Once upon a time luxury goods were only available to the very rich. They offered a history of tradition, superior quality, and an exclusive buying experience. Today, luxury is simply just another product sold by multibillion-dollar global corporations focussed on growth, visibility, brand awareness, advertising, and, above all, profits. In this book fashion journalist Dana Thomas puts luxury in a historical context and explores the dark side of the industry to answer questions such as: What is the new definition of luxury when advertising for this lifestyle is targeted mainly toward the mass market? What are we paying for when quality has given way to quantity? Can integrity survive in a corporate culture driven by growth and profit? And is luxury still the best that money can buy?

Vidal Sassoon pioneered in the 1960s with his geometric, Bauhaus-inspired hairstyle (the wedge bob) and the famous five point cut, creating distinctive styles for stars like Mia Farrow, Nancy Kwan and Peggy Moffitt. He was a self-made man who turned his Bond Street shop into a worldwide franchise and built a hugely successful business empire around haircare products. Sassoon revolutionized the art of hairstyling with his “wash and wear” philosophy that liberated women from the tyranny of the salon, and left an indelible mark on popular culture. This documentary offers a look into the public and private life of the legendary hairdresser who is said to have changed the world with a pair of scissors.

Artist and fashion designer Lorraine Geiger became fascinated with the style trends that emerged during the second half of the 20th century. To create a lasting testament to the creative and original individuals who started these trends, she decided to record them as they went about their daily lives during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. The result is this book with sketches of real people in their true mode of dress. The drawings are accompanied by essays about these decades of “fashion revolt” and come with the original captions that describe the outfits in context.

In her first book, Jessica Quirk of the What I Wore blog wants to help readers create a versatile wardrobe with key pieces that will get maximum wear throughout the year. You will learn how to remix existing items, become a smarter shopper, put together wow-worthy ensembles for special occasions, and use affordable accessories to breathe new life into your basics and investment pieces. With fun colour illustrations based on her own outfits, tips on how to budget for a four-season climate, tailoring tricks, storage and packing ideas, and suggestions for combining colours, patterns and textures.

Women from the Ankle Down combines fashion history with social history and tells the story of 20th century American footwear through some of the era’s most iconic shoes. From Dorothy’s ruby slippers over the femme fatale pinup pump to Nancy Sinatra’s boots and the Reebok Freestyle. From well-heeled suffragettes to the impact of the 1960s women’s liberation movement, the influence Hollywood had on shoe design to our current devotion to personal choice. Rachelle Bergstein shares the stories behind these historical moments, interweaving the design innovations with the evolution of modern women and the fashion that reflects – and has shaped – our changing lives.