From the courts of Versailles to the cobbled streets of Paris, French fashion has always been the epitome of elegance. Whether it's Dior's New Look, Yves Saint Laurent's Le Smoking jacket or Chanel's little black dress, the masters of French fashion understand that clothing is more than a craft: it’s an art form.

Megan Hess’s love for French style sparked her career in fashion illustration. In these pages, she unspools the threads of ten legendary designers – Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Givenchy, Chloé, Balmain, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Celine – to discover the origins of haute couture, pret-a-porter and everything chic.

Accompanied by Megan’s exquisite illustrations of current and archival collections, Elegance: The Beauty of French Fashion tells the story of how France’s iconic fashion houses have influenced the very fabric of design.