Patricia Mears

Ballerina: Fashion’s Modern Muse is a revelatory, irresistible treat for dance aficionados and fashionistas alike. Couturiers such as Balmain, Balenciaga, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Charles James, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent designed ballet-inspired dresses and gowns, many featuring the boned bodices and voluminous tulle skirts of classical tutus. American ready-to-wear designers such as Claire McCardell found inspiration in ballet leotards and other practice clothing, creating knitted separates, bathing suits, and wrap dresses. Written by fashion and ballet experts, the book is illustrated with archival photography by such masters as Richard Avedon, Edward Steichen, Irving Penn, Man Ray, and Cecil Beaton, along with newly commissioned photography of contemporary ballerinas wearing ballet-influenced couture.

Explore the powerful impact that female fashion designers have had on interior design, from Coco Chanel's radical luxury in the interwar years to Mary Quant's mid-century 'youthquake revolution'. This richly illustrated book documents an array of interiors commissioned by approximately 30 important clothing creators who, it shows, were influential beyond the realm of fashion too: From Jeanne Paquin, who experimented with Belle poque interiors in grand salons and private homes to Jeanne Lavin, who established a celebrated interiors department in the interwar period, and the Baroness de Rothschild whose interiors as well as garments garnered a global following. Through this extraordinary cast of women, Patricia Mears demonstrates how female designers regularly used interior decoration to enhance their brands and enrich their personal lives. From luxe, professionally-crafted couture salons and apartments to modest, self-decorated ateliers and homes, the spaces showcased by this book express the passion these female fashion creators devoted to their magical interiors.

Explore the powerful impact that female fashion designers have had on interior design, from Coco Chanel's radical luxury in the interwar years to Mary Quant's mid-century 'youthquake revolution'. This richly illustrated book documents an array of interiors commissioned by approximately 30 important clothing creators who, it shows, were influential beyond the realm of fashion too: From Jeanne Paquin, who experimented with Belle poque interiors in grand salons and private homes to Jeanne Lavin, who established a celebrated interiors department in the interwar period, and the Baroness de Rothschild whose interiors as well as garments garnered a global following. Through this extraordinary cast of women, Patricia Mears demonstrates how female designers regularly used interior decoration to enhance their brands and enrich their personal lives. From luxe, professionally-crafted couture salons and apartments to modest, self-decorated ateliers and homes, the spaces showcased by this book express the passion these female fashion creators devoted to their magical interiors.