Bookshelf Aug. 19, 2007

Bally Since 1851 (Skira) Editor Moreno Gentili tells the story of Swiss shoemaker Bally, one of the first global luxury brands. More than 100 photographs show the evolution of shoe models from the mid--19th century to the early 1960s.

Cartier 1899-1949: The Journey of a Style (Skira) Photographs of 230 dazzling jewels—including delicate floral motifs and earthy acanthus scrolls—capture 50 years of Cartier's history. Additional essays by museum curators offer a surprising new view of the French jeweler.

Axel Vervoordt: Timeless Interiors (Flammarion) Journalist and art historian Armelle Baron showcases the work of famed Belgian antique dealer Axel Vervoordt through stunning interiors he created for 23 private homes.

How Luxury Lost Its Luster (Penguin Press) Dana Thomas, a Paris-based journalist, traveled to factories in China to uncover the dark side of the democratization of fashion and highlight the price of "new" luxury.

Balenciaga (V&A/Abrams) Accompanying a major exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, this book by Lesley Ellis Miller examines the career of legendary couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga and his place in the international fashion scene.