Perry Ellis

A writer for Vogue, Menswear and Gentlemen's Quarterly, Moor knows the workings of the high-powered, trendy fashion business on which Ellis, who died of AIDS in 1986 at age 48, made an impress. He traces the designer's life through youth, apprenticeship and fame, discusses his fashion innovations and makes us privy to the stunning financial rewards possible in this highly competitive, cutthroat industry. But, it's the depiction of Ellis's personal life that holds the reader's interest: his relationship with his longtime lover Laughlin Barker, his decision to father a child, a daughter who was to prove a comfort to him during his dying days. (June)