italy, shows off the White House, and hosts state dinners and family gatherings. Public moments as well as private ones capture the great elegance and charm of one of the most admired and emulated women in the world.
... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Combination that Works
This lovely volume combines Cassini's memoirs of working closely with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis during her brief White House years, his fashion philosophies and ideas, and the iconography of the early 1960s style and vigor of the Kennedy years. Each piece plays the right part in the book as a whole, illustrating what must have been an enchanted time for Cassini. If one is interested in fashion and its technical aspects, the book's sketches and interesting details (letters from Jackie about to whom Cassini should send swatches for hat and glove construction for each dress), his memories of Jackie along with excerpts of her letters (photographic and in text, reproduced verbatim) along with the requisite, but lovely photographs of Jackie is his creations. It brings couture to the United States in a grand way and makes this French sensibilitiy part of our own Americana.

With all of the Jackie Kennedy products on the market, it was lovely to read such a heartfelt memoir from the man who helped to position her in our nation's consciousness as a precious and dear woman.

Top Jackie Fashion Book !
As far as I am concerned this is THE top book about Jackie's Fashions and I have either read, bought, or extensively reviewed all of them. This big coffee table book written by Oleg Cassini contains more information, better pictures and sketches than any other book about Jackie's fashions. In fact,I would say in some ways it is almost a biography of Jackie albeit a heavily illustrated one. Do not let the new influx of books about Jackie's fashions deter you from buying this book. The new books that came out around the time of the exhibit of her fashions at the Met are all ok . And Hamish Bowles book about the exhibit was the best of the three released during this timeframe. However none of these books match the lushness of Cassini's book!

An Exquisite Book Capturing an Exquisite Woman
I bought this book in 1995 when it first came out, it has held up beautifully, and is one of my all time favorite books about Jackie.

A large, coffee table book that is filled with exquisite photos from Jackie's wedding day to President Kennedy through her time as First Lady, and her later years.

Jackie has always been one of my favorite role models, and Oleg Cassini did one fantastic job in showing the sketches of clothing illustrations, as well as when and where Jackie wore them. He gives wonderful and detailed paragraphs of information that are respectful of Jackie. The book also has clear copies of the many letters of gratitude Jackie has written, as well as the many activities she was involved in.

It is a true and dignified portrait of Jackie's greatest 1,000 days, and is a timeless treasure, showing the class, dignity, heart, and soul of a woman who will forever remain eternal.
HIGHLY Recommended for the beautiful and dignified manner with which it is presented.

gorgeous book depicting the first among First Ladies
This book shows Jackie Kennedy during her truncated run as First Lady in designs by Oleg Cassini. Each entry has a photo of Jackie Kennedy at a historical event during JFK's presidency, with details of the outfit she is wearing as well as a short blurb on the time and significance of the event.

Chic, but pictures were rather tiny
I bought this book before all the Jackie style books came out. This is a good book, and what Oleg says of Jackie is insightful--but the pictures were secondary to the words! (And the cost!) There would be a drawing taking up the whole page, with this little picture of Jackie. Plus, it doesn't have all the clothes she wore--and--- They are not all his clothes!...This book, however, is a nice companion book to the Jay Mulveney book, or even the Hamish Bowles if you chose to buy that....If you want to know about Jackie's style, buy this or the IN THE KENNEDY STYLE by Latetia Baldridge, or especially the Jay Mulveney book. ... Read more

Book Description

From the classrooms of top fashion schools to the studios of talented designers, this book takes kids on an inspiring tour of the dynamic world of fashion design. Replete with colorful photographs and facts about the history and the future of fashion, it even shows readers how to get started now. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Really nice book!
This is a really nice book. Lots of glossy color photos of star designers add to the enjoyment of reading this book. It's great for little or big girls interested in fashion. I especially liked the story of the little girl who made up a new kind of mitten. She's been very successful with her efforts. It shows that not everyone has to go to design school to be a success in the field.

