The history of clothing begins with the origin of man, and fashionable dress can be traced as far back as 25,000 years ago. Recent scientific explorations have uncovered graves in northern Russia with skeletons covered in beads made of mammoth ivory that once adorned clothing made of animal skin. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans each made major contributions to fashion's legacy from their textile innovations, unique clothing designs and their early use of accessories, cosmetics, and jewelry. During the Middle Ages, "fashion trends" emerged as trade and commerce thrived allowing the merchant class to afford to emulate the fashions worn by royals. However, it is widely believed that fashion didn't became an industry until the industrial and commercial revolution during the latter part of the 18th century. Since then, the industry has grown exponentially. Today, fashion is one of the biggest businesses in the world, with hundreds of billions of dollars in turnover and employing tens of millions of workers. It is both a profession, an industry, and in the eyes of many, an art. The A to Z of the Fashion Industry examines the origins and history of this billion-dollar industry. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced entries on designers, models, couture houses, significant articles of apparel and fabrics, trade unions, and the international trade organizations.

From the first animal skin body coverings, to today's high fashion collections, fashion has held an important role in the evolution of mankind. The fashion industry has, and continues to make, major contributions to our cultural and social environment. It is an industry that responds to our inherent longing for tribal belonging, our socio-economic needs, individual lifestyles, status stratification and profession apparel requirements. The fashion industry is fast-paced, complex and ever changing, in response to consumer needs. Throughout the world, vast numbers of people contribute to this industry, each with the shared goal of supplying an end product of a particular price point directed at a target consumer. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1,400 cross-referenced entries on designers, models, couture houses, significant articles of apparel and fabrics, trade unions, and the international trade organizations. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the fashion industry.

Knowing how to sew will make you a better designer; you will learn what is possible, and be inspired by the creative possibilities of sewing techniques. In this book you will start by learning the basics: how to choose tools; how to choose and use thread; pressing techniques; and how to choose and use appropriate interfacings and linings. Basic techniques include seam and hem finishes, sewing buttons and buttonholes, working with knit fabrics and finishing details including bindings and spaghetti straps, tailored pockets and zips. Each lesson is illustrated with step-by-step photographs.

Draping is the art of manipulating fabric directly on the dress form. It is the most creative way for a designer to turn design ideas into reality. Start by learning the basics, including how to use a dress form and how to prepare the muslin for draping. You will then move on to learn how to drape basic bodices, including a range of darts and necklines, and also basic skirts, and finally dresses. Each lesson in the book is illustrated in meticulous detail in a series of step-by-step photographs accompanied by photos from the catwalk.