100 Best Fashion History Books of All Time
We've ranked the best fashion history books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.
100 Years of Fashion
3A Geek in Japan: Discovering the Land of Manga, Anime, Zen, and the Tea Ceremony
Comprehensive and well informed, it covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by sidebars and numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan. Designed to appeal to the generations of Westerners who grew up on Pokemon, manga and video games, A Geek in Japan reinvents the culture guide for readers in the Internet age.
Spotlighting the originality and creativity of the Japanese, debunking myths about them, and answering nagging questions like why they're so fond of robots, author Hector Garcia has created the perfect book for the growing ranks of Japanophiles in this inspired, insightful and highly informative guide.
This is the book I've given most often as a gift because I’m fascinated with understanding the mindset of a place. [source]
Nineteenth-Century Fashion in Detail
Fashion: The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute - A History from the 18th to the 20th Century
From a rare treasure such as a 17th century iron corset with embroidered bodice to modern-day outfits by such designers as Yves Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein, the collection provides an extensive overview of the evolution of women's fashion. The KCI believes that "clothing is an essential manifestation of our very being" and their passion and dedication positively radiate from every page of this book. It offers an opportunity to see how our ancestors dressed, to consider the amazing accomplishments of contemporary fashion, and to imagine how our descendants may dress in the distant future as clothing design continues on its tireless evolutionary path.
Patterns of Fashion 3: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women, C.1560-1620
Pictures, descriptions and patterns of men and women's clothing from--1560-1620. While you can make the clothing, using the patterns given, be prepared for it to take a while.
7Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
8Face Paint: The Story of Makeup
(Librarian's note: The PDF edition [464 pages] to this ISBN is provided here)
Makeup, as we know it, has only been commercially available in the last 100 years, but applying decoration to the face and body may be one of the oldest global social practices. In Face Paint, Lisa Eldridge reveals the entire history of the art form, from Egyptian and Classical times up through the Victorian age and golden era of Hollywood, and also surveys the cutting-edge makeup science of today and tomorrow. Face Paint explores the practical and idiosyncratic reasons behind makeup’s use, the actual materials employed over generations, and the glamorous icons that people emulate and how they achieved their effects. An engaging history of style, it is also a social history of women and the ways in which we can understand their lives through the prism and impact of makeup.
Looking for a beauty book to start off the New Year with? @Lisa_Eldridge 's Face Paint is a fascinating history of makeup and beauty from Egyptian and Classical times through the Victorian age and the golden age of Hollywood. It's a really interesting read. #protip https://t.co/quRr7OLldg [source]
How to Read a Dress. A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century
Each entry includes annotated colour images of historical garments, outlines important features and highlights how styles have changed (whether in shape, fabric choice, trimming, undergarments) from those shown previously. Readers will learn how garments were constructed and where their inspiration stemmed from at key points in history, as well as the differences between dress types for various occasions, variations in detailing, cut, and popularity, and the class, age and social status of the wearer.
This beautifully illustrated guide equips students, researchers, curators and anyone interested in historical fashion with the tools to 'read' a dress. Using this book, readers are able to identify specific period styles, and will really know their cartridge pleats from their Récamier ruffles. - See more at: http://www.bloomsbury.com/au/how-to-r...
Patterns of Fashion 1 Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1660-1860
Includes descriptions, line drawings and reproductions of historic magazines and books. The patterns for selected garments have been updated for the modern silhouette.
Historical Fashion in Detail: The 17th and 18th Centuries
Much of the finery seen here is too fragile to be on permanent display, or its detail too intricate to be captured in conventional photography. Jacobean blackwork, neoclassical tambour work, exquisite stitching, and knife-sharp pleats are pictured in stunning photographs, alongside such unusual techniques as stamping, pinking, and slashing--many of which are rarely employees in the modern world, as they require labor-intensive handwork impossible to replicate by machine.
With line drawings showing the construction of the complete garment and a text that sets each in the context of its time, this book is a visual feast for all fashion lovers, and an essential resource for curators, collectors, students, costumers and designers.
12The Costume History
exquisitely precise and colored illustrations, as well as his delightful descriptions and often witty comments. Spanning everything from ancient Etruscan attire to French women's couture, material is arranged according to Racinet's original organization by culture and subject. As expansive in its reach as it is passionate in its research and attention to detail, The Complete Costume History is an invaluable reference for students, designers, artists, illustrators, and historians; and a rich source of inspiration for anyone with an interest in clothing and style. About the Series: Bibliotheca Universal is compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price! Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, the name TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing. Bibliotheca Universalis brings together nearly 100 of our all-time favorite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia. Bookworm's delight never bore, always excite! "
Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700–1915
-From the preface by John Galliano
The creation of eighteenth and nineteenth century fashion moved at a much slower tempo than the lightning-speed pace of contemporary fashion, so great attention was paid to the smallest detail. Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 celebrates these and brilliantly examines the transformation of the fashionable silhouette over this span of more than two centuries. Lavish photographs and illustrative text provide historical context, showing how technical inventions, political events, and global trade often profoundly affected style. It is little wonder that many of today's top haute couture designers often look to fashion of the past to find inspiration in the present. The intriguing and stunning examples of historic dress in this opulent volume are as captivating today as they were centuries ago.
Fashioning Fashion showcases nearly two hundred highlights from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new European collection of rare pieces of historic fashion and accessories for men, women, and children. LACMA recently acquired this singular collection, which numbers more than 1,000 objects and represents a total of fifty years of acquisitions by prominent historic dress dealers and collectors Martin Kamer of England and Wolfgang Ruf of Switzerland. The pieces were chosen for their roles in the story of fashion's aesthetic and technical development from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I. This in-depth look at the details of these luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring techniques, and lush trimmings is the first presentation of this remarkable collection.
14Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem
With his now-legendary store on 125th Street in Harlem, Dapper Dan pioneered high-end streetwear in the early 1980s, remixing classic luxury-brand logos into his own flamboyant designs. But before reinventing fashion, he was a hungry boy with holes in his shoes, a teen who daringly gambled drug dealers out of their money, a young man in a prison cell who found nourishment in books, and, finally, a designer who broke barriers to outfit a whos-who of music, sport, and crime world celebrities in looks that went on to define an era.
By turns playful, poignant, and inspiring, and featuring two incredible eight-page color photo inserts, including the only existing, never-before-seen images of the notorious Mike Tyson-Mitch Green street fight, Dapper Dan's memoir is a high-stakes coming-of-age story, spanning more than seventy years and set against the backdrop of an ever-evolving America.