great color pictures
This book is a great way to see how fashion works and all the things that is in the job the pictures are great if youre thinking about being a fashion designer than you need to buy this

Fashion Fantastic!
This book was excellent. It has all the criteria that is needed to fulfill any book on this specific topic. Fashion designing is one of my most enjoyed hobbies and this book has done it all. From sewing to buying, this book suits anyone. I recommend it to anyone - whether you do or don't like clothes. It is perfect!~ If you have ever read the book, "Fashion Sketchbook" and loved it, than you will like this one a whole lot more. "Fashion Sketchbook" got a four-star review and I rate this book five-star. Enjoy this book, it is full of helpful hints on every fashion flaw there is. So...get reading! ... Read more

Book Description

Le grand couturier Yves Saint Laurent has been challenging the fashionestablishment for nearly half a century. One of the first to revolutionize street style withhis 1960s "Beat Look" collection, and credited with the creation of the pantsuit—his lesmoking, a tuxedo tailored for women, provoked the androgynous movement infashion—Saint Laurent continues to produce sexy, vibrant lines. Now, the Frenchtelevision network Canal+ has documented the making of his Spring 2002 collection forits upcoming film, 5, avenue Marceau—the address of his famed couture house. This deluxe, definitive volume follows YSL through every stage of his preparations forhis 2002 spring collections. Also included are never-before-published quotes from YSLas well as photographs from his early years and pages from his mother's scrapbook. Theclippings are lovingly annotated in her own handwriting and illustrate a personaldedication to one of fashion's greatest talents. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not the definitive look at the universe of YSL
Though the producers and editors of this book have obviously taken great care and reverence in assembling the images seen in this hefty Rizzoli hardcover edition, it is nonetheless lacking.
There is an eight-page, albeit in very-large typeface, essay extolling the philosophy behind the decades of YSL's influence and visions of modern fashion, as well as journal entries in Yves Saint Laurent's own handwriting that are written mostly in French. There are several famous quotes from him: among them the most famous of all "there is nothing more beautiful than a naked body."

The photographs number in the hundreds, though only a handful of family photographs from YSL's childhood in Oran, Algeria are captioned with names. Otherwise, the documentary's images shot mostly in the atelier at 5 avenue Marceau are without caption or description, though you can discern the sense of creativity and endless discussion that is the process of the haute couture. The masterpieces of tailleur (suits) and flou (dresses) are often one-of-a-kind. Their numbers are usually limited to one or two copies, so the 2000 or so women who can afford the prices are not likely to see someone else wearing that same opera coat or evening gown which ends up photographed in the society pages of Paris and New York among other places. If you are paying $50,000 for a hand-embroidered Lesage suit jacket, you don't want to see it on the shoulders of a half-dozen of your fellow couture followers. Ca marche pas!

Most interestingly the editors did not include many quotes from some of Saint Laurent's inner circle, except for a small contribution from his life and business partner, Pierre Berge. There is one short blurb from Catherine Deneuve, but no words from Loulou de la Falaise or Betty Catroux, or even Marie Munoz, directrice of the YSL atelier for years. There are some very old press clippings from the 50s and 60s when YSL was hitting the peaks of creativity, but very little from the pinnacle of his career, which would be most of the 1970s. In the 70s we witnessed some of the greatest moments in fashion history with the Chinese and Russian collections that set the trends for womens' wear for years after the clothes were shown in Paris.

The book is full of images, but short on text. For those who are unfamiliar with all the innovations introduced for women's clothing, their number is second only to that of those brought forth by Coco Chanel. Saint Laurent created the women's pantsuit, the "smoking" or women's tuxedo, the trenchcoat, the safari look, khaki, the list goes on and on. Seeing the documentary would be more than helpful, as it would fill in many of the gaps.

A beautiful book that leaves you only wanting much more...

