1 comments about The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory.

1. Entwistle's approach is one of the most serious works about fashion and body role in fashion. She join together many criticims and thinkers of the system of fashion. It's not a simple history about changes and costumes throughout the Western World, since she breaks traditional stories about theories of trickle down, zeitgeist, and shifting erogenous zone, and drawns on Foucault, Kunzle, Veblen, Simmel , Wilson or Steele, among others, to explain a number of theoretical approaches about this topic. I recommended it for studies on material culture and fashion history. Available in spanish, titled "El Cuerpo y la Moda".

No comments about Integrating Draping, Drafting, and Drawing.

No comments about Cigar Style (Memoirs).

2 comments about Suss Design Essentials: The Ultimate Collection for a Classic Handknit Wardrobe.

1. Suss has the ability to take simple lines and stitches and create new, fresh, elegant designs. Very classy with a twist.



2. Pulling together designs from Suss Cousins' runway collections over the past ten years, Suss Design Essentials presents a collection sure to delight her many fans. Known for dressing many Hollywood stars, this collection features details commonly seen in high fashion collections: oversized collars, creatively placed closures and asymmetrical design.
   
   Worked in yarns from the Suss collection, Cousins has chosen her top 30 designs which she has broken into five categories: best sweaters, best separates, best dresses, best coats and capes, and finally, and best accessories. Each garment is chosen to showcase her design philosophy - creating garments that become wardrobe staples but involve a twist of some sort.
   
   Cousins' designs fall within quite a small size range, finished chest sizes of 30" - 44", with only a few falling outside the 36" - 40" range. Each design includes yardage estimates and a yarn substitution guide is included at the back, featuring her substitution suggestions. As well, each pattern includes the standard yarn weight symbol.
   
   While the designs included in Suss Design Essentials will be of interest to Cousin's fans, plus-size knitters would do well to look elsewhere for patterns. These garment designs would require significant reworking to fit the big girl and flatter her frame. The oversized silhouettes and chunky yarns are better suited to a slender body-type and the few accessories included are not worth the price tag.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Includes 30 top designs for knitters.

5 comments about A.L.T.: A Memoir.

1. I fell in love with the book after the first review I read about it. I'd, probably, would have never picked it myself, though very much follow the fashion and did know who A.L.T. was. If you think the book is about fashion...Wrong-Wrong-Wring. It's about the beauty of living a decent life and the luxury of experiencing human love; the luxury of lacking something in your life and as a result, treasuring everything you are blessed with. It's such a memoir jewel, at times I felt like I was reading about my own childhood. Don't even question - grab it and enjoy.



2. André Leon Talley's memoir exhorts one to journey with him to both his inner world and outer world. The former, is wondrously defined by the warm, cultured and ennobled-through-character kin that surround him during his formative years in the American south. The unconditional love and support of his tightly-woven family foster his ability to achieve grand accomplishments. The latter world, the outer world of ultra high fashion, where the bon vivant and gadabout crowd reign supreme, is one where his artistic talents and creative aptitude are encouraged and appreciated; this oft-pretentious, sometimes imperious world of glamour, glitz and visual luster, is one where he thrives while still holding true to his spirituality, family and humanity.
   
   Mssr. Talley's life is indelibly and immeasurably shaped by the presence of his generous, compassionate, selfless and benevolent grandmother, Madam Bennie Francis Davis. Though a woman of modest material means, her inbred sense of style and priceless integrity, virtue and honor are courtly and regal in every sense. Madam Davis' parentage, along with that of Mssr. Talley's father and support from extended family, enable A.L.T. to leave the warm bosom of the south and further his education at Brown University where he earns a graduate degree in French studies.
   
   Eventually moving to New York, Mssr. Talley meets and apprentices with Mrs. Diana Vreeland, the ne plus ultra of his burgeoning career at the time. With professional and moral support and encouragement from this unique and impressive woman, it is not long before he lands a job with the crème de la crème of fashion publications, Vogue magazine. His bi-continental career ensues, he meets and befriends intriguing, impressive, multitudinously-diverse individuals and, in sum, moves from fashion glory to glory.
   
