Contemporary Fashion, Second edition

By Taryn Benbow-Pfalzgraf, Richard Martin
Publisher: St. James Press
Pages: 743, Date: 2002-03-28
ISBN-10 : 1558623485

Description:
This edition of the critically lauded Contemporary Fashion includes coverage of more than 450 designers, milliners, footwear designers, fashion companies and textile houses.

Entries in this lavishly illustrated resource include a biographical summary; primary and secondary bibliography, including articles and exhibition catalogs; and a signed, critical essay written by an expert in the field. (19960415)

From Library Journal:
Many notable fashion reference works focus on the broad history of costume design, while others concentrate on trends. Curator Martin of The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, has instead compiled what is essentially an encyclopedia of the fashion business for the past 50 years.

The designers profiled range from Gabriel "Coco" Chanel to the unconventional Todd Oldham, but highly successful retailers (e.g., Banana Republic) that have managed to make an impact on the fashion world are also covered.

The biographical information found in the well-researched essays is surprisingly accurate. Although most of the entries focus on American and European designers, some designers from Asia and Australia are noted as well.

The black-and-white photographs and illustrations provide definitive samples of the respective collections, and revealing portraits of the designers occasionally are featured.

Most importantly, the essays address the motivation behind the creation of major lines and illustrate the impact that each designer has had upon the fashion business. A worthwhile complement to Contemporary Designers (St. James Pr., 1990. 2d ed.), this costly book is recommended for academic art and fashion design collections.

Julie C. Boehning, "Library Journal"

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