Co-founder/Andreessen Horowitz
An amazing entrepreneurial story covering everything from dice to fashion. [source]
Patterns of Fashion 4: The Cut and Construction of Linen Shirts, Smocks, Neckwear, Headwear and Accessories for Men and Women C. 1540-1660
No one interested in the history of dress, from art historians to stage designers, from museum curators to teachers of fashion and costume, can function effectively without Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion" series, published by Macmillan since 1964.
Since her untimely death in 1998, admirers of her work have been waiting, with increasing impatience, for the promised volume devoted to the linen clothes of the Elizabethan and early Stuart periods, a companion to her previous volume on tailored clothes of the same era.
Planned and partly prepared by Janet herself, and completed by Jenny Tiramani, Janet's last pupil, no other book exists that is dedicated to the linen clothes that covered the body from the skin outwards. It contains full colour portraits and photographs of details of garments in the explanatory section, as well as patterns for 86 items of linen clothing, which range from men's shirts and women's smocks, from superb ruffs and collars to boot hose and children's stomachers.
Beautifully produced, it is an invaluable guide to both the history and the recreation of these wonderful garments.
Fashion: The Definitive History of Costume and Style
Containing everything you need to know about changing fashion and style — from ancient Egyptian dress to Space Age Fashion and Grunge — and information on icons like Marie Antoinette, Clara Bow, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Alexander McQueen, Fashion catalogs the history of what people wear, revealing how Western fashion has been influenced by design from around the world and celebrating costume and haute couture.
Fashion will captivate anyone interested in style — whether it's the fashion-mad teen in Tokyo, the wannabe designer in college, or the fashionista intrigued by the violent origins of the stiletto and the birth of bling.
Patterns of Fashion 2 Englishwomen's Dresses & Their Construction C. 1860-1940
Includes line drawings, reproductions of historic magazines and books, descriptions of the fabrics used to make the chosen garments and, finally patterns to make the garments that have been updated to fit the modern silhouette.
Costume Close-Up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750-1790
19Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones
20Chanel: Collections and Creations
The book explores five central themes—the suit, the camellia, jewelry, makeup and perfume, the little black dress—and follows the threads from past to present to show how these key items have been rediscovered and reinvented by new designers. It includes many previously unpublished archive photographs and original drawings by Karl Lagerfeld, as well as glorious images from some of the greatest names in fashion photography.
Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present
Fabulously gory and gruesome, Fashion Victims takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the lethal history of women's, men's and children's dress, in myth and reality. Drawing upon surviving fashion objects and numerous visual and textual sources, encompassing louse-ridden military uniforms, accounts of the fiery deaths of Oscar Wilde's half-sisters and dancer Isadora Duncan's accidental strangulation by entangled scarf; the book explores how garments have tormented those who made and wore them, and harmed animals and the environment in the process. Vividly chronicling evidence from Greek mythology to the present day, Matthews David puts everyday apparel under the microscope and unpicks the dark side of fashion.
Fashion Victims is lavishly illustrated with over 125 images and is a remarkable resource for everyone from scholars and students to fashion enthusiasts.
22A Man His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them
—T: The New York Times Style Magazine
Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona every single day for 35 years until his death in 2008. The iconic timepiece, probably the single most sought-after watch in the world, is now in the possession of his daughter Clea, who wears it every day in his memory. Franklin Roosevelt wore an elegant gold Tiffany watch, gifted to him by a friend on his birthday, to the famous Yalta Conference where he shook the hands of Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. JFK’s Omega worn to his presidential inauguration, Ralph Lauren’s watch purchased from Andy Warhol’s personal collection, Sir Edmund Hillary’s Rolex worn during the first-ever summit of Mt. Everest . . . these and many more compose the stories of the world’s most coveted watches captured in A Man and His Watch. Matthew Hranek, a watch collector and NYC men’s style fixture, has traveled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before-told stories of 76 watches, completed with stunning original photography of every single piece. Through these intimate accounts and Hranek’s storytelling, the watches become more than just timepieces and status symbols; they represent historical moments, pioneering achievements, heirlooms, family mementos, gifts of affection, and lifelong friendships.
23Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion
To date, there has never been a book devoted exclusively to black models. Supreme Models fills that void, paying tribute to black models past and present: from the first to be featured in catalogs and on magazine covers, like Iman, Beverly Johnson, and Donyale Luna, to the supermodels who reigned in the nineties—Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell. The book also observes the newest generation of models—Adwoa Aboah, Jourdan Dunn, and Joan Smalls—who are shaking up the fashion industry by speaking out about racial prejudice and becoming social media sensations.
Written by celebrity stylist and journalist Marcellas Reynolds, Supreme Models features more than 70 women from the last 60 years. The book is filled with gorgeous photographs of the women, and details their most memorable covers, campaigns, runway shows, and editorials. Black models have been influencing fashion and pop culture for decades, reshaping the standards and boundaries of beauty. Supreme Models is a celebration of their monumental impact.
24In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine
25Tom Ford
This book is a complete catalogue of Ford's design work for both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent from 1994 to 2004. It chronicles not only Ford's clothing and accessories designs for both houses, but also explores Ford's grand vision for the complete design of a brand, including architecture, store design, and advertising.
Tom Ford features more than 200 photographs by Richard Avedon, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Terry Richardson, Craig McDean, Todd Eberle, and numerous other photographers including many previously unpublished images.
Published to coincide with his departure from Gucci, this book has been created with Ford's full cooperation and every page reflects his exceptional taste. It is Ford's testament to a career of singular moments reinventing the boundaries of style and sensuality in clothing.
26The Look
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD • Beautifully illustrated with more than 200 photographs, including never-before-seen images, The Look is a stunning journey through Michelle Obama’s style evolution, in her own words for the first time. In this celebration of style, from the moment she entered the public eye during her husband’s U.S. Senate campaign through her time as the first Black First Lady and today as one of this country’s most influential figures, Michelle Obama shares how she uses the beauty and intrigue of fashion to draw attention to her message. Featuring the voices of Meredith Koop, Obama’s trusted stylist, as well as her makeup artist Carl Ray, hairstylists Yene Damtew, Johnny Wright, and Njeri Radway, and many of the designers who have dressed Obama for notable events, The Look brings readers behind the scenes not only to reveal how her most memorable looks came together but also to tell a powerful story about how we present ourselves. Obama’s intimate and candid stories illuminate how her approach to dressing has evolved throughout her life—from the colorful sheath dresses, cardigans, and brooches she wore during her time as First Lady to the bold suits, denim, and braids of her post-White House life and all the active looks and beautiful gowns in between. In The Look, Michelle Obama explores the joy and the purpose of fashion and beauty and how—when wielded with grace and care—they can uplift and affirm the values one holds most dear. Confidence, she concludes, cannot be put on. But when you’re wearing something that’s intentional or beloved, clothing can make you feel like the best version of yourself.
