A tortured genius and one of most influential designers of the twentieth century, Yves Saint Laurent was responsible for revolutionising the way women dressedand viewed themselves. During a wildly creative career stretching from 1958 to 2002 Saint Laurent established a reputation for accessible, flawlessly cut clothes. He became an overnight sensation in 1958, aged 21, when he showed his 'Trapeze' collection, his first for the House of Christian Dior, following the master's death. Four years later, Saint Laurent opened his own couture house and within a fewseasons was hailed by Vogue's Diana Vreeland as the pied piper of fashion. Viewed as a master colourist and admired for his choice of sultry fabrics, his great gift was creating lasting styles — described by Vogue as 'stockpiles ofessentials in times of famine' — that flattered all shapes and sizes. As well asdesigning wardrobe classics like the 'Le Smoking' tuxedo for women, the Safarijacket, the trench and the pea coat, and introducing trousers into haute couture, he also dressed international style icons such as Catherine Deneuve, MarellaAgnelli and Lauren Bacall. With his nose for the zeitgeist, Saint Laurent recognisedthe global power of street fashion and launched Rive Gauche, his ready-to-wearboutique line in 1966. Christened 'The Saint' by Vogue, every element of his fashionempire, which included exhilarating couture collections, exquisite accessories andsought-after perfumes, was captured by Vogue's writers and leading photographerslike Richard Avedon, David Bailey and Norman Parkinson.

Monsieur Dior: Once Upon A Time is an exlusive behind-the-scenes look into the ten years Christian Dior ran his esteemed house. As women were starved for glamor following World War II, Dior's New Look was revolutionary in bringing femininity back to fashion with a bold use of fabric and silhouetted lines. In the short time he ran the house, Dior rose to superstardom and managed to expand his empire to perfumes, jewelry, and hosiery while opening boutiques all over the world. Author Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni interviewed dozens of people who had a direct relationship with the fashion designer such as Jacqueline de Ribes, Olivia de Havilland, John Fairchild, Pierre Cardin, Victoire Doutreleau, and many others, including his vendeuses or saleswomen, society clients, models, and muses, giving readers unique intimate insight into how this captivating house operated. With dazzling images by photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lord Snowdon, and Willy Maywald, as well as never-before-seen materials from the Dior Archives, this account is a fresh and surprising view into the House of Dior and life of its brillant founder. Monsieur Dior: Once Upon A Time is elegantly presented in a Dior grey box with silver tissue paper and a grosgrain bookmark.