In 1947, Christian Dior presented his first collection...

He gave women back their femininity; his fabulous dresses featured wasp-waists, high and prominent bust-lines and full, long skirts, and the evening dresses were made up of seemingly endless metres of luxurious cloth embroidered and beaded by Lesage. Carmel Snow, the American fashion doyenne, dubbed Dior’s collection ‘the New Look’, and under this banner the world’s fashion press heralded the return of haute couture.

This sumptuous book is based entirely on documents and photographs culled from the legendary Dior archives, and presents a detailed history of this great house’s first decade. Christian Dior not only drew every dress himself, but controlled every stitch and pleat, and personally fitted most of his clients, among whom were Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Bergman, the Duchess of Windsor, the Rothschilds and the Empress of Japan.

This volume re-creates the glorious days when haute couture was about beauty and elegance rather than outright commercialism and sensationalism, and will delight everyone interested in fashion or design.