27Little Book of Louis Vuitton: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House (Little Books of Fashion)
Little Book of Louis Vuitton is the pocket-sized and fully illustrated story of one of the world's most luxurious fashion houses.Louis Vuitton's monogrammed bags have been seen on the arms of celebrities and royals alike for over 150 years. From the young Louis seeking his fortune in Paris through to two world wars, the Great Depression, the Jazz Age and the Swinging Sixties, there is no era in which this most opulent of brands hasn't thrived.Detailing the global expansion of Louis Vuitton in the 1980s, the creation of the powerful fashion conglomerate LVMH, and the appointment in 1997 of Marc Jacobs, this is the story of a transformation from luggage company to high-fashion label. Louis Vuitton's continued evolution under the creative direction of Nicolas Ghesquière and Virgil Abloh is also depicted through fabulous images and captivating text.
Corsets and Crinolines
The Dictionary of Fashion History
- Who wore a Welch wig?
- When were Zouave jackets the height of fashion?
This new edition of The Dictionary of Fashion History further updates the landmark work of C. Willett Cunnington, Phillis Cunnington and Charles Beard. Featuring over 60 new and revised entries on diverse topics such as the Onesie, Brothel Creepers and the Birkin Bag, this edition is even more comprehensive and brings this costume historian's bible fully up to date.
With many more images to accompany the text and illustrate key fashions - including cartoons, prints and lavish color photographs of surviving garments - this version of the dictionary brings dazzling and unusual garments to life for researchers, students, costume designers and everyone interested in the subject.
Clear, concise, and meticulous in detail, this essential reference work answers countless questions relating to the history of dress and adornment and will continue to be the definitive guide for many years to come.
30Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century
100 Dresses: The Costume Institute / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
What woman can resist imagining herself in a beautiful designer dress? Here, for the first time ever, are 100 fabulous gowns from the permanent collection of the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each of which is a reminder of the ways fashion reflects the broader culture that created it.
Featuring designs by Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Madame Grès, Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and many others, this one-of-a-kind collection presents a stunning variety of garments. Ranging from the buttoned-up gowns of the late 17th century to the cutting-edge designs of the early 21st, the dresses reflect the sensibilities and excesses of each era while providing a vivid picture of how styles have changed—sometimes radically—over the years. A late 1600s wool dress with a surprising splash of silver thread; a large-bustled red satin dress from the 1800s; a short, shimmery 1920s dancing dress; a glamorous 1950s cocktail dress; and a 1960s minidress—each tells a story about its period and serves as a testament to the enduring ingenuity of the fashion designer’s art.
Images of the dresses are accompanied by informative text and enhanced by close-up details as well as runway photos, fashion plates, works of art, and portraits of designers. A glossary of related terms is also included.
32Fashionpedia - The Visual Dictionary Of Fashion Design
What Clothes Reveal: The Language of Clothing in Colonial and Federal America
Paintings of upper-class men and women tell an important part of the history of costumes, but surviving garments themselves reveal even more. Every crease, stitch, and stain in a piece of clothing supplies information about its wearer and its era. This stunning book features 18th- and early-19th-century garments from the premier collection of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Illustrated with more than 300 color photographs, including many details and back views, the book treats not only elegant, high-style clothing in colonial America but also garments for everyday and work, the clothing of slaves, and maternity and nursing apparel.
Drawing on contemporary written descriptions and on actual costumes of the period, the book analyzes what Americans in the 18th century considered fashionable and attractive and how they used clothing to assert status or to identify occupations. The book also examines the myths and meanings of clothing in British and American society, clothing for the entire lifecycle, and a history of clothing alteration. Informative sidebars on a variety of fascinating topics complete the volume.
Underwear: Fashion in Detail
In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion
For In Fine Style, Anna Reynolds, curator of paintings at the Royal Collection, has drawn on the art of the period, as well as wardrobe inventories, literary references, contemporary accounts, and surviving garments to offer a fascinating account of the elite fashions of the day and the ways in which they were recreated in paint. The gold threads seen throughout the forepart of Elizabeth’s gown were costly, while the red dye that colored it came from crushed beetles and would have had to have been imported from Spain. Other works show their subjects with intricate ruffs, bright stockings, or broad farthingales, each item extravagantly adorned. Indeed, the main focus of Tudor and Stuart clothing was on rich materials that communicated the ability of the wearer to afford them, and, with the rise of the moneyed merchant class, sumptuary laws were established to limit their use to the nobility. Other forms of attire, including ornate hairdos held in place with wire and pleats that had to be set each time the garment was worn left absolutely no doubt as to the fact that the wearer had an army of servants and a wealth of spare time with which to attend to appearance.
Published to accompany an exhibition that will open at Buckingham Palace in May, In Fine Style features works by, among many others, Rembrandt, Rubens, Lely, and Holbein, and is the first book to examine Tudor and Stuart fashion through the use of art.
The Medieval Tailor's Assistant: Making Common Garments 1200-1500
The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking: How to Hand Sew Georgian Gowns and Wear Them With Style
The projects include: The English Gown, The Sacque, The Italian Gown and The Round Gown. Each project is broken down into easy-to-follow steps and Lauren and Abby tackle every detail fabric, patterns, stitch techniques, accessories, shortcuts and troubleshooting. Whether you choose a romantic 1790s muslin gown or a grand sacque gown of silk taffeta, you will feel like you just stepped out of your favorite novel or period of history.
Lauren and Abby's company, American Duchess, has been featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Reno Gazette Journal, the Today Show and Garmz.com. Their historically accurate shoes have been used in productions by the New York Metropolitan Opera, Ford's Theater, Broadway's Cinderella, The Jimmy Fallon Show and The Knick. Lauren and Abby have over 32k Facebook followers and over 34k followers on Instagram.
