Dress, Fashion and Technology: From Prehistory to the Present (Dress, Body, Culture)

Technology has been an essential factor in the production of dress and the cultures of fashion throughout human history. Structured chronologically from prehistory to the present day, this is the first broad study of the complex relationship between dress and technology. Over the course of human history, dress-making and fashion technology has changed beyond recognition: from needles and human hands in the ancient world to complex 20th-century textile production machines, it has now come to include the technologies that influence dress styles and the fashion industry, while fashion itself may drive aspects of technology. In the last century, new technologies such as the electronic media and high-tech manufacturing have helped not just to produce but to define fashion: the creation of automobiles prompted a decline in long skirts for women while the beginnings of space travel caused people to radically rethink the function of dress. In many ways, technology has itself created avant garde and contemporary fashions. Through an impressive range of international case studies, the book challenges the perception that fashion is unique to western dress and outlines the many ways in which dress and technology intersect. Dress, Fashion and Technology is ideal reading for students and scholars of fashion studies, textile history, anthropology and cultural studies. Cover page 1 Halftitle page 2 Series page 3 Title page 6 Copyright page 7 CONTENTS 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 11 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 15 1 CONNECTING TECHNOLOGY, DRESS, AND FASHION 18 The importance of terminology 18 Fashion always present in dress? 19 Other themes that will appear 21 The organization of this book 21 PART ONE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION 24 2 DRESS AND THE TECHNOLOGIES OF PREHISTORY 26 Visual representations of dress 29 Artifacts related to technology for making dress 30 Fiber use 32 Beyond body enclosing garments 34 The importance of the Neolithic Revolution in Eurasia 36 Relating technology and dress: The Ice Man 40 3 TECHNOLOGIES AND DRESS IN TOWNS, CITIES, AND EMPIRES 48 Human settlement and fiber use 49 Looms increase in complexity and variety 51 Dress materials and trade 53 Fibers and technology shape dress 56 Production and consumption of textiles in the ancient world 57 Evidences of fashion and limits of knowledge 59 Looking at relationships through illustrations 60 4 TECHNOLOGY AND DRESS FACILITATE FASHION CHANGE 68 The Byzantine Empire 69 Technological advances 70 Fashion in the Middle Ages 71 Textile developments during theRenaissance 74 New types of textile constructions 76 Other aspects of dress 77 The role of communication technology in spreading fashion information 78 Jewelry 79 Looking at relationships through illustrations 82 Buttons and belts 82 Shoes 84 Undergarments 85 Accessories 87 5 SOME ASIAN DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, DRESS AND FASHION 88 China 89 Basic fiber technologies 90 Fashion in China 92 The Indian sub-continent 94 Trade developments and their impact 96 Looking at relationships through illustrations 100 PART TWOHE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND FIRST STEPS TOWARD THE FASHION INDUSTRY 104 6 DRESS AND FASHION MOVE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION FORWARD 106 Protecting the textile industries 106 Other fashions benefit from technology 112 Looking at relationships through illustrations 113 7 THE CENTRAL ROLE OF DRESS AND FASHION AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 116 The cotton gin and the Muslin Empire dress 116 The draw loom and its impact 118 Hand crafts are fully mechanized 121 Looking at relationships through illustrations 125 8 DRESS, FASHION, ANDSOCIAL CHANGES FOLLOWING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 130 Life in Britain before and after the Industrial Revolution 130 Dress responds to social changes 133 Looking at relationships through illustrations 139 9 TOOLS THAT ENABLE FASHION CHANGE AND INNOVATIONS IN DRESS 142 Contributions from metallurgy and chemistry 142 From natural to regenerated materials 147 The sewing machine 149 Other stimuli to ready-to-wear 152 Sociological factors that enabled mass production 153 Looking at relationships through illustrations 153 PART THREE THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS BORN 158 10 TOOLS AND PROCESSES EXPAND OPTIONS FOR DRESS AND FASHION 160 Manufactured fibers 160 The impact of warp knitting technology on dress and fashion 168 Raw materials and fashion design: the relationship 168 Non-textile materials for dress 169 Body modification: an overlooked element of dress 169 Hair care and technology 170 Looking at relationships through illustrations 173 11 TRANSPORTATION AND ITS EFFECTS 178 Horse power 179 Fashion and practicality 180 Automobiles 182 Air travel 183 Motorcycling 184 Looking at relationships through illustrations 184 12 THE EFFECTS OF SPORTS 188 Social attitudes and aspects of sports that affect dress 189 A closer look at a few areas of sport 190 Protective and performance enhancing dress for sports 198 The emergence of sportswear from dress for sports 201 For professional and amateur sports 203 Looking at relationships through illustrations 203 13 COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES THAT DISSEMINATE FASHION INFORMATION 206 Printed fashion information 206 Visual media and fashion 210 Some final thoughts about technology, communication, and fashion 216 PART FOUR HIGH TECH ENTERS 218 14 TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTES TO THE GLOBALIZATION OF FASHION 220 Manufacturing 221 Global fashions 224 Looking at relationships through illustrations 224 15 ENVIRONMENTS INTERACT WITH TECHNOLOGIES 228 Technologies that produce alterations in natural environments 228 New technologies stimulate designer adaptations 231 Space exploration 231 16 NEW TECHNOLOGICAL FRONTIERS FOR DRESS AND FASHION 234 Technology incorporated into dress 234 Further technological advances in functional dress 238 The expressive end of the range 241 BIBLIOGRAPHY 248 INDEX 258 "Technology has been an essential factor in the production of dress and the cultures of fashion throughout human history. Structured chronologically from pre-history to the present day, this is the first broad study of the complex relationship between dress and technology. Over the course of human history, dress-making and fashion technology has changed beyond recognition: from needles and human hands in the ancient world to complex 20th century textile production machines, it has now come to include the technologies that influence dress styles and the fashion industry, such as the media and printing presses. In the last century, new technologies have helped not just to produce but to define fashion: the creation of automobiles prompted a decline in long skirts for women while the beginnings of space travel caused people to radically rethink the function of dress. In many ways, technology has itself created avant garde and contemporary fashions. Through an impressive range of international case studies, the book challenges the perception that fashion is unique to western dress and outlines the many ways in which dress and technology intersect. Dress, Fashion and Technology is ideal reading for students and scholars of fashion studies, textile history, anthropology and cultural studies"-- Provided by publisher Connecting technology, dress, and fashion -- Dress and the technologies of prehistory -- Technologies and dress in towns, cities, and empires -- Technology and dress facilitate fashion change -- Some Asian developments in technology, dress and fashion -- Dress and fashion move the industrial revolution forward -- The central role of dress and fashion and the industrial revolution -- Dress, fashion, and social changes following the industrial revolution -- Tools that enable fashion change and innovations in dress -- Tools and processes expand options for dress and fashion -- Transportation and its effects -- The effects of sports -- Communications technologies that disseminate fashion information -- Technology contributes to the globalization of fashion -- Environments interact with technologies -- New technological frontiers for dress and fashion