イヴ・サンローラン 小さな本

I didn't expect a small book to cover so much ground, but it traces the designer's career from the early days right through to the spectacular runway shows. The writing on how he treated couture as fine art is thoughtful without getting stuffy.

The photos inside are gorgeous — full-page shots of the runway spectacles, not just tiny thumbnails. I've flipped through it three times already and keep finding details I missed. It reads like a proper tribute to couture as fine art.

Bought this as a gift for a friend who's obsessed with fashion history, and the section on how he turned runway shows into full spectacles is what sold me. It's a compact little hardcover, so the text runs small — fine for reading at home but not ideal for a long flight.