Madeleine Vionnet
39Louis Vuitton: The Birth of Modern Luxury Updated Edition: The Birth of Modern Luxury Updated Edition
Now with fresh information on subjects such as designs for ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, jewelry, and even automobiles, this new edition includes 20 additional pages and updated material throughout the book, covering the brand’s recent history, with new texts and photographs.
Time Travel History - Fashion Dreams 1800 - 2030: Creative Fun-Schooling Curriculum - Homeschooling Ages 9 to 17
This is the perfect book for creative students who love fashion and history. Learn about 22 historic events while covering History, Geography, Social Studies, Culture, Fashion, and more. With 180 lessons, this is a research and discovery guide that can last one, or more, school years depending on how you structure your lessons. Use this guide as a family study, or individual study. Your student will use library books, parent approved websites, documentaries, and other resources to complete writing and fashion design projects!
Uses the Dyslexie font to help students with Dyslexia and letter confusion and reversal. Creative students thrive with this learning method!
Janet says:
"Get ready to go on a Fashion adventure with your child! We picked this up for my 10 year old who wants to be an artist when she grows up. She loves to draw people and clothing and I know this will be a fun but educational way to learn about the different time periods. This book is filled with lots of pages to draw and write. My daughter especially loves the back with all the pages to create what might be worn in the future!"
Challice's daughter loves this book:
"I purchased this for my daughter and she absolutely loves it! I love how there is a great balance between the fashions of yesteryear and the inspiration for a look in the next 10-20 years. There is opportunities to research, however, my daughter really enjoys taking the covers from her historical fiction books and create that way. I think this would be enjoyable for all ages, since my 5 year old loves the scraps that the 10 year old will let her have. LOL!" (February 9, 2017) ISBN-10: 1543036783 ISBN-13: 978-1543036787 Get high quality drawing supplies, including colored pencils, professional liner pens, and a set of graphite pencils.
Use parent approved websites to help you discover more about the history of fashion.
Watch videos and documentaries about fashion, design, and history.
Watch a good movie from each era, look for musicals with high quality costumes.
Be ready to design clothing from each era!
Study and draw inaugural ball gowns of the American first ladies.
Learn about an important event from each era that you study.
Parents:
If your daughter enjoys fashion and drawing, this is the perfect history book for her. It is designed for use by ages 9 to 17. Your student will be delighted to find out that the drawings in this book are drawn by a 16 year old homeschooler, with Dyslexia.
Discover more books by Anna Brown, Sarah Janisse Brown and The Thinking Tree at www.FunSchoolingBooks.com
41The Art of Bob Mackie
The first-ever, comprehensive and authorized showcase of legendary fashion designer Bob Mackie’s fabulous life and work, featuring hundreds of photos and dozens of never-before-seen sketches from his personal collection.Cher, Taylor Swift, Carol Burnett, Bette Midler, P!nk, Tina Turner, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Zendaya, Angela Lansbury, Diana Ross, Beyoncé, RuPaul, and Madonna...what do they all have in common? All have been dressed by Bob Mackie. For nearly six decades, the iconic and incomparable Bob Mackie designed stunning, unforgettable clothing. His unique, glamorous—sometimes hilarious—creations have appeared on Broadway stages, TV screens, runways, and red carpets worldwide. For his pioneering genius and continual reinvention, he was a Tony Award and nine-time Emmy Award winner, a three-time Oscar nominee, and recipient of the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. For the first time, and only for this book, he granted full access to his archives and personal memories to the authors of this lavish celebration of his achievements. The Art of Bob Mackie is the first-ever comprehensive and fully authorized book showcasing Mackie’s work, from his early days as a sketch artist for the legendary Edith Head at Paramount to his cutting-edge costumes for pop stars and line of accessible, wearable clothing for QVC. In addition to hundreds of glorious photos and dozens of dishy recollections from Mackie and his many muses, this gorgeous volume features never-before-seen sketches from throughout his prolific career, from Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown to Carol Burnett’s “Went with the Wind” curtain-rod dress, to Cher’s show-stopping 1986 Oscar look. As other designers have burst onto the scene and faded out of fashion, Mackie soared from success to success, always remaining relevant because he was always spectacularly fashion-forward, until his death in 2026. With a foreword by Carol Burnett and an afterword by Cher, The Art of Bob Mackie is a stunning must-have for lovers of sequins, beads, and feathers; Broadway shows and classic television; pop music and pop culture; and fashion with incomparable flair.
The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957
The Ambassador has been described as “probably the most daring and enterprising trade magazine ever conceived.” With the motto “Export or Die!,” the magazine was renowned for its innovative design and adventurous editorial approach in promoting British manufacturing in the post-WWII period. This book takes a detailed look at the background and impact of The Ambassador. Driven by the vision of founder Hans Juda and his wife, Elsbeth, who was responsible for much of the magazine’s striking photography, the magazine created ambitious photo shoots to showcasing the latest couture fashions, promoted fine art as an inspiration for design, and commissioned artists such as John Piper and Henry Moore for their covers. The Ambassador Magazine brings this trove of art, textiles, and fashion to a new generation.
The Corset: A Cultural History
Whereas most historians have framed the history of the corset in terms of oppression vs. liberation and fashion vs. health and comfort, Steele contends that women’s experiences of corsetry varied considerably and cannot be fully understood within these narrow frames.
Drawing on extensive research in textual, visual, and materials sources, the author disproves the beliefs that the corset was dangerously unhealthy and was designed primarily for the oppression of women. Women persisted in wearing corsets—despite powerful male authorities trying to dissuade them—because corsetry had positive connotations of social status, self-discipline, youth, and beauty. In the twentieth century the garment itself fell out of fashion but, Steele points out, it has become internalized as women replace the boned corset with diet, exercise, and plastic surgery. The book concludes with insightful analyses of such recent developments as the reconception of the corset as a symbol of rebellion and female sexual empowerment, the revival of the corset in contemporary high fashion, and its transformation from an item of underwear to outerwear.
44Little Book of Dior (Little Books of Fashion)
Opulent, feminine, iconic. The House of Dior revolutionized the way women dressed, shopped and saw themselves.From the trailblazing New Look silhouette in 1947 through to their exquisite red-carpet couture and feminist T-shirts, Dior's pieces have been worn by everyone from Sophia Loren to Natalie Portman. The last word in elegance and celebration of the female form, the House that changed the course of fashion history continues to make it today. With 100 stunning images and expert text, Little Book of Dior explores the spectacular rise of the House of Dior from its evolution under Christian Dior's creative direction right up to his successors, from Yves Saint Laurent to Maria Grazia Chiuri.
