High Fashions of the 1940s by Satch LaValley

A celebration of 1940s glamour with 26 authentic styles! Illustrated by Hollywood historian Satch LaValley, this special edition offers one doll and eight beautiful pages of clothes inspired by his own collection of Adrian fashions.

"High Fashions of the 1940s" has a unique history. The late Satch La Valley, a Hollywood historian and vintage film costume collector, was also a very gifted artist. He was commissioned years ago by Gene Maiden (a driving force in the paper doll community) to do a paper doll with high fashions inspired by famed designer, Adrian. The result was a sophisticated collection of '40s style gowns, frocks, tailored suits and soignée accessories. Before his passing several years ago, Mr. Maiden gifted the paper doll and the dramatic outfits to Jenny Taliadoros in hopes that she would someday publish the collection.

When David Wolfe saw the exquisite artwork, he suggested designing the book in the spirit of surreal, Salvador Dali artistry, a major cultural trend of the 1940s and an important fashion influence. The eight page book contains 26 outfits that capture the decade’s V-silhouette, softly draped or statuesque, colored in daring combinations and sometimes printed with unique motifs such as fish or feathers. This extraordinary paper doll book is a limited edition that will interest collectors of vintage fashion.