More than the man
If you are looking for a book about the designer YSL look somewhere else. If however you are interested in the flow of fashion design as done by YSL then this is a wonderful creation. To me it feels like a work of gratitude to all those involved behind the YSL name.

Who is this book for?
O.k. first, let me say, it's my own fault. With picture books it's best to have a look to see if you really want to spend the $. I didn't. I made an assumption that with YSL retiring this would be a retrospective of his glorious career. Not so. Fuzzy, boring, behind the scenes pictures of people at work in his atelier. Very few dresses and those shown aren't shown well. All in all a disappointment. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone knows the name Ralph Lauren. Many peopleknow that he was born Ralphie Lifshitz. But not even Lauren himself knows the extra-ordinary history of his ancestry. And until now, no one really knew how this pint-size nebbish rose from the Jewish ghetto of the Bronx and turned himself from a yarmulke-topped yeshiva boy into the world's leading purveyor of old-money-WASP style. Genuine Authentic is that story.

Horatio Alger, step aside. Lauren, the descendant of generations of eastern European rabbis, is the embodiment of modern ambition. He stands as a symbol of the awesome rewards of self-invention -- and not just because he turned a talent for designing ties into a ten-billion-dollar international business. He also demonstrates how precarious success is, how hard a road life can be even for the driven.

Lauren is considered by many to be a phony and a copycat. Yet even though he made up his name and nearly went bankrupt trying to live up to it, he can't be dismissed as a mere fake. His products have revolutionized the way almost everything is sold and the way great brands are built. Like Henry Ford and Walt Disney, he's also a real American authentic. And his business is a stunning American success.

There are at least two Ralph Laurens. To the public he's a gentle, modest, yet secure and purposeful man. Inside the walls of Polo Ralph Lauren, though, he's seen by some as a narcissist, an insecure ditherer, and at times a rampaging tyrant.

Michael Gross, author of the bestseller Model, lays bare the truths of this fashion emperor's rise, and reveals not only the secrets of his stunning success in marketing our shared fantasies but also the darker side that's hidden behind the shiny patrician image.

Gross uncovers the essence of Lauren's carefully cultivated mystique: how he has turned his back on his own surprisingly aristocratic heritage to embrace another, more commercially viable, one; how he's built an image of luxury and wealth on a foundation of almost anonymous commodities, basic items of clothing like polo shirts and khaki pants, sold mostly in low-priced outlets, and seen everywhere from the subway to the world stage.

It wasn't easy. Along the way, Lauren conquered self-doubt and survived business reverses, even several brushes with bankruptcy. Genuine Authentic follows Lauren through an unhappy childhood and confused adolescence -- torn between an immigrant culture and his material desires -- to fame as a gray-haired thirty-something, and, finally, to the man he is today.

In recent years, after surviving brain tumor surgery, Lauren suffered from a massive midlife crisis, finding solace with a beautiful blond model. He survived that, too, and in the nineties took his company public, making him a billionaire but creating a whole new set of challenges to confront, new horizons to conquer, starting with Wall Street, and then on to the rest of the world.

Phony? Or the real thing? It's all here. You decide.

Reviews (8)

Well Worth Reading
I agree with other reviewers who complained that there were not enough pictures and that one could hardly avoid getting confused about all of the different names in Gross's book. It probably is not Gross's fault but to write about Lauren without plentiful photographs is a disservice to any reader. Gotta give it to Gross though. His report is thorough. He deserves 4 stars. His publisher deserves 2 stars.

The book is well worth reading for the education it gives the reader about the clothing business and "designer" labels as well as the telling insights into RL himself. In short, RL has cashed in on the preppy WASP persona but, to this day, doesn't really "get it" himself. Upon being questioned about art in his "WASP" designed house, he cannot identify artists on his wall and brags that he just goes by "feel." Clearly, he doesn't understand that the way of life he imitates includes education and culture, neither of which he has to this very day.

