Valentino：皇帝的餐桌

The photography of the table settings alone is worth it — I've flipped through the dinner scenes at his homes three times now and keep noticing new details in the china and flowers. Talley's introduction is a lovely touch too.

André Leon Talley's introduction is worth the price alone, but the real draw is seeing how every luncheon and dinner was composed like a piece of music. I've left it open on the coffee table for weeks and guests keep picking it up.

The photos of the table settings alone are worth it—I've never seen napkins folded with that much precision outside a museum. Talley's intro gives real insight into how those lunches were staged, so it reads like a peek behind the curtain rather than a glossy catalog.