Elizabethan gowns, Renaissance finery and Fortuny pleats, as well as elaborate headpieces, cascading flowers and exquisite footwear, are all part of Isabelle de Borchgrave's oeuvre. The companion volume to a major museum survey, this book highlights three of de Borchgrave's most beloved series: Papiers a la Mode and the Fortuny and Medici collections. A special section focuses on the making of a new work inspired by a portrait in the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Full-colour illustrations of her historically inspired works reveal the painstaking detail that goes into each piece and the whimsical magic that transforms a simple material into the most luxurious of garments. Broad in its appeal, this lovely volume will fascinate anyone interested in fashion, costume history, paper, and design.