45Little Guides to Style: The Story of Four Iconic Fashion Houses (Little Books of Fashion, 17)
Containing the stories of four legendary fashion houses, this collectable box holds a beautiful set of covetable style guides.Exploring four designers who exemplify elegance and high couture, these little books of fashion follow these brands from their creation, moving through their style evolutions, the key looks that define them and their impact on the fashion landscape today.Discover the story behind the little black dress with the Little Book of Chanel, the tailoring behind Milan minimalism with Prada, the conception of the New Look with Dior and the genius behind androgynous maximalism with Gucci.Featuring hundreds of exquisite images and text by best-selling authors, these definitive guides to luxury style are the perfect gift for any fashion lover.
46Empire of Cotton: A Global History
Cotton is so ubiquitous as to be almost invisible, yet understanding its history is key to understanding the origins of modern capitalism. Sven Beckert’s rich, fascinating book tells the story of how, in a remarkably brief period, European entrepreneurs and powerful statesmen recast the world’s most significant manufacturing industry, combining imperial expansion and slave labor with new machines and wage workers to change the world. Here is the story of how, beginning well before the advent of machine production in the 1780s, these men captured ancient trades and skills in Asia, and combined them with the expropriation of lands in the Americas and the enslavement of African workers to crucially reshape the disparate realms of cotton that had existed for millennia, and how industrial capitalism gave birth to an empire, and how this force transformed the world.
The empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and planters, merchants and statesmen, workers and factory owners. Beckert makes clear how these forces ushered in the world of modern capitalism, including the vast wealth and disturbing inequalities that are with us today. The result is a book as unsettling as it is enlightening: a book that brilliantly weaves together the story of cotton with how the present global world came to exist.
@Nutcase020 Great book! [source]
The History of Underclothes
Underwear — practical garments with a utilitarian function or body coverings that serve an erotic purpose? As this fascinating and intelligently written study shows, the role played by underclothing over the last several centuries has been a varied one.
In a well-documented, profusely illustrated volume combining impressive scholarship with an entertaining, often humorous style, two distinguished clothing historians consider undergarments worn by the English over the past 600 years. Beginning with the Middle Ages, the authors cover centuries of clothing history, including the Tudor period, the Restoration, the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and the twentieth century up to the eve of World War II. Drawing on extensive, research, the Cunningtons illuminate the role and function of underwear: it protected the wearer against the elements, supported costume shapes, served as an erotic stimulus, symbolized class distinctions, and fulfilled other social, sanitary, and economic functions.
Enhancing the detailed, comprehensive text are more than 100 period illustrations and photographs depicting a laced-up bodice of the twelfth century, embroidered linen drawers of the sixteenth century, a hooped petticoat support in bentwood (c. 1750), footed long drawers (1795), nineteenth-century bustles, early nineteenth-century corsets for men, "Frillies for the Tiny Lady" (1939), and much more. A bibliography, appendix, and index complete a valuable reference work that will appeal to costume historians, sociologists, and other readers.
Russian Elegance: Country and City Fashion from the 15th to the Early 20th Century
Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon
Fashion is ever-changing, influenced by the key designers that capture a moment in history; and Coco Chanel is arguably the most significant influence on women's fashion in the twentieth century. Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a compilation of Megan Hess' stunning illustrations of the 100 most quintessential moments through Chanel's history, from Coco's incredible life, to the impact of Karl Lagerfeld and the incredible items that have become fashion icons - the little black dress, the luxurious bags and accessories, glamorous jewellery and of course the renowned Chanel No 5 perfume.
Interspersed with historical anecdotes and famous quotes from Coco herself, Karl Lagerfeld and other key fashion icons of the era, this book is an elegant and immersive introduction to the moments that shaped Coco and the iconic Chanel brand - and how fashion, in turn, shaped their lives.
50Bill Cunningham: On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography
"A dazzling kaleidoscope from the gaze of an artist who saw beauty at every turn."--Andr� Leon Talley
Bill Cunningham's photography captured the evolution of style, of trends, and of the everyday, both in New York City and in Paris. But his work also shows that street style is not only about fashion; it's about the people and the changing culture.
These photographs--many never before seen, others having originally appeared in The New York Times and elsewhere--move from decade to decade, beginning in the 1970s and continuing until Cunningham's death in 2016. Here you'll find Cunningham's distinctive chronicling of the 1980s transit strike, the rise of 1990s casual Fridays, the sadness that fell over the city following 9/11, Inauguration Day 2009, the onset of selfies, and many other significant moments.
This enduring portfolio is enriched by essays that provide a revealing portrait of Cunningham and a few of his many fascinations and influences, contributed by Cathy Horyn, Tiina Loite, Vanessa Friedman, Ruth La Ferla, Guy Trebay, Penelope Green, Jacob Bernstein, and a much favored subject, Anna Wintour. More than anything, On the Street is a timeless representation of Cunningham's commitment to capturing the here and now.
"An absolute delight."--People
The Biba Years: 1963-1975
Textiles and Clothing, c.1150-1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London)
100 Years of Fashion Illustration
Vogue: The Covers (updated edition)
55The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History
All textiles begin with a twist. From colourful 30,000-year old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to what the linen wrappings of Tutankhamun's mummy actually meant; from the Silk Roads to the woollen sails that helped the Vikings reach America 700 years before Columbus; from the lace ruffs that infuriated the puritans to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution, our continuing reinvention of cloth tells fascinating stories of human ingenuity.
When we talk of lives hanging by a thread, being interwoven, or part of the social fabric, we are part of a tradition that stretches back many thousands of years. Fabric has allowed us to achieve extraordinary things and survive in unlikely places, and this book shows you how -- and why.
With a cast that includes Chinese empresses, Richard the Lionheart and Bing Crosby, Kassia St Clair takes us on the run with escaped slaves, climbing the slopes of Everest and moonwalking with astronauts. Running like a bright line through history, The Golden Thread offers an unforgettable adventure through our past, present and future.
56Making Faces
20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment
Costume in Detail: Women's Dress 1730-1930
59Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times
Twenty thousand years ago, women were making and wearing the first clothing created from spun fibers. In fact, right up to the Industrial Revolution the fiber arts were an enormous economic force, belonging primarily to women.
