A glamorous tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s highly influential creations for Chanel captured behind the scenes by US Vogue photographer Robert Fairer in beautiful, never-before-seen images

Casting a new light on one of the best-loved chapters in fashion history, Karl Lagerfeld Unseen: The Chanel Years illuminates key Chanel collections and creations from behind the scenes.

From discreet client fittings in rue Cambon’s immaculate black-and-beige salons to previously unseen backstage moments that show models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and Karl Lagerfeld himself at work, Robert Fairer’s stunning and high-energy photographs capture the elegance, glamour and spirit that defined Karl Lagerfeld’s shows for Chanel.

Texts by Karl Lagerfeld’s collaborators and friends provide a fresh perspective on his creative process and reveal the stories behind the now iconic designs. A treasure trove of inspiration, this publication will be a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike, and for dedicated Chanel fans the world over.

About the Authors:

Robert Fairer started photographing the major international womenswear collections in the mid-1990s. First commissioned by Elle and Harper’s Bazaar USA, he then became US Vogue’s exclusive backstage photographer for over a decade. His first book, Alexander McQueen: Unseen, was published by Thames & Hudson, followed by John Galliano: Unseen, Marc Jacobs: Unseen and John Galliano for Dior.
Sally Singer is head of fashion direction at Amazon. Her previous roles have included creative director of American Vogue and editor-in-chief of T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Natasha A Fraser is an author, journalist and expert on Paris, luxury and lifestyle. Her books include Chanel Fashion, Monsieur Dior and After Andy: Adventures in Warhol Land. She has also taught at the American University in Paris and is the co-producer of Inside Dior, the two-part television series.
Elizabeth von Thurn und Taxis is a freelance writer, columnist and editor for international publications. Formerly style editor-at-large at American Vogue, she has designed and collaborated with both fashion brands and art institutions.

A lavish, supersize publication dedicated exclusively to John Galliano's extraordinary creations for the house of Dior, captured by American Vogue's photographer Robert Fairer

As testified by the monumental success of the recent Dior retrospective curated by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’, which attracted over 700,000 visitors over its extended run, John Galliano’s creations for the house of Dior have entered fashion history and are widely recognized as some of the most breathtaking and imaginative collections ever created. John Galliano for Dior is the first publication entirely dedicated to showcasing these unforgettable designs, which have become collectors’ items and form a key chapter of the history of the house of Dior – ‘the greatest house in the world’, as Galliano stated when he was first placed at its helm. ‘I see myself as a guardian of [Christian Dior’s] spirit, a keeper of his dreams,’ he added.

The book unfolds chronologically, revisiting the most iconic creations and revealing previously unseen behind-the-scenes moments that capture models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and John Galliano himself at their most creative. Robert Fairer’s stunning and high-energy photographs convey the drama, glamour and wild imagination that defined Galliano’s Dior shows. A treasure trove of inspiration, they make this publication a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike.

About the Authors:

British photographer Robert Fairer worked exclusively for American Vogue behind the scenes for over a decade. Beginning his career at British Elle in the mid-1990s, then Harpers Bazaar USA and finally at American Vogue, he covered the fashion zeitgeist of supermodel, designer and fashion excess from 1993-2011. His backstage archive has been published in three monographs, Alexander McQueen Unseen, John Galliano Unseen, and Marc Jacobs Unseen by Thames & Hudson, Yale University Press, Schirmer Mosel and Abrams. Robert’s work is published in The New York Times, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, i-D Magazine, and Visionaire, as well as fashion, portrait and lifestyle books, and anthologies. Robert continues to document the fashionable elite and collaborate with his editors and clients in uncharted fashion domains.

Iain R Webb is a fashion writer, curator and academic. He is the author of Marc Jacobs: Unseen published by Thames & Hudson.

André Leon Talley is a former editor-at-large of American Vogue.

Hamish Bowles is the International editor-at-large for American Vogue.

Oriole Cullen is the Curator of Modern Textiles and Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum and curated the V&A’s ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ exhibition.

A striking tribute to John Galliano's highly creative collections for his eponymous label (1996–2011), captured behind the scenes by American Vogue photographer Robert Fairer

Robert Fairer – American Vogue’s exclusive backstage photographer for over a decade – opens up his archive to unveil stunning photographs that were, until now, one of fashion’s best-kept secrets.

Presenting John Galliano’s creations for his eponymous label (1996–2011), John Galliano: Unseen celebrates the visionary and exquisitely multi-layered collections that acted as a showcase for the designer’s romantic, theatrical, radical ideas, granting rare behind-the-scenes access to a highly charged world of fantasy, collaboration and beauty.

A striking tribute to Alexander McQueen’s stunning collections, revealing photographs that were, until now, one of fashion’s best-kept secrets

Alexander McQueen has grasped the public's imagination like few other fashion designers before him, with exhibitions dedicated to his work continuing to attract record visitor numbers.

Almost 500,000 people visited the V&A's 2015 Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition, making it the most popular in the museum s history. Opening with a brief essay on the designer's work, Alexander McQueen: Unseen unfolds chronologically.

Each collection is introduced by a concise text by Claire Wilcox, one of the foremost experts on the McQueen's work, revisiting the designer's most iconic creations across his entire career and revealing previously unseen behind-the-scenes moments that capture models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and Alexander McQueen himself at their most candid and creative.

Robert Fairer's stunning and high-energy photographs, all previously unpublished, capture the glamour, grit and spirit that made McQueen's flamboyant shows unique. A treasure-trove of inspiration, they make this publication a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike.

A striking tribute to Alexander McQueen’s stunning collections, revealing photographs that were, until now, one of fashion’s best-kept secrets

Alexander McQueen has grasped the public's imagination like few other fashion designers before him, with exhibitions dedicated to his work continuing to attract record visitor numbers.

Almost 500,000 people visited the V&A's 2015 Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition, making it the most popular in the museum s history. Opening with a brief essay on the designer's work, Alexander McQueen: Unseen unfolds chronologically.

Each collection is introduced by a concise text by Claire Wilcox, one of the foremost experts on the McQueen's work, revisiting the designer's most iconic creations across his entire career and revealing previously unseen behind-the-scenes moments that capture models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and Alexander McQueen himself at their most candid and creative.

Robert Fairer's stunning and high-energy photographs, all previously unpublished, capture the glamour, grit and spirit that made McQueen's flamboyant shows unique. A treasure-trove of inspiration, they make this publication a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike.