20th-Century Fashion in Detail

20th-Century Fashion in Detail the latest of a three-book series is much like a visual dictionary, textbook, or pictorial glossary of fashion details.

Unquestionably, the authors essay to expose the intricacies used by the renowned brands of the 20th century; hence the subject and images are geared to inform and instruct rather than to entertain and tantalize unless you are a student of construction, patternmaking, and embellishment. It might be safe to say that 20th-Century Fashion in Detail is geared to your inner designer or to the established designer as well as the fledgling designer who wants to know more about “how’d they do that?”

The last thing to keep in mind is that the authors are all affiliated with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London so you will find that most examples and images are from their archive, which is apparently lean when it comes to American designers. Many of the usual suspects are examined such as Chanel, Balenciaga, YSL, and the like.

So if you are really into and fascinated by seams, gathers, tucks, pleats, collars, cuffs, pockets, bows, beads and sequins, then this book will be right up your alley.