Despite the great toil required in making cloth and clothing, most books on ancient history and economics have no information on them. Much of this gap results from the extreme perishability of what women produced, but it seems clear that until now descriptions of prehistoric and early historic cultures have omitted virtually half the picture.
Elizabeth Wayland Barber has drawn from data gathered by the most sophisticated new archaeological methods—methods she herself helped to fashion.
Art of Dress
61The Little Book of Chanel
Little Book of Chanel is the pocket-sized and beautifully illustrated story of the most celebrated fashion designer in history. Chronicling the life and legacy of Coco Chanel, one of fashion's most influential couturiers, this gorgeous book offers a fascinating account of Chanel's evolution and innovation. From her early days of millinery, through her revolutionary inventions in sportswear and jersey fashions for women, to the classics that made her name, such as the Chanel cardigan jacket, little black dress and exquisite perfumes. Detailed photographs and sketches of Chanel's designs, along with fashion photography and catwalk shots, pay tribute to one of the world's most highly regarded fashion houses and the woman behind it, making a striking gift for any lover of fashion.
62Kwame Brathwaite: Black Is Beautiful
Inspired by the writings of activist and black nationalist Marcus Garvey, Brathwaite, along with his older brother, Elombe Brath, founded the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) and the Grandassa Models (1962). AJASS was a collective of artists, playwrights, designers, and dancers; Grandassa Models was a modeling agency for black women, founded to challenge white beauty standards. From stunning studio portraits of the Grandassa Models to behind-the-scenes images of Harlem's artistic community, including Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, and Miles Davis, this book offers a long-overdue exploration of Brathwaite's life and work
The Watch Book Rolex: New, Extended Edition
� Extended edition of the best-selling reference work by wristwatch expert Gisbert L. Brunner
64Little Book of Hermès: The story of the iconic fashion house (Little Books of Fashion)
The iconic bags, the instantly recognizable packaging, the celebrity fans – Hèrmes is the last word in luxurious accessories. Through the generations, Hermès have created innovative and exquisite accessories for the most glamorous customers. From their nineteenth-century saddlery workshop to 1960s Paris and beyond, Hermès has graced the arms and wardrobes of style icons from Grace Kelly and Jane Birkin to Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian. Little Book of Hermès tells the story of the evolution of the House of Hermès, through beautiful illustrations of the most coveted items and authoritative text by fashion historian Karen Homer.
Les Petites Dames de Mode: An Adventure In Design
The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion
In a richly illustrated essay, Sargent opens up the conversation around the role of the Black body in the marketplace; the cross-pollination between art, fashion, and culture in constructing an image; and the institutional barriers that have historically been an impediment to Black photographers participating more fully in the fashion (and art) industries.
Fifteen artist portfolios feature the brightest contemporary fashion photographers, including Tyler Mitchell, the first Black photographer hired to shoot a cover story for American Vogue; Campbell Addy, founder of the Nii Agency and journal; and Nadine Ijewere, whose early series title, The Misrepresentation of Representation, says it all. Alongside a series of conversations between generations, their images and stories chart the history of inclusion, and exclusion, in the creation of the commercial Black image, while simultaneously proposing a brilliantly reenvisioned future.
Costume and Fashion: A Concise History
Streetwear
Streetwear recounts the remarkable history of how subcultural fashion trends have grown into a multi-billion-dollar global industry taking both high-end and fast fashion by storm. The intent behind streetwear remains the same: a powerful sense of identity and belonging.
With more than 500 photographs and illustrations, exclusive interviews, profiles of industry pioneers, spotlights on significant brands, and snapshots of key cities, this is the complete history of fashion’s fastest- growing and most influential trend.
The Cut of Women's Clothes: 1600-1930
70Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style
In Ametora, cultural historian W. David Marx traces the Japanese assimilation of American fashion over the past hundred and fifty years, showing how Japanese trendsetters and entrepreneurs mimicked, adapted, imported, and ultimately perfected American style, dramatically reshaping not only Japan’s culture but also our own in the process.
71Vanity Fair 100 Years: From the Jazz Age to Our Age
With its exhaustive sweep, visual impact, and time-capsule format, Vanity Fair 100 Years is the book everyone will want in 2013.
Praise for Vanity Fair 100 Years:
“The book is a stunning artifact that begets staring, less for the words and publishing industry than as an exercise in visual storytelling reflected through the prism of society and celebrity. The best photographers, the best designers, the best illustrators all came together over Vanity Fair’s contents, and the book unfolds in page after page of stunningly rendered images, some iconic and some that never even ran.” —New York Times Book Review
Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen
Such an age of revolution and innovation inspired a flood of fashions taking influence from everything including the newly discovered treasures of the ancient world, to radical new ideas like democracy. It was an era of contradiction immortalized by Jane Austen, who adeptly used the newfound diversity of fashion to enliven her characters, Wickham's military splendor, Mr. Darcy's understated elegance, and Miss Tilney's romantic fixation with white muslin.
73Slim Aarons: Women
Also available from Slim Aarons: Poolside with Slim Aarons, Slim Aarons: Once Upon a Time, Slim Aarons: A Place in the Sun, and Slim Aarons: La Dolce Vita.
J.C. Leyendecker
Late Victorian and Edwardian Fashions Coloring Book
76Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo
Hailed by readers and critics across the country, this engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her own experiences: her childhood near Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution; a devastating accident at age eighteen that left her crippled and unable to bear children; her tempestuous marriage to muralist Diego Rivera and intermittent love affairs with men as diverse as Isamu Noguchi and Leon Trotsky; her association with the Communist Party; her absorption in Mexican folklore and culture; and her dramatic love of spectacle.
Here is the tumultuous life of an extraordinary twentieth-century woman -- with illustrations as rich and haunting as her legend.
Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd
78Fashion, New Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide
From the extravagance of Ancient Egypt, through the legendary houses of Chanel and Dior, to today's catwalk sensations, this gorgeous, carefully curated collection shows how fashion reflects people and places, and captures the times in which they lived.
Packed with a dazzling combination of original fashion plates, archive images, and commissioned photography, Fashion takes you on a fabulous tour across the centuries as it catalogues the history of what people wear, revealing how Western fashion has been influenced by design from around the world, and celebrating everything from costume to haute couture. Expert commentary captures the turning points of fashion history, such as when hemlines rose to reveal a glimpse of stocking, youngsters pulled on jeans and "invented" teenagers, the red carpet became a runway, and celebrities became designers. Fashion icons take centre-stage too, with features on famous trend-setters and designers, such as Elizabeth I, Marie Antoinette, and Alexander McQueen, who set the style for each generation.
