This is the first academic study of sneakers and the subculture that surrounds them. Since the 1980s, American sneaker enthusiasts, popularly known as "sneakerheads" or "sneakerholics", have created a distinctive identity for themselves, while sneaker manufacturers such as Reebok, Puma and Nike have become global fashion brands. How have sneakers come to gain this status and what makes them fashionable? In what ways are sneaker subcultures bound up with gender identity and why are sneakerholics mostly young men? Based on the author's own ethnographic fieldwork in New York, where sneaker subculture is said to have originated, this unique study traces the transformation of sneakers from sportswear to fashion symbol. Sneakers explores the obsessions and idiosyncrasies surrounding the sneaker phenomenon, from competitive subcultures to sneaker painting and artwork. It is a valuable contribution to the growing study of footwear in fashion studies and will appeal to students of fashion theory, gender studies, sociology, and popular culture.

The best new research on medieval clothing and textiles, drawing from a variety of angles and approaches. The essays in this volume continue the Journal's tradition of groundbreaking interdisciplinary work. The volume opens with a survey of the discipline of medieval clothing and textiles, written by founding editor Gale R. Owen-Crocker. The range of the other essays extends chronologically from the early Middle Ages through the fifteenth century and covers a variety of disciplines. Topics include the conception of the author as a "wordweaver" in the literatures of Anglo-Saxon England; intertextual literary identities established through clothing in the Nibelungenlied and the Voelsunga Saga; the historical record of clothing and textiles at the court of King John of England; medallion silks, their use in Western Europe, and their representation in art; the vestments of Beguines and other penitential movements in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and a depiction of heraldic textile weaving inlate-medieval art. Contributors: Tina Anderlini, Joanne W. Anderson, Maren Clegg Hyer, Alejandra Concha Sahli, Gale R. Owen-Crocker, Elizabeth M. Swedo, Hugh Thomas

Experience the world of fashion in a whole new way with Fashion Unfolded – an enthralling pop-up book series bringing stories of legendary brands to life in three-dimension.

The Chanel Universe Unfolds Celebrate the timeless spirit of Chanel through immersive pop-ups and elegant visuals that unfold the house's story, icons, and innovations―from couture classics to fragrance legends. Each intricate paper sculpture delivers a tactile, spatial perspective on the house's most treasured icons and evolution.

History Comes Alive Discover Chanel's defining moments as each pop-up lifts signature designs off the page―the tweed jacket, two-tone shoes, and the iconic 2.55―capturing style milestones in breathtaking sculptural detail.

Secrets Behind the Icons Trace the craft behind Chanel's legends with realistic illustrations and paper sculptures, revealing Coco Chanel's groundbreaking designs, materials, and innovative ideas that forever shaped modern elegance.

The Enduring Legacy From atelier to archetype, follow Coco Chanel's bold reinvention of womenswear and witness the lasting cultural impact of Chanel N°5, jewelry, and her visionary aesthetic.

Crafted to Captivate Masterfully designed with exquisite illustrations and paper engineering through layered, immersive storytelling―presenting Coco Chanel's captivating story, brand heritage, anatomy of icons, and lesser-known anecdotes in a display-worthy hardcover with snug slipcase.

About Fashion Unfolded Fashion Unfolded is a series that renders fashion history in three dimensions―where popups reveal iconic moments, timeless designs, and lasting legacies in an engaging exploration of style and history across celebrated houses.

The ultimate guide to achieving beautiful and inspirational quilt blocks. Modern Japanese quilting uses Eastern and Western techniques to create quilts of extraordinary beauty. This book is a treasury of more than 125 block designs, characterised by their use of beautiful oriental textiles, unusual motifs and striking colour combinations. Choose from patchwork, applique and sashiko blocks, organised into themed sections based on geometric, pictorial and family crest designs. All the techniques you will need are clearly demonstrated. Each design features a photograph, clear instructional diagram or template, fabric palette and cutting guide, and instructions for making the block. At-a-glance icons indicate skill level and techniques used. All of the blocks can be mixed and matched, and you will find examples of fail-safe block combinations for stylish quilts, from tessellated all-over patterns to spectacular sampler quilts.

