A carefully curated selection of black dresses from the 20th and 21st centuries, organized by André Leon Talley, contributing editor at Vogue and fashion luminary, and published to coincide with an exhibition at the André Leon Talley Gallery at the SCAD Museum of Art (Savannah College of Art and Design). With an impeccable selection of some sixty dresses from the most prestigious fashion houses, this book pays homage to the iconic black dress and its profound cultural and social significance in the modern era.
Defined by the simplest parameters—color and form—yet with endless possibilities, the black dress is personalized by the designer who conceived it and the woman who wears it. A silhouette can capture a woman's allure, and a single night can provide a multitude of memories. A dress can summarize your personality in a single glance at your wardrobe. A black dress in any other color could damage a reputation; in black, it can only enhance it. Whether made from the most exquisite fabrics or designed in cutting-edge neoprene, the little black dress retains its status as an iconic garment, a symbol of freedom and pleasure (Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy in Breakfast at Tiffany's), a career booster (Elizabeth Hurley in Versace), a symbol of audacity and surrender (Virginie Gautreau as Madame X), inevitably revealing truths about the women who have chosen it.
Three original essays offer personal stories celebrating the little black dress. An introduction by André Leon Talley and a foreword by Paula Wallace complete this exquisite volume. Along with a stunning collection of images, this book presents a portfolio of singular elegance.
