Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Fashion in Detail
- ISBN13: 9781851775675
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Now available from Abrams, this popular book offers a rare, close-up look at the exquisite, labor-intensive details seen in fine historical clothing. Perfect decorative seams, minute stitching, knife-sharp pleats, and voluptuous drapery-all are here, alongside more unusual techniques such as stamping, pinking, and slashing. Most of these effects cannot be replicated by machine, yet many of today’s fashion designers take their inspiration from the past, adapting these details to a more contemporary idiom, and to the realities of modern manufacturing. Drawing from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s world-famous collections, the book contains a gallery of exquisite photographs, accompanied by clear line drawings showing the construction of the complete garment and a text that sets each in the context of its time. This book will appeal to anyone interested in fashion, historical costume, or textile history, from cut and construction to fabric and trimmings.
Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Fashion in Detail
Written by admin under Fashion Books.
Anonymous
June 16, 2010 at 3:13 am
I have a copy of the book. I love the photos with every page close up detail.
Biggest and only complaint I have is that the book has images of garments clumped in each chapter, like “Stitching, Seams, Quilting and Cording”, Buttons, Trimmings, “Applied Decoration”, etc. What bothers me is that you don’t get the overall image of a garment, but a lot of close up fragments of a garment. It would have been nice to see an overall image as well.
The book also provides a basic sketch of each garment, even if the original garment is missing a section.
This is not my time period for historical garments as a costumer, but the details just get me drooling every time I look at the book. Close ups of the embroideries are just to die for. All in wonderful full color large images the size of the book itself. The left page has the description, and the right page has the full image, and it is larger than 8.5″ x 11″. I don’t have my ruler handy or I would measure it right now.
Anyway, I think it was worth the full price I paid when it first came out in hb. I love it.
Rating: 5 / 5
ReeQueen
June 16, 2010 at 3:51 am
The historical detail of pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum costume collections is incredible. The photography does justice to the intricate embellishment and contemporary textiles.
The only things missing are diagrams of the patterns from the various items represented, but the line drawings are precise enough to provide plenty of information on pattern and construction.
With only a couple of editorial errors, the writing is interesting and informative, adding to the detail of the photography and line drawings. This book and it’s companion, Dress In Detail (also from V&A Publications), are a good combination to add to a costume or fashion library.
Rating: 5 / 5
Desmond Ho Fu Lo
June 16, 2010 at 5:05 am
I can not find a better expression to describe this book than this one: a real visual feast for readers.
I am amazed by the intricacies and delicate details of those fashions dating 300 years ago. And I am fascinated with the fine quality of the silk fabrics reflecting the elegance of that time.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves fashion.
Rating: 5 / 5
fatal_degree
June 16, 2010 at 6:50 am
This is a beautiful book. The quality of the photography, and the full page pictures are great. If they had zoomed in any closer you would see what it was like to be inside an individual stitch. The descriptions are short and simple. There are some diagrams done in line drawing about draping and pleating. It looses a star only because they didn’t include a single zoomed out picture of any of the items. Imagine trying to get an idea of what a person looks like from head to toe, and the only thing you have to go on is a zoomed in color photo of one of their eyes and a line drawing of their frame. It is still a fabulous book. Certainly worth every penny!
Rating: 4 / 5
Another reader
June 16, 2010 at 8:51 am
This is my favorite book of all the books that I own on historical fashion and I own a quite a few. Oh my – the detail – the photography… It’s a ‘must have’ for anyone who appreciates or studies historical fashion. I’m an interior designer who designs elaborate custom passementerie for interiors and this book actually gives me a lot of inspiration for details on tassels and various passementerie. I do have to say that I wish this book was available in hardback. I would have paid much more to have it in hardback. I will treasure this book for many years to come.
Rating: 5 / 5