Fashion is an indispensible work of reference whether you're a fashion-mad teen, a wannabe designer, or someone intrigued by the violent origins of the stiletto or the birth of bling. If it's ever been in fashion, it's in this book."
79Little Book of Tiffany & Co.: The story of the iconic jewellery brand (Little Books of Fashion)
The last word in luxury, sophistication and romance, Tiffany & Co. has dazzled shoppers since its beginnings in nineteenth-century New York. From Breakfast at Tiffany's to collaborating with Beyoncé, and with celebrity fans including Elizabeth Taylor and Lady Gaga, Tiffany & Co. has taken its glamorous jewellery from Fifth Avenue to the world. Featuring over 100 stunning images - including the breathtaking Tiffany Diamond, jewel-encrusted brooches and the iconic blue box - accompanied by expert text, Little Book of Tiffany & Co. tells the timeless story of an incomparably influential jeweller.
80Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion
Alan Flusser's name is synonymous with taste and style. With his new book, he combines his encyclopedic knowledge of men's clothes with his signature wit and elegance to address the fundamental paradox of modern men's fashion: Why, after men today have spent more money on clothes than in any other period of history, are there fewer well-dressed men than at any time ever before?
According to Flusser, dressing well is not all that difficult, the real challenge lies in being able to acquire the right personalized instruction. Dressing well pivots on two pillars -- proportion and color. Flusser believes that "Permanent Fashionability," both his promise and goal for the reader, starts by being accountable to a personal set of physical trademarks and not to any kind of random, seasonally served-up collection of fashion flashes.
Unlike fashion, which is obliged to change each season, the face's shape, the neck's height, the shoulder's width, the arm's length, the torso's structure, and the foot's size remain fairly constant over time. Once a man learns how to adapt the fundamentals of permanent fashion to his physique and complexion, he's halfway home.
Taking the reader through each major clothing classification step-by-step, this user-friendly guide helps you apply your own specifics to a series of dressing options, from business casual and formalwear to pattern-on-pattern coordination, or how to choose the most flattering clothing silhouette for your body type and shirt collar for your face.
A man's physical traits represent his individual road map, and the quickest route toward forging an enduring style of dress is through exposure to the legendary practitioners of this rare masculine art. Flusser has assembled the largest andmost diverse collection of stylishly mantled men ever found in one book. Many never-before-seen vintage photographs from the era of Cary Grant, Tyrone Power, and Fred Astaire are employed to help illustrate the range and diversity of authentic men's fashion. Dressing the Man's sheer magnitude of options will enable the reader to expand both the grammar and verbiage of his permanent-fashion vocabulary.
For those men hoping to find sartorial fulfillment somewhere down the road, tethering their journey to the mind-set of permanent fashion will deliver them earlier rather than later in life.
Issues: A History of Photography in Fashion Magazines
For nearly a century, fashion magazines have provided sophisticated platforms for cutting-edge photography – work that challenges conventions and often reaches far beyond fashion itself. In this book, acclaimed photography critic Vince Aletti has selected 100 significant magazine issues from his expansive personal archive, revealing images by photographers rarely seen outside their original context. With his characteristic élan and featuring stunning images, Aletti has created a fresh, idiosyncratic, and previously unexplored angle on the history of photography.
High Style: Masterworks from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In 2009, the Brooklyn Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art entered into a groundbreaking long-term partnership to steward Brooklyn’s collection. The objects were transferred to The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan, with Brooklyn maintaining curatorial access. Exhibitions of costumes from the collection will be held at both institutions in early May 2010.
83Christian Dior
This book comprises a portfolio of portraits of over one hundred incredible gowns from the entire era of Christian Dior haute couture, including dresses designed by Dior himself. All of the images were shot by Patrick Demarchelier, known for his exquisite fashion portraits that grace the pages of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and many other magazines.
The Social Life of Kimono: Japanese Fashion Past and Present
Taking a material culture approach, The Social Life of Kimono is the first study to combine the history of the kimono as a fashionable garment with an in-depth exploration of its multifaceted role today on both the street and the catwalk. Through case studies covering historical advertising campaigns, fashion magazines, interviews with contemporary kimono designers, large scale and small craft producers, and consumers who choose to wear them, The Social Life of Kimono gives a unique insight into making and meaning of this complex garment.
The Dress Detective: A Practical Guide to Object-Based Research in Fashion
Beautifully illustrated, the book contains seven case studies of fashionable Western garments – ranging from an 1820s coat to a 2004 Kenzo jacket – that articulate the methodological framework for the process, illustrate the use of the checklists, and show how evidence from the garment itself can be used to corroborate theories of dress or fashion.
This book outlines a skillset that has, until now, typically been passed on informally. Written in plain language, this book will give any budding fashion historian, curator or researcher the knowledge and confidence to analyse the material in front of them effectively.
Hollywood and History: Costume Design in Film
Corsets and Codpieces: A History of Outrageous Fashion, from Roman Times to the Modern Era
In the days before cosmetic surgery, people used bum rolls and bombastic breeches to augment their figures, painted their faces with poisonous concoctions, and doused themselves with scent to cover body odor.
Take a fresh look at history’s hidden fashion disasters and discover the stories behind historical garments:
How removing a medieval woman’s headdress could reveal her as a harlot
Why Tudor men traded in their oversized codpieces for corsets
How crinoline caused a spate of shoplifting among Victorian ladies
Karen Bowman charts our sartorial history from the animal skins first used to cover our modesty and show off hunting skills, right up to the twentieth-century drive for practicality and comfort. Corsets and Codpieces is a fascination read for history buffs and fashionistas alike.
88Little Book of Gucci: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House (Little Books of Fashion, 7)
The Little Book of Gucci tells the story of this historic yet flourishing house, and the visionary looks that have cemented its place in fashion history.One of the oldest Italian fashion brands in existence today, Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921. Guccio Gucci established his company with the goal of creating opulent luggage for Italy's wealthy and fashionable upper-classes. With the signature Gucci print of dark brown diamonds on a tan background, interlocking G logo and red and green stripe, the brand has gone on to become the last word in Italian luxury. Gucci's signature items – the belt, the bag, the loafer – transcend fleeting fashion trends, and have remained central to the house's identity into the twenty-first century. Under the stewardship of Tom Ford, Gucci epitomized the louche and mischievous 1990s aesthetic. Today, under Alessandro Michele, the brand's combination of romance and toughness is in hot demand. The Little Book of Gucci tells the story of this historic yet flourishing house, and the visionary looks that have cemented its place in fashion history./p
Couture Sewing Techniques
No one can unravel couture garment construction the way Shaeffer can, from the art of hand sewing to mastering edge finishes, from classic closures to shaping a garment for a perfect fit. Readers learn all the basics -- and more importantly: how to apply the techniques -- on skirts and sleeves, pockets and jackets, evening gowns, and more. Gorgeous photos, clear illustrations, and concise language combine to make this the most complete couture-sewing course available.
