1. Givenchy Catwalk
Founded by the dashing Hubert de Givenchy in 1952, the house would go on to symbolize the height of effortless elegance, as embodied by Givenchy’s muse (and close friend) Audrey Hepburn. After its founder’s retirement in 1995, John Galliano first took the reins of the house, before being succeeded by a young Alexander McQueen, who created his first (and only) haute couture collections for Givenchy. More recently, Italian designer Riccardo Tisci took the brand into a resolutely contemporary direction following his appointment in 2005 (dressing icons such as Beyoncé), followed by Clare Waight Keller and American designer Matthew M. Williams.
Givenchy Catwalk – the only monograph in print on the house of Givenchy – opens with a concise history of the fashion house before exploring the collections themselves, which are organized chronologically. Each new era in Givenchy’s history opens with a brief overview and biography of the new designer, while individual collections are introduced by a short text unveiling their influences and highlights, illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
2. Versace Catwalk
Founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, the family-run fashion house soon grew into a symbol of high glamour and luxury known the world over, dressing the biggest personalities of the 1980s and 1990s, from Madonna to Princess Diana. After Gianni Versace’s tragic death in 1997, his sister Donatella became artistic director of the brand, steering it into the 21st century and cementing its legendary status for new generations of fans.
Versace Catwalk opens with a concise history of the house, followed by brief biographical profiles of Gianni Versace and Donatella Versace, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images that showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs – and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway, from Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer to Jennifer Lopez and Kaia Gerber. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
3. Vivienne Westwood Catwalk
One of the most thought-provoking and influential designers in the world – she once declared ‘the only reason I’m in fashion is to destroy the word “conformity”’ – Vivienne Westwood reinvented, changed and challenged the world of fashion for over five decades.
Celebrating forty years of catwalk collections, Vivienne Westwood Catwalk records the inimitable creations imagined by Vivienne Westwood since her first runway show in 1981, as well as those designed by her husband and long-time collaborator, Andreas Kronthaler.
Complete with an introduction and collection texts by Alexander Fury, and biographies written by the designers themselves, Vivienne Westwood Catwalk offers a rare opportunity to chart the development of a uniquely creative fashion house.
4. Chanel Catwalk
The best-selling Chanel Catwalk was the first book to gather every Chanel collection ever created by Karl Lagerfeld in a single volume. Now fully updated to include Lagerfeld’s final collections for the house and those of his right-hand and successor, Virginie Viard, this revised edition includes twenty-eight new collections.
This definitive publication features a concise history of Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard’s time at Chanel as well as brief biographical profiles of each designer. The collections (from Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear to Cruise and Métier d’arts) are organized chronologically. Each one is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images, showcasing hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs – and of course the top fashion models who wore them on the runway. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
5. Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk
Founded by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1961, shortly after the young couturier left his post at the helm of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent would soon become one of the most successful and influential haute couture houses in Paris. Introducing Le Smoking, the first tuxedo suit for women, in 1966, Saint Laurent also presented iconic art-inspired creations, from Mondrian dresses to precious Van Gogh embroidery and the famous Ballets Russes collection.
Yves Saint Laurent Catwalk opens with a concise history of the house, followed by a brief biographical profile of Yves Saint Laurent, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with a gallery of carefully curated catwalk images. These showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs – and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway. A rich reference section concludes the book.
6. Louis Vuitton Catwalk
Founded as a luxury leather goods house in 1854, Louis Vuitton was for many decades one of the world’s leading trunk and accessories makers. It was after launching its first fashion collections in 1998, however, that the house reached unprecedented global fame, and pioneered high-profile collaborations with artists such as Richard Prince, Takashi Murakami and Stephen Sprouse.
Louis Vuitton Catwalk opens with a concise history of the house, followed by brief biographical profiles of Marc Jacobs, the first creative director (1998–2014), and Nicolas Ghesquière, who helms the brand today, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images. Showcasing hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs – and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway, from Naomi Campbell and Gisele to Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
7. Dior Catwalk
Published to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dior’s first ever collection (the iconic ‘New Look’, launched in spring 1947), Dior Catwalk charts Christian Dior’s fabled collections and those of his successors Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, and Raf Simons, as well as Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut presentations for the house.
Every haute couture collection is represented, as are ready-to-wear collections from the arrival of John Galliano onwards. Complete with an introduction and designer profiles by Alexander Fury, this book offers a unique opportunity to chart the development of one of the most influential and luxurious fashion brands of all time and discover rarely seen creations.
With over 1,100 images, this treasure trove of inspiration will be the must-have reference for all fashion professionals and Dior fans.
8. Prada Catwalk
Prada Catwalk Founded as a luxury leather goods house in 1913 in Milan, Prada entered the field of fashion when Miuccia Prada took the helm of the family company in 1979. After initially focusing exclusively on accessories, she presented the house’s first fashion collection in 1988. She would soon transform Prada into one of the world’s most influential luxury brands with a deeply personal, sophisticated and subtly subversive approach.
This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house, followed by a brief biographical profile of Miuccia Prada, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images that showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs – and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway, from Naomi Campbell and Gisele to Kate Moss and Kaia Gerber. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
9. Chloé Catwalk
Founded by Egyptian-born Gaby Aghion in 1952, Chloé pioneered luxury ready-to-wear that was all about ease and femininity, offering an elegant haute bohemian style for the modern, liberated Parisienne. Resolutely contemporary, the house spotted and hired a young Karl Lagerfeld as early as the 1960s: he stayed for over two decades, achieving fame and recognition worldwide through his Chloé work, before Stella McCartney (and her then assistant Phoebe Philo) succeeded him straight out of fashion school.
This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house of Chloé before exploring the collections themselves, which are organized chronologically. Each new era in Chloé’s history opens with a brief overview and biography of the new designer, while individual collections are introduced by a short text unveiling their influences and highlights, and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
After Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Vivienne Westwood and Versace, Chloé Catwalk is the eighth in a series of high-end, cloth-bound books that offer an unrivalled overview of the collections of the world’s top fashion houses through original catwalk photography.
