Chic Savages

At age 66, Women's Wear Daily and W publisher Fairchild presents memories of his life among the ``chic savages'' who spend inordinate sums on fashion. He writes about the careers and personalities of French, Italian, American and Japanese designers as well as their customers: among them Ivana Trump, who travels by private jet to Paris for clothes; Nancy Reagan, who vowed to buy apparel made only in the U.S.A., then went on a shopping spree at Givenchy. This intriguing and amusing book contains plenty of gossip but the underlying economic facts are sobering. As a guest at a dinner in Tokyo, which cost his host $500 per person, Fairchild ponders the observation of former ambassador Mike Mansfield that Japan is ready for international ascendancy and concludes that the country now has the power and the money to dominate the marketplace with the logo ``Made in Japan.'' Illustrated. First serial to New York and New Woman. (Dec.)