This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house, followed by a brief biographical profile of Yves Saint Laurent, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with a gallery of carefully curated catwalk images. These showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway. A reference section concludes the book.

This book gathers, for the first time, every Dior haute couture collection, including ready-to-wear collections after the arrival of John Galliano (when ready-to-wear presentations took on a new importance), and the first two collections designed by creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, appointed in 2016. It offers a unique opportunity to chart the development of one of the world’s most famous fashion brands and discover rarely seen collections.