This is a really interesting, gorgeous book perfect for anyone who loves fashion! The photos are amazing and this was a pleasure to read! Special Thank You to Mimi Haddon,Chronicle Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is so cool! I want to go see it. I love fashion (though you wouldn't know it to look at me) and I want to see these creations. I want to try to recreate them. So amazing!

This is an interesting compilation of interviews and images of the Palace Costume collection. Palace Costume, run by Mallory Bennett, houses several costumes and famous pieces used in Hollywood. It is a unique place, and seeing it get spotlighted is lovely.

Palace Costume provides an incredible behind-the-scenes look at a treasure trove of vintage fashion that’s been part of Hollywood history for decades. The photographs are stunning, and the interviews with top costume designers offer great insights into the magic of outfitting period pieces. However, at times, the book felt more like a love letter to the collection than a deeper exploration of the art of costume design itself. I would’ve loved to hear more about the evolution of costuming trends over the years. Still, it’s an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in vintage fashion and Hollywood glamour!

I've always had an interest in costume design, especially historical costumes. It's always been just an interest though - never something I felt strong enough to pursue either as a hobby or as a career choice, but oh, reading this absolutely gorgeous book makes me want to completely 180 my life just for a chance to peak inside this glorious palace of history.

Before coming across this book, I had absolutely no idea that costume houses existed - it makes sense, of course, to have some sort of collection of artifacts to peruse for costume designers to draw inspiration from but Palace Costume & Prop Company is grander than anything you could imagine. I am dearly thankful I took a look at this book because it opened a beautiful, colorful world full of textiles, and patterns, and everything you could possibly want.

This book is a fantastic blend of history about the collection alongside interviews with the curator, Melody Barnett, and the designers who use this magical place for their work. The photos it includes are so stunning it's like working at a masterpiece in an art piece, and highlight just how special this collection is.

I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone interested in fashion, historical costuming, or even just wants to look at some pretty pictures.

Thank you so much to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you're interested in fashion, Hollywood, and LA, this book is right up your alley. For me, I enjoyed learning about this costuming repository and the woman behind it. I had hoped it would be more focused on the collection of clothes, rather than a bunch of interviews with industry folks. I'd have liked the book more if it featured well-known movie costumes and the stories behind those pieces. It would have been nice if the included photos of clothing and accessories had captions to tell us how they came into the collection, what era they're from, who made them, etc. I also wish there were more photos of the collection -- everyone in the interviews kept telling the reader how extensive the collection is, but there weren't very many photos of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This book was absolutely gorgeous! It did not skip any detail. It was very organized and fabulous! Thank you NetGallery!

Will be purchasing this! Film costumes is one of my favorite things about movies, because it can SOOOO make or break a movie and there's usually someone magically behind it so getting to hear from so many of them in one book so so cool!!! New coffee table book for sure!!

I’m a big proponent of reading art and fashion books. They usually have a ton of pictures sprinkled in with some really interesting facts and stories, which makes these books a great way to digest nonfiction.

Palace Costume is a great example of this! It offers an inside look into Palace Costume & Prop Co., which has served as a fashion, prop, and costuming resource for the film industry for more than 50 years.

The book is full of pictures of the riches this company houses and author and photographer Mimi Haddon does a great job of highlighting their beauty. There are also a bunch of interviews with key players ranging from founder and visionary Melody Barnette, to the various costumers who have come to Palace Costume over the years.

I read a lot of books about the film industry, but even with that background, I learned a ton about costuming, particularly the vision behind it and how precise it needs to be to ensure that the overall artistic vision of a film is met. Because the book mostly consists of photos and interviews, it’s really easy to pick this book up whenever, and bounce around to chapters of interest (though I do recommend reading it cover to cover).

Palace Costume hits shelves tomorrow. Thanks to Chronicle and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Palace Costumes is a hidden gem for film lovers, fashion enthusiasts, and vintage aficionados alike. The photos are breathtaking—seriously, every shot pops with color and texture, making the costumes feel larger than life. What really hooked me, though, was the fascinating history behind Palace Costume and how they’ve preserved so many iconic pieces. The care that goes into storing and maintaining this collection is mind-blowing. Plus, hearing from the costume designers who brought these outfits to the screen was a nice touch. It's not just about the clothes; it’s about the stories behind them. If you love peeking behind the curtain of Hollywood magic, you’ll love this one. Solid 4 stars!

Ooh I like that. The styles reminiscent of pop dominated the book and I really liked the variety. A lot of inspiration and choices from a wide variety of fashion. This is a good book for folks of the fashion world. I liked the little interviews/stories of different artists which was fun to read. The little shots of movies was something I loved. There's also mentions of when and where the costume/dress was worn in which I think many would appreciate. An engaging read.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC!

