This gorgeous history of Anglo-American couturier Charles James (1906-1978) is eye-catching even on the outside: the cover bears a striking edge-to-edge image of women wearing beautiful James creations. The pages are full of hundreds of breathtaking full-color photographs of dresses, close-ups of fabric and sketches done by the designer himself.
Published to accompany the 2014 exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Charles James: Beyond Fashion is a definitive study of James's work. Detailing his early life in England, his time as a milliner in Chicago and his rise to preeminence in American fashion, the book is both fascinating and striking. The stunning photographs superbly showcase his distinctively architectural approach to couture, and make clear how his creations have withstood the test of time instead of falling into obscurity like those of so many of his peers. James, one of America's first couturiers, receives his due in this fine retrospective. --Jessica Howard, blogger at Quirky Bookworm