D.V.

"An evening with D.V. is almost as marvelous as an evening with D.V. herself--same magic, same spontaneity and, above all, never a boring moment. --Bill Blass

Brilliant, funny, charming, imperious, Diana Vreeland--the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue--was a woman whose passion and genius for style helped define the world of high fashion for fifty years. Among her eclectic circle of friends were some of the most renowned and famous figures of the twentieth century--artists and princes, movie stars and international legends, including Chanel, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Isak Dinesen, Clark Gable, and Swifty Lazar.

Moving from English palaces to the nightclubs of 1930s Paris, the wilds of Wyoming to the exclusive venues of New York high society, D.V. takes readers into this iconic woman's dazzling life, evoking the luxury and brio of an era that encompassed Josephine Baker, England's Queen Mary, Buffalo Bill, and Diaghilev.

Vibrant with the vivid, irresistible voice that elevated every tête-à-tête and dinner party, D.V. brings this renowned and uninhibited raconteur alive, whether recalling herself as a young girl, her search for the perfect red, her piquant observations about her world, or her abhorrence for nostalgia. Like her legacy, Vreeland's story, told in her own words, is a classic to be celebrated by both loyal admirers and a new generation of culture mavens and style savants.

Diana Vreeland was born in Paris on July 29, 1903. Beginning as the author of the infamous Why Don't You . . . column for Harper's Bazaar, Diana's immense success propelled her to fashion editor at the magazine, and she quickly became a singular authority in the fashion world. In 1962, she left to be editor-in-chief at Vogue, and her tenure there was marked by her exceptional ability to translate the zeitgeist of the times, her clairvoyance for trends, and her inimitable style. She was an inspiration for a generation of designers, among them Yves Saint Laurent, Bill Blass, Issey Miyake, and Valentino, and she would help launch the careers of some of today's top designers, among them Diane von Furstenberg, Manolo Blahnik, and Oscar de la Renta.

In 1973, she became a special consultant to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, curating shows that featured the clothes and costumes of former Hollywood stars, ballet companies, and master designers. From then until her death in August of 1989, she remained the preeminent voice of the fashion world, its grande dame, and one of its most memorable characters whose lasting influence continues to inspire.