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

"Just as the clothes we wear can communicate our personality and how we want to be perceived, so fashion can reflect the politics and preoccupations of the society that produced it. A Cultural History of Western Fashion guides you through the relationships between haute couture and ready-to-wear designer fashions, popular culture, big business, high-tech production, as well as traditional and social media. Exploring fashion's interdisciplinary nature, English and Munroe also highlight 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. There is also a new chapter on smart textiles and technology, exploring the work of Hussein Chalayan and Iris Van Herpen among others, and expanded coverage of the role of sustainability in the contemporary fashion industry, including biosynthetic textile production and Stella McCartney's use of vegan leather."--Publisher description Cover Halftitle page Copyright page Title page Image Dedication CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Introduction 1 The Commercialization of Fashion Introduction Dress and society in Europe before the twentieth century Social implications of dress The rise of haute couture The rise of consumerism The social equalizer of the department store Summary 2 The Artistry of Fashion Introduction Artist-led workshops Haute couture at the turn of the twentieth century Art and fashion Summary 3 The Democratization of Fashion Introduction Changes in commerce and social structure The art of fashion advertising Flooding the American market: Reproductions and fakes Coco Chanel: Pauvreté de luxe Jean Patou: Style meets scandal Fashion and functionalist theory Stepanova and Popova: Russian constructivism Dressing thousands: The birth of prêt-à-porter Summary 4 The Americanization of Fashion Introduction Slop shops, sweatshops and factory work Fit and function Piracy in fashion American couture The ‘American Look’ in ready-to-wear Changes in menswear: Shirts, jeans, and suits Fashion in film: Costume designer as couturier Fashion as sociopolitical statement: Zoot suits Summary 5 The Popularization of Fashion Introduction Haute couture following the second world war Clothing and popular culture Alternative fashion Summary 6 The Postmodernization of Fashion Introduction Postmodernism in fashion and art The rejection of fashion Vivienne Westwood: Anarchy as inspiration Fashion and music Anti-fashion as feminism Japanese conceptual fashion: Miyake, Yamamoto and Kawakubo Summary 7 The Deviance of Fashion Introduction Franco Moschino Viktor & Rolf Martin Margiela Alexander McQueen Harajuku street fashion Fashion imagery and notions of gender construction The reinvention of menswear Summary 8 The Lifestyle of Fashion Introduction American sportswear designers Redefining womenswear: Power dressing Fashion as ideological billboard Street style on the catwalk Museum exhibitions of fashion Summary 9 The Corporatization of Fashion Introduction Global conglomerates The designer as product The death of haute couture? Counterfeit chic E-commerce and online shopping Summary 10 The Sustainability of Fashion Introduction The origins of disposable fashion Industry issues: Waste, pollution and labour Sustainable alternatives Green is the new black Vintage clothing as recycling Other sustainable approaches Ethical concerns Summary 11 The Digitization of Fashion Introduction Virtual couture Technology in fashion: A brief history Fashion and technology in the twenty-first century Fashion as future and fantasy Representation and inclusivity in fashion Summary Conclusion GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX