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This year's Victoria & Albert Museum diaries are illustrated with images of Parisian and British couture from a decade that Christian Dior described as the 'Golden Age' of fashion. Dior's launch of the 'New Look' for his first collection in 1947 shocked and delighted the fashion world, creating a new style that symbolized femininity. The full skirts and hourglass silhouettes were considered highly decadent, synonymous with luxury, opulence and prosperity, following the austerity of the war years. The decade saw the rise of the celebrity, designer, photographer and supermodel. As colour magazine printing became sophisticated, couture was brought to the attention of the public, feeding their aspirations and desires, shaking off the drab raiment of the war years. The diaries contain national and religious holidays and astronomical information and are available in a large format for home or office use or in a handy pocket format.