The book is also a wonderful education for the clothes buyer. You know those outlet bargains? I guess they are not, since a whole line goes straight from the factory to the outlet. Did you think that you were the only one who did not buy the $100 blouse at the department store? Looks like no one else buys much either. The money gets made from those pique shirts. Buyer beware.

Shame On Who?
I wonder if "reader" who wrote the first review below works for Ralph Lauren. I bet so. What a personal attack on someone who has obviously worked hard to write a balanced, thorough and honest book. Which this is. Despite Lauren's flip-flopping, first asking for a biography with integrity, then refusing to cooperate when the writer tried to give him what he wanted--a story told in the hysterically funny and revealing author's note at the beginning of the book--Gross not only illuminates Ralph Lauren's business, but also his complex and fascinating character, his tremendous drive and entrepreneurial spirit and the whole world of fashion. He should be proud--not ashamed. And Lauren should count himself lucky that he got a biography of such a high caliber.

Fairly good review of Lauren's work
The book gives a fairly good overview of the major stages of Lauren's life and accomplishments. While the chronology is fairly informative, I feel that it focuses more heavily on the personal relationships in Lauren's life. The book falls short in its description of the creative process that Lauren uses and the source of his inspiration and his ability to reinvent itself. The discussion on the business and financial aspects of Lauren's success is fit more for a magazine article than a serouos biographical study -- don't look for any insights here either.

Very disappointing! Glad I didn't buy it.
How can anyone write a fashion book with so few photographs? When you're talking about a particular RL collection or ad campaign and whether it was successful or not, the reader wants to be reminded of what the "Prairie" look was, or the Annie-Hall inspired collection, or the NY Times advertising spread, or whatever. And there are almost no pictures of any of the many players involved, which contributes to the reader's difficulty in keeping all the names straight. The book is obviously intended as a hatchet job -- there are constant, snippy reminders of how narcissistic and perfectionistic he is, but reading between the lines, you also get the impression that there ARE some people who LIKE to work for him. I am no big fan of Lauren's, but Gross obviously has a vendetta against him. Too bad, because this boring book could have been really interesting.
And, in response to the comment by another reviewer: NO, I do NOT work for Ralph Lauren! I don't even buy his clothes! I am just interested in the fashion industry, and there are many other, better fashion books. (And, BTW, I liked Gross's "Models" book.)

Mass-querading as Class
"Clearly, people want things that make their lives the way they wish they were." That's a quote that always appeared at the front of the J. Peterman catalogue--the one that was immortalized on "Seinfeld." It's an excellent piece of marketing advice, and Ralph Lauren understood it and capitalized on it. I'm stating the obvious.

First, I'll give credit to Ralph (Lifschitz) Lauren for being so clever as to repackage the classics and build an empire based on the Great WASP way of life--the one that so many people aspire to. It was brilliant, and if I had been the one to pull it off, I would smile all the way to the bank.

Secondly, I give well-deserved credit to Michael Gross for sweeping away the pixie dust and writing about what is actually behind this purveyor of "lifestyle goods." I wouldn't say that there are a great number of surprises; rather, the story he tells confirms (in detail) what most of us already know--that the fashion industry is so much smoke and mirrors, and why would Ralph be any different? He hasn't been innovative and shocking in the way that you see styles emerge from other designers, but he chose to reinvent himself and at the same time, package it all quite nicely and ready-to-consume by the insecure masses.

Michael Gross reveals that the real money in the Lauren company is made on khakis and polo shirts and that Ralph may be out of touch with who his customer really is. That polo shirt with the pony logo shows up on the backs of so many beefy, paunchy, male members of the corportate bourgeousie (middle class strivers) as opposed to those of the old Blue Book families for whom L.L. Bean is just fine, thank you. I recall once seeing a Ralph Lauren navy blazer for women with this obtrusive gold "Ralph Lauren" crest on the chest and thinking, "You must be kidding. That's downright embarrassing."

So, why would you want to read this book?

