Lesley Gunn Miller

Cristobal Balenciaga

Balenciaga’s Craft: Outside In

Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) remains one of the most revered and enigmatic of fashion designers. Here, breathtaking illustrations reveal why he is renowned for exceptional tailoring, sculptural shapes, deft manipulation of textiles, and a dramatic use of color. His glamorous clientele included G...

Selling Silks: A Merchant's Sample Book

In 1764, British customs confiscated a book containing hundreds of samples of different qualities of silks from French agents who were attempting to sell them illegally in London. This merchant’s sample book was acquired in 1972 by the Victoria and Albert Museum, and today it provides a fascinating ...

Princely Treasures: European Masterpieces 1600-1800, from the Victoria and Albert Museum

The V&A has one of the world's greatest collections of 17th- and 18th-century European decorative art. Eighty masterpieces from this magnificent collection, acquired and used by rulers of power, wealth, and taste, provide the focus of this book. Each is contextualized in one of five thematic section...

Balenciaga

“Balenciaga is fashion’s Picasso.”—Cecil BeatonMore than three decades after his death, the Spanish couturier Cristobal Balenciaga (1895–1972) has become a legendary figure in the history of 20th-century fashion. His name is now synonymous with clothes made to the highest standards and characterized...