A young woman struts down the Champs Elysee's in a gray wool suit tightly fitted to her slim body. The suit is decorated with large white butterflies that seem to flutter around her, giving her a special air of artistic sophistication. On her head another butterfly alights in the form of a small, ext

Clever, Distorted, Fantastic, Lush, Opulent, Surrealist fashion

With Madeleine Vionnet, modern style and elegance stepped onstage. The 'Queen of the Bias Cut,' she replaced the upholstered look of bustles and petticoats with flowing lines and draped fabrics. She liberated women from the torture and constraint of the corset; she allowed them to breathe, to move gr

Art nouveau fashion, Classical, Clean, Elegant, Glamour, Organic

Josephine Baker adored him. Cher would have loved him. Liberace would have hired him. He was George Barbier, the creator of flamboyant, glittering, over-the-top costumes for flamboyant, glittering, over-the-top people. Barbier's designs were visual glories, often adorned with paste jewelry, flowing t

Art nouveau fashion, Decorative, Excessive, Fantastic, Glamour, Overflowing

Comfortable flamboyance is the key to the fashion designs of Paul Smith. In his hands, bright colors and floral prints seem natural and even inviting. He embraces embellishment and extravagance while still paying heed to utilitarian goals, designing loose-fitting, ephemeral, yet sharp clothes that hi

Bright, Ebullient, Tribal, Urban, Youth culture