1. There's an all-American Horatio Alger type story within these pages.

2. You'll see how one man pulled all this off, and read about the realities and the pitfalls of his journey from the Bronx to his vast stage-set estates.

3. Learn something about the rag trade and licensing. Your own closet may not look the same upon close examination.

4. Realize that "discontent is the cornerstone of our consumer culture." (Sorry, I can't remember who said that.) The need to express status runs deep, and people in social distress often consume their way into "meaning." It can be costly to be a victim.

5. Dig a little deeper into this story and see that it is truly an authentic American tale based on choreographed gentility (down to the last threadbare oriental rug). The Ralph Lauren stores are pretty, and the ambience romances the all the stuff nicely, but be aware that it's all facade--a "fop house."

In summary, this book was interesting and worth the read. I'll let Henry James have the last word here:

"You are rich if you can meet the needs of your imagination." ... Read more

Book Description

The only comprehensive guide to shopping for vintage and designer resale, including * specific stores in all the major U.S. & Canadian cities * favorite haunts of celebs and stylists * Internet thrift shopping * vintange expos across the continent Whether you're on a budget or ready to splurge on mint-condition Givenchy, this is your roadmap to the timeless cool of vintage HCing. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Excellent resource!
What a fabulous resource for lovers of vintage clothing! I have learned about stores in Toronto that I would never have found otherwise. The detailed store descriptions are wonderful - it's interesting to learn about the history of the stores, as well as about their owners.
And what a helpful book when travelling to other cities in North America! Thank you!

Best shopping guide yet!
This book is fabulous. Not only does it explore (and I use the word "explore" because these listings go way beyond mere addresses and phone numbers) about 500 vintage and contemporary designer resale stores all over the U.S., Canada and Online, but with the information offered on each store (what kind of merchandise is carried, price range, return policy, store owner's personal collections, description of the store itself, etc.), I feel much more confident about shopping for my newest passion, vintage clothing (almost like the authors are holding my hand and walking me thru). I also found the section that describes designers from the '20s to the '80s, along with an explanation of what was going on the world during those times, fascinating. The glossary of fashion terms is also helpful, and I loved the listings of vintage expos all over the U.S. The quotes from costume designers, and learning about vintage pieces worn by Hollywood celebrities, is definately a fun bonus. Bravo!

This book is not worth the money
This book is basically just a list of resale stores in some bigger cities. The same information could be obtained in twenty minutes with some basic research.

Costume Design Apprentice says: Best Book Out There!
I LOVED this book, not only was it extremely informative, but it was very practical-the $ labels were the best! I used it on a very important project and it didn't let me down once! This resource was very helpful. It is a book for anyone who has been bitten by the vintage-shopping bug. Happy shopping!

I've Found Some New Favorites!
I think the mark of a good guidebook is one that can tell you new things about your hometown. Retro Chic is a *great* guidebookbook. I purchased my copy at home in Seattle, and was pleased to see that my favorite retro sources were included -- as well as several new favorites I hadn't heard about before. The information on online resources is also quite helpful, and introduced me to a whole new way of shopping for unique resale fashions. I took Retro Chic with me on a business trip to Los Angeles last week, and was able to do some wonderfully affordable consignment shopping in a city that's completely foreign to me. What a fantastic resource!

This DOES NOT appear to be a book in which the authors were paid for reviewing particular stores. The information is well organized, up-to-date, and gives plenty of clues about the stores it reviews. Listings are honest and cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from price scales and credit cards accepted to the kind of merchandise available.

This book is a great resource for anyone with a retro fetish, and a no-hassle way for people new to the "scene" to find great resale outlets in their home town, on vacation, or online. I highly recommend Retro Chic and have bought copies as gifts for two friends who recently moved across country. ... Read more

Book Description

One of fashion's great icons, Bill Blass transformed American chic into the single most important influence on contemporary fashion. Favored by First Ladies, celebrities, and women of style, his sophisticated gowns and impeccable suits embody modern sophistication.

