A Cultural History of Western Fashion: From Haute Couture to Virtual Couture

The Cultural History of Western Fashion explores the relationships between haute couture and ready-to-wear designer fashions, popular culture, big business, high-tech production, and traditional and social media, highlighting the parallel evolution of clothing design and the other visual arts over the last 150 years. This new edition includes expanded coverage of the build-up to the First World War and brings this classic text up-to-date with a new chapter on smart textiles and technology and expanded coverage of sustainability in the contemporary fashion industry.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 10 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Fashion, much like the clothes we adorn ourselves with, holds the power to convey our personality and the image we wish to project to the world. It serves as a mirror that reflects the politics, values, and concerns of the society that created it. In her book, A Cultural History of Western Fashion, Dr. English and Munroe delve into the intricate connections between haute couture and ready-to-wear designer fashions, popular culture, big business, high-tech production, and traditional and social media. They explore the interdisciplinary nature of fashion, highlighting how it has evolved alongside other visual arts over the past 150 years.

This revised edition expands its coverage to include the buildup to the First World War, bringing the book up to date with the latest developments. It also introduces a new chapter on smart textiles and technology, exploring the innovative work of designers such as Hussein Chalayan and Iris Van Herpen. Furthermore, the book delves deeper into the role of sustainability in the contemporary fashion industry, exploring topics such as biosynthetic textile production and the use of vegan leather by brands like Stella McCartney.

Through their comprehensive analysis, English and Munroe shed light on the complex interplay between fashion, culture, and society, offering a rich and insightful perspective on the ever-changing world of fashion. Whether you are a fashion enthusiast, historian, or simply interested in understanding the social and cultural implications of clothing, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the industry.

Weight: 990g
Dimension: 195 x 253 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350150881
Edition number: 3 ed