Haute Couture

Published to accompany an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute, this appealing book provides a lively survey of the history of haute couture from its beginnings with the formation of the House of Worth in mid-nineteenth-century Paris to the present-day creations of fashion's major designers. One section of the book features a survey of designs that exemplify the rise of haute couture - that is, fashion driven by the artistic expression of the designer rather than by the dictates of clients - including garments such as Poiret's "sorbet" lampshade gown, Chanel's "little black dress," Dior's New Look, and Balenciaga's sack dress. Among the contemporary couturiers featured are Gianni Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, and Christian Lacroix. Most of the designs are in the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and were photographed especially for this book.