As exquisitely tailored and visually extravagant as a Blass ensemble, this impressive volume features over 100 new photographs and a stunning array of historical images by such notables as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Horst, and Guy Bourdin, in addition to Blass's own sketches. Published to accompany a major retrospective of the designer's 50-year career, it has been created with Blass's full cooperation, and every page reflects his exceptional taste. This is the book Blass fans have been waiting for. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first book to focus exclusively on the work of fashion designer Ossie Clark (1942-1996), a key figure in the style and fashion worlds of London in the swinging '60s. Clark created jumpsuits for Mick Jagger, silk dresses for Bianca Jagger, and snakeskin out?ts for Eartha Kitt, and is the subject of a famous portrait by David Hockney. The fusion of his brilliant cutting with the extraordinary prints created by his wife, textile designer Celia Birtwell, resulted in designs that paid witty homage to Art Deco and Hollywood glamour.

Author Judith Watt has interviewed models, friends, and colleagues from the 1960s-and has unearthed exclusive audio archives featuring Ossie Clark himself-to create this unprecedented portrait of a major figure in modern fashion. The illustrations include Vogue fashion shoots (including images by such famous photographers as David Bailey), portraits, documentary photographs, wonderful unpublished sketches owned by Birtwell, and stunning new photographs of iconic outfits.

Published to accompany a major retrospective exhibition, this book will bring new admirers to the work of a man whose continuing influence can be seen in the work of John Galliano, Gucci, Prada, and other major designers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

this book is a must-have for any designer
beautiful patterns/ clothes/ sketches. great book. buy it, it's one of my fav's this year. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Because design is all around us, it often goes unnoticed unless it's strikingly awful--as in the case of an uncomfortable chair or a pen that's too large to hold correctly. Conversely, great design is commonly overlooked because it performs so well--the perfect typeface or an ever-present logo, for example. An Yves Saint Laurent woman's dinner jacket worn without a shirt and an Eero Aarnio bright orange ball chair from the 1960s, however, are two wonderful designs that won't soon be lost in the shuffle. World Design, an encyclopedia of some of the best designed objects and ideas of the 20th century, takes readers on a visual tour of smart things designed for living. Arranged alphabetically by designer, it begins with beautiful Aino Aalto (the wife of Alvar) ridged glassware from the 1930s. The pressed glass rings that encircle these pitchers and drinking glasses were originally conceived as a means to hide imperfections in the material, but the visual simplicity has been routinely imitated by other designers since then. At the other end of this thick book, readers will find a page for Marco Zanuso, the Italian industrial designer who created a yellow plastic portable television in 1964. In between, readers are treated to glimpses of iconic objects by Le Corbusier and Issey Miyake as well as newer, innovative designs such as a chair made of a transparent gel originally used only in medicine. Along with the beautiful, these pages document objects that changed our world: Earl S. Tupper's ingenious, now-ubiquitous containers revolutionized food storage when they were introduced with their airtight lids in the late 1930s. At a hefty 432 pages with 1,000 color photographs, this book is full of fascinating information and wonderful images that track the last 100 years of influential design. --J.P. Cohen ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Paced with details on designer styles.
This A-Z encyclopedia of contemporary furniture, fashion and graphics designs provides an engrossing survey featuring over a thousand color photos of the works of the finest modern designers. From discussions of individual contributions to wider-ranging surveys of styles, movements and innovations, World Design packs in details about the changing, evolving world and styles of designers.

