A comprehensive biography of the late designer, Karl Lagerfeld, and his infamous rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent In the 1970s, Paris fashion exploded like a champagne bottle left out in the sun Amid sequins and longing, celebrities and aspirants flocked to the heart of chic, and Paris became a hothouse of revelry, intrigue, and searing ambition At the center of it all were fashions most beloved luminaries Yves Saint Laurent, the reclusive enfant terrible, and Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant freelancer with a talent for reinvention and they divided Paris into two fabulous halves Their enduring rivalry is chronicled in this dazzling expos232 of an era: of social ambitions, shared obsessions, and the mesmerizing quest for beauty Deliciously dramatic The Beautiful Fall crackles with excitement New York Times Book Review Fascinating New York Times Addictive Philadelphia Inquirer Its like US Weekly, 1970s style Gotham A story constructed as exquisitely as a couture dress It moves stylishly forward, with frequent overtheshoulder glances at some very dishy background Boston Globe