Paris Fashion: A Cultural History

Paris fashion: the phrase conjures up glittering runways traversed by sleek models clad in the latest couture designs. But how did Paris become the world capital of fashion, and what factors have contributed to its long reign? Fashion critic and historian Valerie Steele first released Paris Fashion, an analysis of the city's fashion culture, in 1988. This updated third edition brings the history into the 21st century and incorporates recent fashion scholarship on Paris, along with lavish photos, paintings and full-color fashion plates from different eras. 

Meticulously researched but accessible, Steele's text traces the evolution of Paris as a haute couture center, drawing on history, art, economics and social forces and artistic trends. From Louis XIV to Coco Chanel, from the mystique of la Parisienne to Paris's place in global fashion today, Steele's book is an eye-catching look at the city that remains the peak of chic. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

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