Publisher's Synopsis
This spectacular volume is a visual history of the much lauded and highly visible International Best Dressed List (IBDL) that was launched by Eleanor Lambert, "Godmother of Fashion," in 1940. Since its inception, the list has become a barometer of style and today it is considered the highest honor a sartorial savant can receive. The list reads like a who's who of the most glamorous women and men from the worlds of high society, aristocracy, Hollywood, celebrity, fashion, art, culture, and media. This volume will tell the story of the list through decades of gorgeous photography of the chosen "swans" of style, elegance, and grace, including such icons as Marlene Dietrich, Wallis Simpson (Duchess of Windsor), Babe Paley, Marella Agnelli, Gloria Vanderbilt, C.Z. Guest, Madame Chiang-Kai Check, Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy, Bianca Jagger, Tina Chow, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Angelica Huston, Lauren Hutton, Carolyn Roehm, Nicole Kidman, Michele Obama, and Beyoncé, to name but a few. In 1968 men were added to the list, including Fred Astaire, the Duke of Windsor, Gianni Agnelli, Cary Grant, Harry Belafonte, Bill Blass, Tom Wolfe, George Clooney, David Beckham, David Bowie, and Jeremy Irons. A reflection not only of the evolution of fashion over time but of the upper echelons of society and culture, this rich history is told from the perspective of writer, IBDL Hall of Famer, and list insider Amy Fine Collins, and features archival and contemporary fashion photography of honorees who have graced the list through the decades, accompanied by entertaining anecdotes, exclusive insights, and behind-the-scenes goings-on that shed light both on the selection process, and the zeitgeist of the times.
