The book I've coveted for a while now is mine at last

My husband (who understands my monthly splurge on British Vogue) bought me "The Faces of Fashion Vogue Model" that I've longed for since I first saw it mentioned (I think in Vogue magazine itself).

I've only started to read it but what I've seen so far has been really good. It's not just the models who are currently at the peak of their profession, but rather a who's who of fashion models since the concept of using live models to, ahem, "model" clothes was started. These women were initially known as "mannequins" which seems to me to dehumanize them, but looking at the photos (excellent reproduction by the way) of the early models/mannequins with their haughty, sneering looks for the camera, I can see that they were giving expression to an ideal of high fashion and perhaps in that sense the word mannequin is apt.

There isn't a portfolio of pics for each model, sometimes there's only one photo and the accompanying page of text. However, the text is masterfully written and gives real insight into the model as a working woman and an individual with her own interpretation of what the work means.