An Eye for Couture

In this stunning book, one of the world’s leading art dealers reveals her passion project—collecting French haute couture from the twentieth century and telling the stories of the women who wore them.

Francesca Galloway’s collection, unique in concept, spans the great period of French haute couture and fashion. It includes an outstanding group by the luminary Paul Poiret and important pieces by, among others, Jeanne Lanvin, Gabrielle Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, Sonia Delaunay, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Paco Rabanne and Yohji Yamamoto.

These garments and accessories come to life through the women who wore them. Denise Poiret—Paul’s muse, collaborator and model—is the subject of a specially commissioned essay. So is Princess Niloufer of Hyderabad: known as one of the most beautiful women in the world. She was photographed by Horst P. Horst for Vogue in 1939 and used her status to campaign for women’s rights. With an eye for design innovation, technical brilliance, and the material dialog between East and West, Galloway has assembled a collection spanning more than one hundred pieces—from evening gowns to hats and shoes. The striking imagery is the result of a collaboration between a fashion photographer, set designer and costume conservator/dresser. The images are positioned between haute couture and still life photography to bring these pieces of fashion history to life.