Despite its long eclipse by Parisian couture, Italian fashion is now celebrated globally for the quality of its tailoring, fabric and design. But an Italian label was not always a yardstick for excellence. In the twenty years following the Second World War, a little known fact is that America played a key role in the development of Italy's fashion industry. More generally known is that the Marshall Plan had a formative influence on the financial and industrial reorganization of Italian postwar reconstruction. But America's specific influence on the regeneration of the Italian textile industry has been largely passed over, despite the meteoric rise of design houses such as Max Mara, Gucci and Prada.However, while American interest was central to the industrial and stylistic expansion of Italian fashion, the lessons learned were combined with Italian ideas and energies to create fashions with a distinctly Italian edge. This book reveals that a deliberate effort went into the development of an Italian national identity in fashion design, partially in response to American interest. Drawing on a wide range of sources, notably the testimonies of key witnesses, contemporary media reports and surviving garments, this book contributes to the scant research on twentieth century Italian dress and specifically exposes for the first time the depth of American involvement in Italian fashion in a crucial phase of its development.

How transnational modernity is taking shape in and in relation to Asia Fashion and Beauty in the Time of Asia considers the role of bodily aesthetics in the shaping of Asian modernities and the formation of the so-called "Asian Century." S. Heijin Lee, Christina H. Moon, and Thuy Linh Nguyen Tu train our eyes on sites as far-flung, varied, and intimate as Guangzhou and Los Angeles, Saigon and Seoul, New York and Toronto. They map the transregional connections, ever-evolving aspirations and sensibilities, and new worlds and life paths forged through engagements with fashion and beauty. Contributors consider American influence on plastic surgery in Korea, Vietnamese debates about "the fashionable," and the costs and commitments demanded of those who make and wear fast fashion, from Chinese garment workers to Nepalese nail technicians in New York who are mandated to dress "fashionably." In doing so, this interdisciplinary anthology moves beyond common characterizations of Asians and the Asian diaspora as simply abject laborers or frenzied consumers, analyzing who the modern Asian subject is now: what they wear and how they work, move, eat, and shop.

Focussing on costume in performance, this reader brings together key texts, case studies and interviews. Exploring costume's role and function in a variety of theoretical, historical, conceptual and practical contexts, this exciting volume also reflects on the broader relationship between costume and visual culture throughout.

As in a grammar book, this volume looks at the foundations and rules of the Western wardrobe. By exploring each garment with its functions that often called for extremely precise details, we have developed a teaching tool for the general public, using pieces from the author's enormous collection, to help understand the attraction and appeal of a specific garment. This second book, which focuses on breeches and trousers, offers secrets that were the foundation for what ended up as a social evolution - Wearing the Trousers. Both an introductory book and a reference document on the culture of fashion, this second book of the series looks at breeches and trousers from yesterday and today. It helps better understand the changes in these garments for men and especially for women, moving from ready-to-wear for the city to leisure activities.

Tiffany & Co.: The Story Behind the Style is a beautifully illustrated, handbag-sized visual history of one of the world's most iconic brands. Open the world's most famous little blue box to discover the story of Tiffany & Co. since its founding in 1837. Packed with photographs and information from the company's 185 years, get a glimpse of the legendary designs that have made Tiffany & Co. a household name. Starting in New York City in 1837, you will discover just how far plucky upstart Charles Lewis Tiffany went to be crowned the King of Diamonds. It is a tale of fortunes won and lost, the discovery of new gems and design talent, and the making of some of the most iconic jewels of our times - including the classic Tiffany engagement ring. Tiffany & Co.: The Story Behind the Style is the perfect gift for any fashion or jewellery lover. Also available: Cartier: The Story Behind the Style

Martin Margiela, known for his avant-garde ideas and cult following, became the arbiter of all things classic French Chic. His ability to apply his unique design process to vastly different fashion houses is the hallmark of a great designer. This new edition of Margiela. The Hermes Years has been published with the cooperation of the reclusive Margiela himself, including never-before-published photographs, drawings and testimonies.

From rococo to Edwardian fashions, Japanese street style has reinvented many western dress styles, reinterpreting and altering their meanings and messages in a different cultural and historical context. This wide ranging and original study reveals the complex exchange of styles and what they represent in Japan and beyond, contesting common perceptions of gender in Japanese dress and the notion that non-western fashions simply imitate western styles. Through case studies focussing on fashion image consumption in style tribes such as Kamikaze Girls, Lolita, Edwardian, Ivy Style, Victorian, Romantic and Kawaii, this ground-breaking book investigates the complexities of dress and gender and demonstrates the flexible nature of contemporary fashion and style exchange in a global context. Japanese Fashion Cultures will appeal to students and scholars of fashion, cultural studies, gender studies, media studies and related fields.