A visual treat
In my view, World Design is a rather subjective title to the book when most of the items discussed here are from Western countries, mainly powerhouse countries such as Italy, France, UK, Germany. Most of the modern classics are in here & most of the daily items that we have taken for granted are here too. Again, designers that are chosen to be included in this encyclopedia is subjective considering that there are other designers that failed to be mentioned such as the highly acclaimed late John Britten, a New Zealander who has designed & built an organic shaped motorbike using carbon fibre with many technological advances. What about the designers who designed the Jaguar E Type, Lotus Elise which uses the aluminium spaceframe which saves the weight of the car & not compromising the safety of the passengers, Benz SLK with its ability to be transformed from a convertible to a coupe in a matter of second, & what about Karem Rashid whose salt & pepper shakers have been rendered as a classics since? The list could go on but having said that, this book manages to inform the readers of those committed designers that designed items for the people, by the people. This book is by no mean a definite book for design because as we speak, more new designer pieces are coming to the market place, and designer pieces being evolved to meet the changes of our requirements.

Highly recommended for students of furniture design & styles
This A-Z encyclopedia of contemporary furniture, fashion and graphics designs provides an engrossing survey featuring over a thousand color photos of the works of the finest modern designers. From discussions of individual contributions to wider-ranging surveys of styles, movements and innovations, World Design packs in details about the changing, evolving world and styles of designers.

Promises more than it delivers (tant pis)
Right off the bat, the infuriating things (I'll get to the kudos in a moment):

1. Frequently and throughout, a work will be cited in the body text as significant in a designers' evolution and then *not illustrated*, whereas the works illustrated tend to be minor or tangential. You have no idea how annoying it is to read that Sir Norman Foster's lighting system for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (or George Nelson's Storagewall, or *most* of Ross Lovegrove's oeuvre, and so on...) was "revolutionary," and then not get to see it, or what was so revolutionary about it.

2. The book misses obvious, multifaceted rising talents like Karim Rashid, while devoting overmuch space to, say, Jamie Reid (much as I love his Sex Pistols work).

3. Some of the facts are just *wrong*. The font cited as OCR-B is, I believe, OCR-A, for just one example.

4. The text has either been translated poorly or written in English by someone with imperfect command of English idiom. This is OK in a Kartell catalogue, but not in a book intended for a mass English-speaking audience. It's clumsy, verging on contemptful (i.e., "They'll be so busy looking at the pretty pictures they won't notice the text.")

All that said, this is a beautiful and useful book. It has enhanced my sense of the evolution and internationality of modern design, shed some (though not very much) light onto the personalities and motivations of individual designers, blown me away in places (Noguchi's Nurse radio!) and provided a valuable transitional reference for me at work, where I must among other things describe design products in depth on a daily basis. I *really* liked the equal respect given to categories like fashion and typography, or designers like Coco Chanel who are not usually thought of as such, or as so influential. And the timeline at the end of the book is especially interesting. This would make a great gift for anyone interested in industrial design, fashion, graphics, or even branding/marketing. Let's hope the next edition is even better.

Y o u g o t t a b e w i t h t h i s.
The format of the book (length of descriptions and size of pictures) was well suited to the presentation of these beautiful yet sometimes familiar works of design. There was a focus on environmental and industrial products. I would have loved to view more examples of graphic art, but they did cover the important figures in that category such as David Carson and Paul Rand. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most beloved figures in country music (non-music division), Nudie Cohn was born a million metaphoric miles from the birthplace of the hillbilly sound. His remarkable journey--from tailor's apprentice in his birthplace of Kiev, Russia, to America's undisputed king of Western wear--is lovingly documented in Nudie: The Rodeo Tailor by authors Jamie Lee Nudie (his granddaughter) and Mary Lynn Cabrall. More pictorial celebration than detailed biography, the book wisely lets the photos of his famous friends and his splendid suits tell the story; the accompanying text is light and breezy, providing a mere overview of Cohn's life and travels. An incredible range of actors and musicians appear, usually donning Nudie's one-of-a-kind creations. Supposedly the first tailor to add rhinestones to a Western suit, Nudie was as flamboyant as his gloriously embroidered, superbly studded garments. Like many immigrants to the States, this Russian-born Jew was clearly fascinated by the more mythic aspects of Americana--Hollywood, cowboys, and western music--and eventually became a unique part of Americana himself. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more