Here is the tale of how a canny Gianni Versace helped an unknown Elizabeth Hurley become world famous overnight, thanks to the paparazzi frenzy whipped up by her red-carpet appearance in his now legendary safety-pin dress. Learn about the unique wedding gown Narciso Rodriguez designed exclusively for Caroline Bessette-Kennedy that inspired a whole new generation of brides. Go on the set of Top Hat, where Ginger Rogers’s ostrich-feather-laden dress began to molt immediately upon arrival, its flying feathers bringing the film’s production to a halt. Of course, the seminal work of exemplary designers—Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian dress and Christian Lacroix’s pouf, Chanel’s little black dress and Valentino’s infamous red ones, Diane von Furstenberg’s iconic wrap and Marc Jacobs’s grunge collection—is featured throughout, with plenty of inside information on what inspired the invention of each piece.
With its wonderful anecdotes, fascinating facts, and just enough juicy gossip, 100 Unforgettable Dresses is a bewitching read for everyone who enjoys sensational clothes, movies, television, and music. Whether you’re a fashion maven, a red-carpet addict, a celebrity tracker, or a pop-culture aficionado, you won’t be able to put this book down!
Hal Rubenstein is a writer, designer, and one of the founding editors at InStyle magazine, where he served as fashion director for fifteen years. In fall 2013, he launched his eponymous women’s collection on the Home Shopping Network and formed Hal Rubenstein & Associates, which has provided private consultation to brands such as Gabriel & Co. jewelers, the Raleigh Hotel, Giorgio Armani, and American Express. In 2015, he launched his website, Halrubenstein.com, which focuses on popular culture and provides advice on leading a better life; and with model-designer Iman Abdulmajid he introduced a new style show on Sirius Radio. The author of Paisley Goes with Nothing and the bestselling 100 Unforgettable Dresses (Harper Design, 2011), he is a special projects editor at Architectural Digest. He has also written cover stories and interviews, and served as a columnist on various pop-culture topics for The New Yorker, New York magazine, Interview, Elle, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Details. He has been a frequent red-carpet commentator for such shows as The Today Show, Extra, and The View. He lives in New York City with his husband, David Nickle, and his dog, Murray.