Forties Fashion: From Siren Suits to the New Look
The illustrations reveal the wide range of fashions and styles from the 1940s in North America, Europe, Australasia, and Japan. The lively text by fashion specialist Jonathan Walford details how fashion was considered not a frivolity but an aesthetic expression of circumstances in the 1940s. While Fascist states tried to create “national” styles before the war began, by 1940 the pursuit of beauty was promoted on both sides of the conflict as a patriotic duty. From prewar to postwar, we see attitudes emerge from period advertisements, images of real clothes, and firsthand accounts in contemporary publications. The result is a celebration of everything from practical and smart-looking attire for air raids (hooded capes with large pockets and siren suits) to street fashion and the creation of Christian Dior’s “New Look” collection in 1947.
Victorian and Edwardian Fashion: A Photographic Survey
92Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour
Chanel: The Vocabulary of Style
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) was undoubtedly the most influential fashion designer of the 20th century. Her clothes and accessories have remained perennially chic, and her legendary fashion house continues to exert a powerful sway over today's designers. Jérôme Gautier tells the story of Chanel's iconic style through hundreds of images, many taken by the leading lights of fashion photography, including Richard Avedon, Gilles Bensimon, Patrick Demarchelier, Horst P. Horst, Annie Leibovitz, Man Ray, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, and Ellen von Unwerth. This innovative volume pairs classic and contemporary photographs, placing fashion plates from Chanel's time alongside those by the house's designer-in-chief, Karl Lagerfeld. For instance, Cecil Beaton's portrait of Chanel appears alongside Lagerfeld's image of Cate Blanchett emulating her, and a classic plate by Henry Clarke flanks an arresting shot by Juergen Teller.
Through these dazzling photographs, Chanel: The Vocabulary of Style identifies key elements that have defined Chanel's style for generations, such as jersey and tweed, formerly considered menswear fabrics, and the little black dress, which transformed a hue previously reserved for mourning into a statement of elegance. Pearls were her staple, and she often embellished outfits with her signature camellia. Eleven chapters compare the original forms of these enduring trademarks with their later expressions over the years and to the present day, letting the vocabulary of Chanel's style speak for itself.
Dior: A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-57)
Fashion History, the Kyoto Costume Institute
Burlesque and the Art of the Teese / Fetish and the Art of the Teese
Burlesque and the Art of the Teese"I advocate glamour. Every day. Every minute."
I'm a good dancer and a nice girl, but I'm a great showgirl. I sell, in a word, magic. Burlesque is a world of illusion and dreams and of course, the striptease. Whether I am bathing in my martini glass, riding my sparkling carousel horse, or emerging from my giant gold powder compact, I live out my most glamorous fantasies by bringing nostalgic imagery to life.
Let me show you my world of gorgeous pin-ups, tantalizing stripteases, and femmes fatales. I'll give you a glimpse into my life, but a lady never reveals all.
Fetish and the Art of the TeeseYou may have come for the fetish. Or you may just be sneaking a peek at this mysterious and peculiar other side. No matter what you've come for, there is something for you to indulge in.
My world of fetish may not be the one that you would expect. As a burlesque performer, I entice my audience, bringing their minds closer and closer to sex and then -- as good temptress must -- snatching it away. As a fetish star, I apply the same techniques. . . .
An opera-length kid leather glove, a strict wasp waist, an impossibly high patent leather heel, a severely painted red lip. . . . Come with me into my world of decadent fetishism.
97Grace: A Memoir
With the witty, forthright voice that has endeared her to her colleagues and peers for more than forty years, Grace now creatively directs the reader through the storied narrative of her life so far. Evoking the time when models had to tote their own bags and props to shoots, Grace describes her early career as a model, working with such world-class photographers as David Bailey and Norman Parkinson, before she stepped behind the camera to become a fashion editor at British Vogue in the late 1960s. Here she began creating the fantasy “travelogues” that would become her trademark. In 1988 she joined American Vogue, where her breathtakingly romantic and imaginative fashion features, a sampling of which appear in this book, have become instant classics.
Delightfully underscored by Grace’s pen-and-ink illustrations, Grace will introduce readers to the colorful designers, hairstylists, makeup artists, photographers, models, and celebrities with whom Grace has created her signature images. Grace reveals her private world with equal candor—the car accident that almost derailed her modeling career, her two marriages, the untimely death of her sister, Rosemary, her friendship with Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Liz Tilberis, and her thirty-year romance with Didier Malige. Finally, Grace describes her abiding relationship with Anna Wintour, and the evolving mastery by which she has come to define the height of fashion.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY FINANCIAL TIMES
“If Wintour is the Pope . . . Coddington is Michelangelo, trying to paint a fresh version of the Sistine Chapel twelve times a year.”—Time
98Gucci: The Making of
This gorgeous book designed by Arnell offers an in-depth look into Gucci’s origins, identity, influence, and innovation, including fabrication methods and appropriation of signature materials, past and present, and its influence among high society and Hollywood. The book is a heartfelt and personalized tribute to the heritage and influence of this iconic, multifaceted brand.
In recognition of its ongoing partnership with UNICEF and the release of this luxury edition, Gucci will make a donation of US $250,000 to support UNICEF's Schools for Africa initiative.
Creative Haven The Saturday Evening Post Americana Coloring Book
Thirty-one ready-to-color cover illustrations by some of The Saturday Evening Post's most famous artists celebrate the nostalgic appeal of American life in the first half of the 20th century. Iconic images include adaptations of timeless works by John Falter, Stevan Dohanos, George Hughes, Richard "Dick" Sargent, and others. Specially designed for experienced colorists, Saturday Evening Post Americana Classics and other Creative Haven® adult coloring books offer an escape to a world of inspiration and artistic fulfillment. Each title is also an effective and fun-filled way to relax and reduce stress.