   The crux of this memoir and most enriching insights, boldly reveal to the reader the importance of authenticity, of staying loyal to one's heritage, and of never sacrificing one's core values in the midst of the fashion world's artifice. In this case (and very fittingly), the person Mssr. Talley is revealed to be on the inside is superbly reflected on the outside--the best and the brightest of high society and high fashion are drawn to him and he counts many till today as loyal, genuine friends, admirers and compatriots in work and in life. How best to describe Talley? Cultured. Authentic. Passionate about his work. Unabashedly spiritual. Unquestionably creative and talented. Generous. Worthy of the success and respect he has earned. For someone whose interest in fashion is at most an afterthought, I learned a great deal from this piece. Buy this book for your library.



3. i couldnt wait to read mr. talleys autobio. though i expect lots of 'inside the world of fashion', i was pleasantly surprised to see so much written about friends, family, growing up in north carolina, and fashion. i am a great fan of diana vreeland and the tidbits he throws in about her apartment, her clothes and her style are wonderful. a very enjoyable read.



4. This is wonderful book, warmly written and lovingly detailed. That said, I think the tome is mistitled. Rather than a personal memoir, this is more of an ode to two beautiful women--Talley's grandmother and Diana Vreeland. This book is the story of how these two women influenced and shaped Talley's life, but there is little about his personal life outside of this subject. I hope that Talley will write more, another book about his personal experiences about race, relationships and culture. A.L.T. was such a wonderfully written book I would like to read more--please Andre, indulge us!



5. I didn't know much of Andre Leon Talley aside from mentions in the Andy Warhol diaries and his occassional TV appearances providing commentary on celebrity fashions. A stereotypical shallow and superficial TV fashion personality, I thought.

   Well this book set me straight. I was expecting a bitchy expose about Talley's career in the fashion world but it turns out there many more layers to the flamboyant Talley than he lets the public see. Lovingly recounting his childhood with his grandmother in North Carolina, Talley salutes the foundations which shaped the core of his personality. One can visualize his grandmother's sheets, feel themselves in Talley's home church and taste the after church dinners just by turning the pages.

   After receiving degrees from North Carolina Central State and Brown University, Talley sets off to pursue his destiny in New York. His life and career are forever altered when he meets fashion legend Diana Vreeland. Talley remembers his grandmother and Vreeland with a great deal of love. His writing reveals a real fondness for women which doesn't always seem to be the case with males in the fashion business. So while I didn't get the expose I was expecting particularly about his Warhol days, I did learn that Talley is a man of spiritual and intellectual substance.

   I would have liked to read more about his experiences as a Black male in the predominantly White fashion industry but that's only a minor quibble. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about Vintage T-Shirts: MORE THAN 500 AUTHENTIC TEES FROM THE '70S AND '80S.

1. I really enjoyed this book. The myriad of vintage 70s and 80s tee shirts were very cool to relive and see for the first time. There was even an interview with my buddy Omid in one section of the book featuring classic 80s heavy metal tee shirts!



2. Some of my vintage Madonna tee shirts are featured in this book. The author Lisa said she'd send me a free book and even a nice picture disc or some other Madonna item to give to me in return for my time and trouble in taking all the pictures I did for this publication. I tried emailing her again, and now the email address is no longer valid. In addition, she lied to me and said the publication was "put on hold"...now I find the book has been published and I have received nothing promised for my time and trouble. If this is the way she and her co-author does business, then I would not recommend this book to anyone.
   
   Totally dishonest in the way she and her co-author created this book. I wonder how many other pictures from other fans of other artists were treated?
   
   TWO WORDS: RIP OFF!!!
   
   Sincerely,
   
   Kelly



3. I bought this book sight unseen off Amazon and was immediately disappointed as soon as I opened the cover. I was hoping for a collection of cool designs that would inspire me for my graphic design work. Maybe one third of the designs are quality (at best) the rest are very mediocre. One page has six variations of the same Mickey Mouse T-shirt with different text. WTF! There is a T-shirt with the original M TV logo, one with a Pepsi logo, you get the idea. The book is more of a historical catalog than anything else.
   
