After years working alongside Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Anna Sui and Ralph Rucci in New York, Louisiana native Suzanne Perron returned home to New Orleans in 2005 to open her own custom design business, specializing in once-in-a-lifetime gowns for brides, debutantes and Mardi Gras royalty.

“Designing in Ivory and White” captures the rise of this talented designer, from her first Singer sewing machine to her success on Seventh Avenue to her post-Katrina move to a city in need of “something beautiful,” as well as her design technique and meticulous craft. Perron shares her process from the inside out, including methods for creating crinolines and foundations; using draping and pattern making to transform a sketch into a three-dimensional form; manipulating fabric into pleats, pintucks and folds; and hand sewing intricate beading, lace, embroidery and flawless hems.

Full-length and detail shots illustrate Perron’s gorgeous silhouettes and masterful handwork. Each gown also has a story that illuminates the client experience from the first sketch to the final fitting.

“Designing in Ivory and White” serves as a testament to the ambition and skill required to design unique dresses and will provide inspiration for independent designers, sewing hobbyists, and all who admire couture fashion.

Perron is a graduate of LSU and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She worked in the New York fashion industry for 15 years before returning to her hometown of New Orleans to design under her own label.

“Designing in Ivory and White” will be available in March from LSU Press.

For more information, contact Erin Rolfs with LSU Press at erolfs@lsu.edu or 225-578-8282 or visit www.lsupress.org.