Dior [Hardcover]

Farid Chenoune (Author), Laziz Hamani (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

On the occasion of its sixtieth anniversary, the House of Dior presents a monumental recounting of its history, imparted through its exceptional legacy: one hundred and fifty of its most beautiful dresses. This magnificent, four-hundred-page book, unveils its most beautiful Haute Couture dresses captured with original photography and unique, insightful texts which annotating Christian Dior and its couturiers from Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, and Gianfranco Ferré to John Galliano. press reviews, photographs of celebrity models from Suzy Parker to Kate Moss, each immortalized in Dior by the fashion photographers of the time, from Irving Penn to Nick Knight.

This definitive anthology of one of the world s foremost couture houses captures the feel of each era, the grand ambiance, creativity and an assortment of presentations, fashion shows, ateliers and clients from every period: it s all here. An added bonus: a list of the house s one hundred and twenty Haute Couture collections, including their launch dates, themes, and designers which are listed in the appendix.

Editorial Reviews

Review

With 400 pages and 300 illustrations, it's just the thing for a best-dressed bedside table. --Capital File

About the Author

Farid Chenoune is a fashion historian and professor of liberal arts. Photographer Laziz Hamani has contributed to many books on fashion and the arts. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 383 pages
• Publisher: Assouline; First Edition edition (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2759401626
• ISBN-13: 978-2759401628
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 2 x 15 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #864,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars GIGANTIC book covering the whole history of the House of Dior November 21, 2007

By Joseph A. Admire VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Let's get my one complaint out of the way right off; there's not enough coverage, for my own personal preference, of the couture that really made Dior what it is - the dazzling "New Look" dresses of the house's founder, Christian Dior himself, from 1947 to 1957. To my own way of thinking, even Yves St. Laurent pales beside the master, and there should have been more on the "golden age" (to steal the title of another recent book on the general subject).

All the same, overall this is a splendid book. It's one of the biggest and heaviest I've ever seen; this is a genuine coffee-table book, not something you can casually cart around for subway reading. I don't know just what the $1,500 "special edition" entails, but the regular edition is very high-quality by itself. The oversize format, which I always think is suitable for books on this topic, allows for really detailed, high-quality photography (the dust-jacket photograph is a perfect case in point; you can literally see the tiny "D"'s on the buttons), and you get lots of closeups and full views both of the various outfits. Notwithstanding my grumble in the previous paragraph, what the reader will find here is a good overview of the 60-year history of possibly the most renowned haute-couture design house in the world. Hefty price, but recommended for anyone with a serious interest in the field.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DIOR January 21, 2008

By Shannon Deason

Format:Hardcover

This is a HUGE book, but I suppose in order to sum up all that is Dior it takes a redwood. This book is exhaustive and it traces the Dior fashion house from the Elegant Mr. Dior to the iconoclast Galliano. I for one love the way Christian Dior made a woman look, his style was revolutionary in many ways, but traditional at the same time. His most famous proteget Yves St. Laurent, pales in comparison to the master, as an innovator and as a designer in general, though Mr. St. Laurent was certainly a great talent in his own right. As for the current work of the house of Dior, to be honest i of course like the coutour that reflects Christian Dior, but some of the more outlandish styles as reflected by in house designer Galliano leaves a bit to be desired, and what is up with his personal look, where Mr. Dior exuded class, Mr. Galliano looks like he's trying out for a Chelsea production of Pirates of Pensance, but I digress. I like for instantance what Tom Ford did for the House of Gucci, but I'm not that please with the direction Galliano has taken Dior, but alas that does not preclude my enjoyment of this fantastic book. A fitting tribute to one of Europes great fashion houses.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing collection March 31, 2008

By Stephanie Roades

Format:Hardcover

This is an amazing book following the House of Dior. The selection of pictures are phenomenal and the quality of the book itself is fantastic. I have it on my coffee table, and everyone that sees it, picks it up and looks at it for hours. Gorgeous book. Far superior to any other books about Dior that I've come across.