The connection between fashion, femininity, frivolity and Frenchness has become a cliche. Yet, relegating fashion to the realm of frivolity and femininity is a distinctly modern belief that developed along with the urban culture of the Enlightenment. In eighteenth-century France, a commercial culture filled with shop girls, fashion magazines and window displays began to supplant a court-based fashion culture based on rank and distinction, stimulating debates over the proper relationship between women and commercial culture, public and private spheres, and morality and taste. Mary Wollstonecraft was one of those particularly critical of this 'vulgar' obsession with 'tawdry finery', declaring it to be 'merely the external mark of a depravity shared with slaves'. The story of how la mode was 'sexed' as feminine offers a compelling insight into the political, economic and cultural tensions that marked the birth of modern commercial culture. Jones examines men's and women's relation to fashion at this time, looking at both consumption and production to argue how clothing was becoming increasingly conceptualized as feminine/effeminate. A concise history of French fashion culture suitable for anyone interested in eighteenth-century culture, women and gender studies or fashion history.

In 5 books, The Fashion Design Process explains the multiple circuits which fledgling fashion designers are confronted with today. Fashion Drawing concentrates on all the tools available for making fashion sketches. Learn how to draw fashion designs by understanding the human body and stylizing it in drawing. Each person will find a way to express his creativity through bases for drawing women's, men's and children's fashions. We can imagine various poses to draw clothing on a silhouette and express various techniques using the base of flat drawings. Learn vocabulary, shapes and details for each of the three clothing sectors. Both an introductory work and a reference document on fashion drawing techniques for women, men and children. A complete, simple, attractive book in French and English.

"The Swimsuit: Fashion from Poolside to Catwalk "documents the modern swimsuit's trajectory from men's underwear and circus/performance wear to its unique niche in world fashion. It emphasizes the relationship between fashion, media, celebrity, sport and the cultivation of the modern body. This fascinating book provides an historical, sociological and cultural context in which to view how the swimsuit - and Australia, the country that significantly influenced its modern form - migrated from the cultural and colonial periphery to the centre of international attention. In addition, the book offers new perspectives on national histories of the swimsuit and investigates how traditional European fashion centers have opened up to new markets and modes of living, bringing together influences from around the globe. "The Swimsuit "is essential reading for students, scholars, and the general reader interested in fashion, popular culture, history, media, sport, and gender studies.

'I loved her then, I love her now. Annie's back and she's better than ever! Fun, feel good and feisty - Annie Valentine is the woman you want to share a cocktail with!' Portia MacIntoshCan she make it big in the big apple? When Annie Valentine lands her dream job in the heart of fabulous Manhattan, it's a pinch me moment. She's finally made it to the city that never sleeps and will look a million dollars doing it! And this time, Annie is going to make it a family affair and take her teenage daughter Lauren with her to show her the fashion highs and lows and to have a bit of other and daughter bonding...what could possibly go wrong? But back home in London, husband Ed faces a scandal at work and knows, in his heart, he needs Annie back. Suddenly Annie finds herself torn between her true love in London and her new love, New York. Does it have to be fashion or family...or can Annie Valentine have it all? Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Paige Toon will love this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from bestselling author Carmen Reid. What readers are saying! "If you love shopping as much as you love a great read, try this. Wonderful." Bestselling author, Katie Fforde "Annie Valentine is a wonderful character - I want her to burst into my life and sort out my wardrobe for me!" Bestselling author, Jill Mansell "You will enjoy getting to know Annie Valentine; laughing with her and crying with her. You may even fall in love with her . . . I have! A fantastic read!" Reader review "Fantastic read, couldn't put it down" Reader review "Can't wait to read the next one!" Reader review

