They're hot, they're shiny, and they're oh-so-glamorous. The mettle of movie star wardrobes, the spark that lights brides' eyes, and the flash that marks music videos-metallic fabrics have defined glamour for half a century. This book revisits metallics past, with historic fabric swatches from Europe and Japan dating back to the 1950s, and takes us to today's top European couture houses in a visual exploration of metallics' allure. In all, 237 pictures will provide inspiration for designers and insight for fashion historians.