This lavishly-illustrated and comprehensive survey of 50 of the most influential designers, ranging from early celebrity designers such as Paul Poiret to current cutting edge talent such as Hussein Chalayan.The names chosen are there because they have had an extraordinarily powerful influence on fashion and collectively they are responsible for almost the whole fashion story of the last 100 years. Each designer's iconic creations are shown in detail, and graphic timelines and cross references show not only why these pieces were extraordinary in their own time, but why they are still influencing those creating fashion today. The timelines demonstrate design influence through the generations. The result is a fascinating look at the fashion world that will appeal to anyone interested in fashion as well as being a useful resource for all fashion students.