Costumes History 20th Century

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Clothes define people. A person’s attire, whether it’s a sari, kimono, or business suit, is an essential code to his or her culture, class, personality, even faith. Founded in 1978, the Kyoto Costume Institute recognizes the importance of understanding clothes from sociological, historical, and artistic perspectives. With one of the world’s most extensive clothing collections, the KCI has amassed a wide range of historical garments, underwear, shoes, and fashion accessories dating from the... [Read More]

Fashion is ever-changing, and while some styles mark a dramatic departure from the past, many exhibit subtle differences from year to year that are not always easily identifiable. With overviews of each key period and detailed illustrations for each new style, How to Read a Dress is an authoritative visual guide to women's fashion across five centuries.Each entry includes annotated color images of historical garments, outlining important features and highlighting how styles have developed over t... [Read More]

This book is the first in-depth exploration of the revolutionary designers who defined American fashion in its emerging years and helped build an industry with global impact, yet have been largely forgotten. Focusing on female designers, the authors reclaim a place in history for the women who created not only for celebrities and socialites, but for millions of fashion-conscious customers across the United States. From one of America's first couturiers, Jessie Franklin Turner, to Zelda Wynn Vald... [Read More]

The 20th Century was a fast-paced race into modernization-but how did it affect what we wear? From revolutionary politics to the new machine age, from war and depression to growth and prosperity, 20th-Century Dress in the United States shows how fashion goes hand-in-hand with history. The authors examine American dress from 1898 to 2004 and find innovation at every turn. Diversity and complexity are key: far from the fashion stereotypes embodied by popular ideas of "the Twenties" or "the Sixties... [Read More]

From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les annees folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies, Bals explores the nine most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century, in the most beautiful book ever produced on the subject. In addition to social commentary from (or about) colorful characters―including Paul Poiret, Truman Capote, and Cecil Beaton, who immortalized these extraordinary balls―Jacqueline de Ribes, Helene David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson share the... [Read More]

Featuring a new format, design, and garments, this revised and expanded guide is an inspiring resource for those fascinated by modern fashion and the world of haute couture. 20th-Century Fashion in Detail reveals the elaborate embroidery, intricate pleats, and daring cuts that make up some of the most beautiful garments in the twentieth- century fashion collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the world’s top fashion and design museums. Authors Claire Wilcox and Valerie D. Mendes,... [Read More]

Americans began the twentieth century standing in Europe's sartorial shadow, yet ended by outfitting the world in blue jeans, T-shirts and sneakers. How did this come about? What changes in American culture were reflected in fashion? What role did popular culture play?This important overview of American fashion in the twentieth century considers how Americans went from imitating British and French fashion to developing their own sense of style. It examines such influences on dress as class, jazz... [Read More]

From the turn-of-the-century S-bend silhouette to the bumster and bustier of today, this comprehensive survey explores all the significant developments in fashion in a century that has witnessed a growing preoccupation with personal appearance and clothing. Written by two experts in costume from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, it explores movements and innovations in style for both men and women through the work of the most original and influential designers and couturiers. Organized a... [Read More]