   The book also has several interviews with losers who collect T's and have hundreds of them and who provided the shirts featured in the book. Who cares, not me!

5 comments about Chanel (The Universe of Fashion).

1. I paid full price for a 3 volume set, but Amazon only sent me 1 out of the 3 volumes, which I promptly returned. Be careful when ordering this. It is supposed to be 3 full volumes for $15. Each volume is very thin, and is mostly pictures. So one really wonders if it is even worth it. But it looks nice on the bookcase.



2. Very complete bio of the fashion diva's legacy. Contains many obscure facts about Chanel that give us an enhanced look at this unusual woman. Photography is absolutely stunning.



3. I for one was thrilled when I found this three volume set on the bookseller's shelf despite being on the very thin side. There are clean reprints of some of the most iconic images of Coco Chanel and well chosen advertising images of the recent last thirty or so years. These of course include photos of the achingly beautiful spokesmodels Carole Bouquet, Catherine Deneuve and Anna Mouglalis for Chanel's various products. I am happy to have bought the set but I really wish there had been far more pictorial material. I am certain Chanel's archives are far more plentiful and the books left me wanting much more. I have not been able to find an adequate Chanel book that is still in print but this set will do for a start since it was bought at a discounted price. The written material is simply succinct and perhaps that's best. Fashion shouldn't be overanalyzed anyway.



4. To a die hard Chanel fan, this may seem a rudimentary account of Gabrielle Chanel's accomplishments. However, there is no discounting the concise yet impactful way the information is presented to the reader. Baudot is not afraid to acknowledge the evolution of the CHANEL name to the entity known today,the most viable independent fashion house of this century. She discreetly recognizes Karl Lagerfeld for breathing new life into Gabrielle Chanel's classic designs.The magnificent photos and drawings are reflective of this progression and provide the reader with a visual timeline.As with the entire "Universe of Fashion" series, this book is definitely a keeper. These books make a great addition to any fashionphile's library.



5. Skip the text in this little book. Instead, read the jacket notes. There is no new information about Mademoiselle Chanel and the already well-known history of her life is so obtusely written the text seems like an outline of a romance novel.
   This is a book to own only for the archival photographs and the "select chronology" of Coco's fashion house that still thrives--some 25 years after her death. Snapshots of some of the male influences in her life finally put faces to names. However, a photograph of her best friend, Madame Misia Sert, is noticeably missing and should have also been included.
   Interspersed with the photographs are whimsical montage illustrations by Karl Lagerfeld, the current design director of Chanel. There are also a few photographs from modern advertising campaigns epmphasizing, even more, that this is not a must-read

2 comments about Designing Clothes: Culture and Organization of the Fashion Industry.

1. DESIGNING CLOTHES: CULTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY is a top pick for college-level collections strong in fashion history and design. It considers how fashion operates in society and how it works in an organizational context, considering how fashion firms operate, how they market more than just clothing, and how they actually sell bigger concepts than the latest style choices. Not only art collections but business libraries as well will find it an important survey of how the presentation of fashion is influenced by social change. From fashion industry trends and leadership to the efforts of the fashion designer, DESIGNING CLOTHES is an excellent, in-depth survey.



2. a really good book that looks at how fashion designers became celebrities and a look at what it is like to work as a designer, whether it is an assistant designer or a top designer like tommy hilfiger. this book gives a good review of theory on fashion from both the meaning it has to people who buy and wear fashion to the role of fashion in everyday life, and it talks about fashion firms, their leaders, the culture in the firms and how fashion has become a global industry. i learned a lot about the ways that fashion influences individuals and how it works as a business, and I didn't know much before on this topic. it is well written for the college grad or above level.

4 comments about Dolce & Gabbana: Fashion Album.

1. This is a great buy! I buy books as insparation and collection purposes and this book is so good its going to take time to go throught it. The book is huge and so are the pictures, big beautiful full page photos.



