Oriole Cullen – författare

As one of the most successful fashion houses in existence, Chanel owes much to the templates first laid down by its founder - Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (1883-1971). Some of her most celebrated designs, such as the two-piece suit, the little black dress and the quilted handbag, remain in vogue to this day. Chanel designed first and foremost for herself: by creating clothes fit for an independent and active lifestyle, she anticipated the needs and wants of the modern woman. This beautiful book showcases a stunning array of Chanel's most notable designs from her 60 years in fashion, largely drawn from the collections of the Chanel Patrimoine, Paris and the V&A. It examines the cut, construction, embellishment and provenance of the ensembles, as well as the design themes and motifs Chanel returned to throughout her career. Newly commissioned photographs of the selected pieces, together with archival images, capture the design evolution of thie fashion icon.

This book opens an exciting and extensive archive of fashion illustration by Francis Marshall (1901-1980), held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.Marshall's career coincided with the golden age of fashion illustration and commercial art. Active from the 1920s until the 1960s, his work was published widely, from Vogue magazine to the more accessible and widely read pages of the Daily Mail. Marshall also worked extensively in advertising, for companies such as Jaeger and Elizabeth Arden, and released several books - ranging from manuals on drawing fashion and ballet, to the nostalgic records of fashionable society London West and An Englishman in New York.Francis Marshall: Drawing Fashion shines a light on a sometimes-forgotten master, at a time when fashion illustration is very much in style.