Customer Reviews

Lanvin

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is the best resource available regarding the original designs of Jeanne Lanvin, but it is an absolute travesty that the author chose not to include any mention of the house's creative output from the time of Lanvin's death in 1946 until the moment Alber Elbaz took the helm in 2002 almost fifty years later (with a whopping sixty pages devoted to the current designer). Granted Elbaz is a very talented man, but so were his predecessors Antonio del Castillo, Jules-Francois Crahay, and Claude Montana, and I fully expected them to be represented in this volume. For the fashion enthusiast, this book is certainly worth buying, but unless the omissions are corrected in a later volume it is manifestly an incomplete history of the house of Lanvin. You can find good examples of Crahay's designs for Lanvin in the book _Rare Bird of Fashion_, but I know of no serious scholarship regarding Antonio del Castillo's body of work, and this is a shame. This book is an indispensable addition to any library of the history of fashion, but it has absolutely missed an opportunity to showcase the creativity of Lanvin's successors / Elbaz's predecessors.

This book makes the hair on the nape of my neck stand up. The research, the photographs, the interviews, the sketches - it's a masterpiece. If you don't have this book, run out and buy it.

PRETTY can have a negative connotation....but NOT here. Truly PRETTY PRETTY illustrations and clothes. Lanvin clearly very different from the other greats. Her clothes are,well, dare I say PRETTY in the very best sense. Lots of pics and a real delight to see her work in depth. I can't speak to the text because I buy books for the pics. Also, very little on the current designer. Almost all the book on the original Lanvin...which is to my liking. I must say some of the 'new guys' stuff is fun too though.

I adore this book. I love Lanvin and it completely does the house justice with clear, gorgeous photographs as well as a full in-depth history of the house. A must have for anyone who loves Parisian fashion, Lanvin and/or fashion.

Such an inspiring book. I just love the history and the detail.
lovely...

I've been considering buying this book for sometime and finally made the decision to buy it, so glad I did. This is a beautiful well bound book, it's huge and full of great color and b/w photos. The illustrations drawn by Mrs. Lanvin are exceptionally beautiful. I also appreciate the fact that they managed to show multiple photos for many pieces (i.e. they included the sketches, archival photos, along with full color new photos for the preserved gowns). The text is highly informative and detailed although sometimes it gets a bit heavy on technical terms and techniques. What surprises me is the fact that most of the dresses look very much contemporary although they date back to the first half of the 20th century, they could so easily blend with today's fashion trends, I happen to like them more than the new designs. If I had any complaints about this book, it would be the same as mentioned here by other reviewers, I would have liked to see the designs created by the designers preceding Mr. Elbaz. This would have created a complete historical overview regarding the house of Lanvin, because there seems to be round half a century gap missing from 1946 the year Mrs. Lanvin died till the early 2000s when Mr. Elbaz took the helm.

Waited with anticipation for this book, and when it arrived one Friday night, late, I was not disappointed. This will be a fantastic addition to my library both as reference and inspiration. The words and pictures are stunning, every fashion or design lover would treasure this book for it's intimate details into the world of Lanvin.

This volume devoted to the Haute Couture and other creative endeavour of the great Couturière, Jeanne Lanvin, is nothing less than sumptuous both in its scope and presentation. Mr. Harold Koda at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute seems to know his audience and what they desire, and I applaud him! Page after page of gorgeous images of her work in combination with exceptional text. THIS is what all volumes devoted to the work of a single Couturier and Couturière should be. If, you acquire but a single volume devoted to Haute Couture, this is the one. My only reservation and criticism would be the inclusion of the work of Alber Elbaz, chiefly, because, "Lanvin" is no longer a House of Haute Couture, and M. Albaz, has not been at the helm of this House for that long so a consideration of his creations is premature at this time. While I grasp the marketing aspect of including such, I wish that Mr. Koda could persuade such Houses to cease with such within the context of Haute Couture and volumes meant to be historical in direction. Thankfully, this volume is devoted more to Jeanne Lanvin than to M. Albaz.

THIS BOOK IS WELL RESEARCHED HOWEVER COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER SIMULAR BOOKS I WAS A BIT DISAPOINTED IN IT. IT NEVER TOLD OF CASTILLO AND MYRL LANVIN ETC.

this book though it is a well prepared and has many beautiful and colourful photos yet it didn't reach my interests and expectations.few designs were introduced.most of them are simple and have no kind of attractiveness.