This book is a visual feast for fashionistas, cinephiles, and vintage lovers. It’s a bright, colorful, maximalist look at Palace Costume, a LA-based, privately held, museum-quality collection of vintage fashion. The gorgeous photos are paired with interviews tracing Hollywood’s use of these vintage fashion pieces in the costume design of some very iconic television and movie moments. This book gives us a close encounter with a collection that most of us will never have the opportunity to see in person. The creators of this volume have taken care to balance images of entire pieces, groupings, or outfits with intimate close-ups of the details like buttons, embroidery, and even the original clothing labels—so we feel as if we are experiencing the texture of the clothing up close. Overall, this is a beautifully designed and curated coffee table book—total eye candy—I’d love to have it in my collection, and it would also make a great gift.

My thanks to Chronicle Books for sharing an advance copy of this for review.

This was an interesting book to look at and read. It definitely seemed like it was geared more toward a stylist or someone that is into Fashion and the LA film industry.
Its nicely photographed and laid out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

Thanks Netgalley and Chronicle Books for this arc.

Just look at that cover. I want those shoes. I don’t care that it’s been ages since I regularly wore heels. Those shoes are fantastic. And they’re at Palace Costume, a humongous resource in Los Angeles that film costumers regularly visit when they need something (20th century) vintage.

Several of them discuss why they love this place and some of the treasures they have used in films (such as the salmon halter dress in La La Land). This is kind of really a section for aficionados of film costume.

Then comes pages and pages and pages of stylistically arranged photos of a wide variety of Palace Costume has to offer. Some of these could have been done better as often an item is laid on a backdrop that is a closeup of the item itself thus blending it a bit too much for me but for the most part, these are a visual delight. B-

Palace Costume is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Palace Costume & Prop Co., an exclusive Los Angeles film-industry haven of dresses, gowns, garments, accessories, props, and jewelry featured in countless movies for more than fifty years.

Thank you Chronicle Books & Netgalley for the digital ARC! I don’t usually follow fashion but I really enjoyed reading this book and looking at the pictures of the fashion. I thought it was very interesting.

Detailed information about significant costumes from film and art. I was expecting a book full of photos (which it certainly contains) but instead also got a story about the costume design. Very interesting!

Mimi Haddon's Palace Costume offers a stunning visual celebration of this legendary costume rental house. The book showcases over 300 captivating images of vintage clothing and accessories curated by Melody Barnett, the owner of Palace Costume. Barnett's passion for retro fashion is evident in the meticulous care and attention to detail that has gone into preserving these vintage gems.
The interviews with renowned costume designers provide valuable insights into the importance of Palace Costume as a creative resource. Designers such as Sandy Powell, Ruth E. Carter, and Arianne Phillips share anecdotes about selecting clothing for iconic films like Black Panther, The Aviator, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
However, the interview format can feel somewhat repetitive, with many designers offering similar sentiments about the quality of Palace Costume's collection and the importance of finding authentic vintage pieces. While these insights are valuable, they could have been presented more varied and engagingly.
Despite the repetitive nature of the interviews, Palace Costume is a visually stunning and informative book that will delight fans of vintage fashion and film. The book's high-quality images and the fascinating stories behind the clothing make it a must-have for anyone interested in costume design and fashion history.

Love all the clothing, accessories and costume pieces that The Palace Costume Company has. It would be so much FUN to walk in that place and be told to pick an outfit 👠 There are so many gorgeous pieces representing different time periods, culture, and tastes. It is Absolutely Fascinating. These outfits end up being chosen for Movies and Media. I would love to buy the Physical Copy of this Book. I think that would be the best way to Own It. Thanks for letting me peek into the glamour. Gorgeous Book.

Thank you NetGalley, Mimi Haddon, and Chronicle Books for Granting me this Book. I alwaupys leave reviews for books I read.

This comes from someone who is not interested in fashion trends, hence, the commonly perceived sense of fashion, though I appreciate costumes, the art of making fabrics, costumes, clothes and other fashion items or materials, and as a filmmaker, I found so much entertainment, fascination, information and value in this beautifully presented book. It is equal parts inspiring and informative.
I will purchase a copy.

I just love learning about places like Palace Costume that I never knew existed, even though I've often had the thought when watching a period piece along the lines of "Do they have to make a lot of these clothes from scratch? Wouldn't that take forever?" It's super interesting to read about where this reference point for many on-screen moments is, how it came to be, and what the scope and scale is. And of course, the almost-technicolor photos are great.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.