Paris is the undisputed capital of the fashion world. Rich in talented designers, skilled craftsmen, and native stylishness, the City of Lights has been capital of chic since the seventeenth century. While the international fashion industry has evolved considerably since then, Paris's preeminence has been a constant. "Fashion Show" explores the ideas and inspirations motivating Paris fashion throughout the ages and investigates why, in an era of globalisation, this venerable city remains the undisputed Mecca of great clothing design. The catalogue features a selection of the most influential fashion couturiers and designers-among them Valentino, Lacroix, Dior, Chanel, Azzedine Alaia, Hussein Chalayan, Viktor and Rolf, Rochas, and Yohji Yamamoto - with brief histories of the houses, profiles of the designers, and photographs conveying the grand sweep of Paris fashion design, from the age of kings to the age of award shows.