Golden Age of Couture, The: Paris and London, 1947-57
by: Wilcox, Claire

Hardcover. London, V&A Publications, 1st, 2007, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Good, 224 pages. Hardcover with dust jacket. Soiling and wear to dust jacket edges. Light yellowing to inside pages. Small tears to dust jacket rear. An otherwise tight copy. 97 color plates, 80 black and white illustrations. In 1947, Christian Dior?s ?New Look? was greeted with both shock and delight, making headlines around the world. Accompanying the exhibition opening at the Victoria and Albert Museum in September 2007, this lavish book focuses on Parisian and British couture between 1947 and 1957, the decade Dior hailed as fashion?s ?golden age.? The ?New Look? symbolized a new femininity. The full skirts and hourglass silhouettes were considered highly decadent, synonymous with luxury and prosperity, in marked contrast to the austerity of the WWII years. Nevertheless, the ?New Look? caught the public imagination and ushered in a period of remarkable creativity. The Golden Age of Couture features stunning gowns and exquisite tailoring from Dior as well as from such designers as Balenciaga, Balmain, and Givenchy, along with evocative photographs by the likes of Richard Avedon and Cecil Beaton.