Before and after the Russian Revolution, thousands of Russian emigres fled for their lives to the European capitals. The wealthiest and most cultured of this very wealthy and cultured set arrived (and usually remained) in Paris, often bringing with them pieces of the lavish life they led in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and beyond. Their exotic patterns, often inspired by oriental themes, sometimes in the form of curtains and sofa covers, were the last vestiges of the court life they once held so dear. Many of these emigres had to find work for the first time in their lives, and they turned to what they knew best--the world of fashion. This comprehensive work shows in astonishingly beautiful photographs the fashion and influence that the emigre communities had on the rest of the world and on what the rich and famous would wear for decades. Vassiliev's work not only chronicles the world of their fashion but also is a comprehensive look at emigre communities themselves.