2. Must say ... wow ... it is one of the greatest photo albums I own. Beautiful fashion pictures (Dolce&Gabbana creations) of big shots of fashion photography in really big size. I am impressed very much. Every $ spend on it was worth of its price.



3. There are few books in which every page is a work of art in itself. This fashion album is such a book. Everyone should experience the artistry of each photographer and his subject. Awesome work!



4. The volume is fantastic in a number of ways: it's not a chronological compendium of photographs which is a plus in my opinion. Photos are arranged by photographer, which gives well deserved credit to those who bring fabulous images to life. I also like the fact that each photograph is captioned with the name of the publication, month and year, and the model's name. It gives the ladies credit, and reminds us of the fleeting nature of their work. Linda and the rest of the ueber-models don't need a caption, we all know who they are, but so many of the other ones have come and gone :) Be prepared to see about a 50/50 mix of color and BW photography. And enjoy photos from major European magazines, some of which select styles and types of photos that one may not find in the US. It's not just nudity, but a certain flair that is so european.
   In sum - get this wonderful book, it's well worth it.
   P.S. It weighs a ton, so don't lift the package too swiftly when it arrives at your door :)

3 comments about Yves Saint Laurent 5, avenue Marceau, 75116 Paris , France.

1. Though the producers and editors of this book have obviously taken great care and reverence in assembling the images seen in this hefty Rizzoli hardcover edition, it is nonetheless lacking.
   There is an eight-page, albeit in very-large typeface, essay extolling the philosophy behind the decades of YSL's influence and visions of modern fashion, as well as journal entries in Yves Saint Laurent's own handwriting that are written mostly in French. There are several famous quotes from him: among them the most famous of all "there is nothing more beautiful than a naked body."

   The photographs number in the hundreds, though only a handful of family photographs from YSL's childhood in Oran, Algeria are captioned with names. Otherwise, the documentary's images shot mostly in the atelier at 5 avenue Marceau are without caption or description, though you can discern the sense of creativity and endless discussion that is the process of the haute couture. The masterpieces of tailleur (suits) and flou (dresses) are often one-of-a-kind. Their numbers are usually limited to one or two copies, so the 2000 or so women who can afford the prices are not likely to see someone else wearing that same opera coat or evening gown which ends up photographed in the society pages of Paris and New York among other places. If you are paying $50,000 for a hand-embroidered Lesage suit jacket, you don't want to see it on the shoulders of a half-dozen of your fellow couture followers. Ca marche pas!

   Most interestingly the editors did not include many quotes from some of Saint Laurent's inner circle, except for a small contribution from his life and business partner, Pierre Berge. There is one short blurb from Catherine Deneuve, but no words from Loulou de la Falaise or Betty Catroux, or even Marie Munoz, directrice of the YSL atelier for years. There are some very old press clippings from the 50s and 60s when YSL was hitting the peaks of creativity, but very little from the pinnacle of his career, which would be most of the 1970s. In the 70s we witnessed some of the greatest moments in fashion history with the Chinese and Russian collections that set the trends for womens' wear for years after the clothes were shown in Paris.

   The book is full of images, but short on text. For those who are unfamiliar with all the innovations introduced for women's clothing, their number is second only to that of those brought forth by Coco Chanel. Saint Laurent created the women's pantsuit, the "smoking" or women's tuxedo, the trenchcoat, the safari look, khaki, the list goes on and on. Seeing the documentary would be more than helpful, as it would fill in many of the gaps.

   A beautiful book that leaves you only wanting much more...




2. If you are looking for a book about the designer YSL look somewhere else. If however you are interested in the flow of fashion design as done by YSL then this is a wonderful creation. To me it feels like a work of gratitude to all those involved behind the YSL name.



3. O.k. first, let me say, it's my own fault. With picture books it's best to have a look to see if you really want to spend the $. I didn't. I made an assumption that with YSL retiring this would be a retrospective of his glorious career. Not so. Fuzzy, boring, behind the scenes pictures of people at work in his atelier. Very few dresses and those shown aren't shown well. All in all a disappointment.