The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris [Paperback]

Alicia Drake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 2007

"Deliciously dramatic... The Beautiful Fall crackles with excitement."-New York Times Book Review

In the 1970s, Paris fashion exploded like a champagne bottle left out in the sun. Amid sequins and longing, celebrities and aspirants flocked to the heart of chic, and Paris became a hothouse of revelry, intrigue, and searing ambition. At the center of it all were fashion's most beloved luminaries - Yves Saint Laurent, the reclusive enfant terrible, and Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant freelancer with a talent for reinvention - and they divided Paris into two fabulous halves. Their enduring rivalry is chronicled in this dazzling exposé of an era: of social ambitions, shared obsessions, and the mesmerizing quest for beauty.


"Fascinating." -New York Times


"Addictive." -Philadelphia Inquirer


"It's like US Weekly, 1970s style." -Gotham


"A story constructed as exquisitely as a couture dress. . . . It moves stylishly forward, with frequent over-the-shoulder glances at some very dishy background." -Boston Globe

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alicia Drake writes regularly for publications including International Herald Tribune, British Vogue, Travel and Leisure and W Magazine for which she was a contributing editor. She has lived and worked in Paris for the last ten years.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books (September 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316001856
• ISBN-13: 978-0316001854
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #477,620 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Fall It Was!, June 4, 2008

By 

R. Allen "rick926" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris (Paperback)

To those fashionistas who remember the early 70s and to those who don't, this book is wonderfully interesting and perfectly detailed in its comparisons and reflections on the works of St. Laurent and Lagerfeld. Although in the early 70s the US was just starting to swing, it seems that Paris was sizzling. This book made me envious of everyone there. I would recommend this book to everyone interested in fashion, pop culture and Paris.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Golden Age of Fashion, Illustration and Fashion Magazines, December 3, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris (Paperback)

I am still reading this very engrossing book but remember well some of the era it portrays: largely the late 1970s through early eighties. As a teenager, I never missed my monthly Vogue and Bazaar, and I am happy that I saved the best of them.
This book provides a very detailed and intoxicating look back at two main characters: Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Largerfeld. Also detailed are their many vivid satellites, including the models and photographers that informed their world. Another standout was the great fashion illustrator, Antonio Lopez, but sadly not one of his pictures is included here.
Regardless, this is fantastic read for those who want to reminisce and for those wanting to look back on an era.
-Siouxie, Brooklyn

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous Peek at the World of Paris Fasion in the 70's, August 9, 2011

By 

Casey Ellis (Los Altos, California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris (Paperback)

I adore this book -- have read it twice and undoubtedly will re-read some sections many more times. Drake has done amazing research and writes like a dream. St. Laurent and Lagerfeld have been the subjects of mountains of printed matter,but none I've found compare to this.