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Fashion photographer Roxanne Lowit is as much a celebrity as the people she photographs. Now she presents a pictorial history of the great couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Included are intimate views of life backstage at his shows—as Lowit herself experienced it. Whether surrounded by beautiful models or peeking at the catwalk from the wings, every moment was a magnificent photo opportunity.Contributors to the book include Catherine Deneuve, Betty Catroux, and Lucie de la Falaise.

Robin Givhan in conversation with Patricia Mears

Robin Givhan, Pulitzer Prize–winning fashion critic for the Washington Post, presents her first book, The Battle of Versailles, the story of a 1973 face-off between five American designers—including Halston and Oscar de la Renta—and five French designers (Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin among them). Buoyed by a decision to use ten African American models (unheard of then), the underdog Yanks pulled off a victory, cementing American fashion as a major player on the international stage.