<DIV>Published in conjunction with Harrods, London, this book is the first of its kind: a rare look inside the world of couture, an elite class of the world's greatest designers who have achieved a level of perfection in their craftsmanship and vision in fashion.  Couture designers create specifically for individual clients with incomparable dedication to rich detail, exclusively hand-sewn construction and superlative quality. This lavishly illustrated book features essays from thirty of the world's top designers who talk about fashion in the first decade of the 21st Century with its emphasis on craftsmanship and traditional techniques and pay loving homage to the iconic couturiers of the past, expressing how their creativity and attention to detail has forever shaped fashion's future. </DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV>The book features the first-ever personal essays on couture by today's most lauded contemporary designers such as Giorgio Armani and Oscar de la Renta plus the fresh faces who design for the top design houses: Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri for Valentino, Stefano Pilati for Yves Saint Laurent and Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy. Each designer describes their view of couture and the inspirations drawn from iconic figures such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Elsa Schiaparelli, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, Madame Grès and Paul Poiret. Essays are complemented by photographs, rarely-seen pencil sketches, fashion illustrations and snapshots of the backstage frenzy before runway shows plus intimate portraits of the designers by photographer Rankin, world renown for capturing the wit and personality of his subjects.</DIV><DIV> </DIV><DIV><I>Couture in the 21st Century</I> beautifully captures the divine and sublime of couture fashion in the hands of the world's best-known designers. It is a must-have for anyone interested in fashion and culture. </DIV>