From the mountains of Montenegro to the shores of South-East Asia and beyond, the V&A's renowned world dress collection is highlighted in World Dress Fashion in Detail . The book, part of the V&A Fashion in Detail series, explores cut work and silk embroidery from Indonesia, applied metal braid and cord fastenings from Albania, as well as elaborate patchwork from Tibet, India, Korea and Iran. Specially commissioned photographs, authoritative text and line drawings showcase the breathtaking richness of detail that will delight and inspire anyone interested in dress.
"Brilliantly tracing influences from culture to culture, this tour-de-force journey across the globe includes descriptions of each region's population, geography and climate, allowing the reader to understand the development of an area's clothing customs. Complete with an extensive reference section, this treasure trove of information is a glorious celebration of ethnographic clothing and is destined to be the standard reference work on the subject." --BOOK JACKET.
This lavishly illustrated book celebrates the V&A's magnificent collection of dress from around the world. A source of inspiration to many of today's top designers, these colourful items of clothing, seen here in glorious close-up, will delight all lovers of fashion. Some 150 pieces, from the tropics to the Arctic circle, from the plains of India to the mountains of Montenegro, have been chosen to illustrate how different cultures create their regional and national costume. The garments range from the ceremonial to the everyday, and display a breathtaking richness of detail- rows of ornamental buttons, embroidered patterns, intricate pleating and stitching, flamboyant fringes and tassels that define and decorate at one and the same time. Featuring specially commissioned photographs and line drawings that demonstrate the underlying structure of each garment, the book is arranged thematically, drawing together examples of each type of detail and decoration from disparate cultures. Details of fastenings, necklines, cuffs, hemlines and fringes contribute to a wide-ranging survey which is both a visual feast of textures, patterns and craftsmanship, and a serious contribution to the interpretation of dress. The text is packed with information about the garments, the ways they were worn and how they were made. The result is a stunningly beautiful book that provides a unique glimpse into the V&A's world-famous dress collections, and opens our eyes to the variety and creativity of dress around the world.
"This exploration of regalia throughout the world and the ages, and the powerful figures who exemplify each style -- from the ceremonial robes of Chinese emperors to the wigs and stockings of seventeenth-century couriers to the casual college-inspired blazers and sunglasses of American politicians such as JFK -- provides a fascinating and comprehensive view of the sociological aspects of clothing. If there is truth in the saying 'tell me what you were and I'll tell you who you are,' then it is also true to add, 'I'll tell you what kind of society you live in." -- Dust jacket.
Fashion History: A Global View proposes a new perspective on fashion history. Arguing that fashion has occurred in cultures beyond the West throughout history, this groundbreaking book explores the geographic places and historical spaces that have been largely neglected by contemporary fashion studies, bringing them together for the first time. Reversing the dominant narrative that privileges Western Europe in the history of dress, Welters and Lillethun adopt a cross-cultural approach to explore a vast array of cultures around the globe. They explore key issues affecting fashion systems, ranging from innovation, production and consumption to identity formation and the effects of colonization. Case studies include the cross-cultural trade of silk textiles in Central Asia, the indigenous dress of the Americas and of Hawai'i, the cosmetics of the Tang Dynasty in China, and stylistic innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. Examining the new lessons that can be deciphered from archaeological findings and theoretical advancements, the book shows that fashion history should be understood as a global phenomenon, originating well before and beyond the fourteenth century European court, which is continually, and erroneously, cited as fashion's birthplace. Providing a fresh framework for fashion history scholarship, Fashion History: A Global View will inspire inclusive dress narratives for students and scholars of fashion, anthropology, and cultural studies.
Everything around us is designed and the word 'design' has become part of our everyday experience. But how much do we know about it? Fifty Dresses That Changed the World imparts that knowledge listing the top 50 dresses that have made a substantial impact in the world of British design today. From the 1915 Delphos Pleated dress to Hussein Chalayan's 2007 LED dress, each entry offers a short appraisal to explore what has made their iconic status and the designers that give them a special place in design history.
Dressing Global Bodies addresses the complex politics of dress and fashion from a global perspective spanning four centuries, tying the early global to more contemporary times, to reveal clothing practice as a key cultural phenomenon and mechanism of defining one’s identity. This collection of essays explores how garments reflect the hierarchies of value, collective and personal inclinations, religious norms and conversions. Apparel is now recognized for its seminal role in global, colonial and post-colonial engagements and for its role in personal and collective expression. Patterns of exchange and commerce are discussed by contributing authors to analyse powerful and diverse colonial and postcolonial practices. This volume rejects assumptions surrounding a purportedly all-powerful Western metropolitan fashion system and instead aims to emphasize how diverse populations seized agency through the fashioning of dress. Dressing Global Bodies contributes to a growing scholarship considering gender and race, place and politics through the close critical analysis of dress and fashion; it is an indispensable volume for students of history and especially those interested in fashion, textiles, material culture and the body across a wide time frame.
You'll find answers to these questions in Fashion Through the Ages. This stylish oversized gift book includes twelve lavish full-color interactive spreads that present fashion's highlights. From the Roman Empire to the 1960s, each of the twelve spreads feature: -- A man, a woman, a boy, and a girl dressed in outfits of the era.-- Lift-up flaps revealing all the layers of clothing beneath (each with a tiny caption).-- A gatefold page with a historical overview and a fashion overview of the era.-- NMargin illustrations showing accessories, such as shoes, hats, hairstyles, and jewelry.Chock-full of fashion history and stunning costumes by an award winning illustrator, Fashion Through the Ages is a "must-have" for every budding trend setter.