Fashion is a big bubble, and sometimes I feel like popping it.' Alexander McQueen, 2009 This definitive publication on Alexander McQueen (1969 - 2010) invites you into the creative mind and world of one of Britain's most brilliant, daring and provocative designers, and the many themes and references that shaped his visionary fashion collections. Accompanying the V&A's landmark exhibition Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, and taking the key themes of the exhibition of tailoring, gothic, primitivism, naturalism and futurism, this comprehensive catalogue features previously unseen material as well as groundbreaking essays and feature spreads by multiple authors and leading fashion commentators. This kaleidoscopic approach explores themes central to the designer's work and his collections, such as the psychology of fashion, natural history, the theatre and spectacle of his shows, and the key creative collaborators during McQueen's lifetime. Alexander McQueen also offers an encyclopaedic survey of McQueen's catwalk collections, illustrated with striking images by leading fashion photographers, and specially commissioned photographs that capture the breath-taking skill of his designs and awesome theatricality of his shows. Accompanies Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (14 March to 19 July 2015), developed and expanded from the 2011 blockbuster show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Vienna may not be synonymous with fashion like its metropolitan counterparts Paris and Milan, but it is a fashionable city, one that historically has been structured by changing fashions and fashionable appearances. Like the "Litfasaule" in Orson Welles's 1949 urban noir masterpiece "The Third Man," into which Harry Lime escapes in order to avoid capture and which hapless visitors today presume are merely surfaces for advertising, there are many overlooked aspects of Vienna's distinct style and attitude. By focusing on fashion, "Wiener Chic" narrates Vienna's history through an interpretation of the material dimensions of Viennese cultural life--from architecture to arts festivals to the urban fabric of street chic.
The first book that connects Vienna and fashion with urban theory, "Wiener Chic" draws on material that is virtually unknown in an English-language context to give readers an insider's vantage point on an underappreciated European fashion capital.

Crochet your own shawls, wraps, capelets and more from this collection of stylish patterns Shawls are a simple yet colourful way to liven up your wardrobe - they are comforting and cosy, but they can also be stylish and delicate. Modern Crocheted Shawls and Wraps has 35 patterns ranging from a simple, slip-on crochet wrap, to a large open-work pattern shawl. There are lace-patterned shawls to throw over your shoulders at a party, or capelets to add a layer of warmth to your outfit on chilly days. Granny hexagons and stars are used to make giant rectangular wraps, while star stitch and popcorn stitch add texture and weight. There's even a 'stash-buster' pattern with a mix-and-match border designed to use up your colourful leftover yarns. Many of the shawls would make excellent gifts - particularly as 'prayer shawls' - and of course, one size fits all! This collection of patterns from Laura Strutt features her usual up-to-date style and modern pallette of brights, variegated yarns, and neutrals, while many of the patterns use the increasingly popular super-chunky and variegated yarns. First Published in 2016, this is a new edition.

Here is a definitive look at fashion in the 1940s from French style under the Occupation and the make do and mend approach to wartime clothing shortages through the development of faux fabrics, the rise of American fashion houses, and the New Look of the post- war period. The illustrations reveal the wide range of fashions and styles from the 1940s in North America, Europe, Australasia, and Japan. The lively text by fashion specialist Jonathan Walford details how fashion was considered not a frivolity but an aesthetic expression of circumstances in the 1940s. While Fascist states tried to create national styles before the war began, by 1940 the pursuit of beauty was promoted on both sides of the conflict as a patriotic duty. From prewar to postwar, we see attitudes emerge from period advertisements, images of real clothes, and firsthand accounts in contemporary publications. The result is a celebration of everything from practical and smart-looking attire for air raids (hooded capes with large pockets and siren suits) to street fashion and the creation of Christian Dior s New Look collection in 1947."

'The perfect printed tool for Prada fans everywhere' Wallpaper* Founded as a luxury leather goods house in 1913 in Milan, Prada entered the field of fashion when Miuccia Prada took the helm of the family company in 1979. After initially focusing exclusively on accessories, she presented the house's first fashion collection in 1988. She would soon transform Prada into one of the world's most influential luxury brands with a deeply personal, sophisticated and subtly subversive approach. This definitive publication opens with a concise history of the house, followed by a brief biographical profile of Miuccia Prada, before exploring the collections themselves, organized chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a short text unveiling its influences and highlights, and illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images that showcase hundreds of spectacular clothes, details, accessories, beauty looks and set designs - and, of course, the top fashion models who wore them on the runway, from Naomi Campbell and Gisele to Kate Moss and Kaia Gerber. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.