The study of fashion has exploded in recent decades yet quite what this all means quite where it might take us is not clear. This new book helps to bring fashion into focus with a comprehensive guide to the key theories perspectives & developments in the field. Tim Edwards

Includes:: coverage of all the major theories of fashion including recent scholarship alongside subcultural analysis & an in-depth look at production. Individual topics include: mens fashion masculinity & the suit; womens fashion & the role of sexuality; children the body & fashion; the role of celebrity & designer label culture; & globalisation & the production of fashion. Fashion in Focus" is the ideal companion for students in the arts & social sciences especially those studying issues such as fashion gender sexuality & consumer culture."

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Even before the advent of haute couture Paris was a great centre of fashion. During the second half of the nineteenth century when the capital was transformed by an ambitious urban plan its residents responded in kind wearing styles as polished & modern as the city itself in order to participate in the exciting new social scene. Featuring famed paintings by such Impressionist masters as Degas Cassatt Manet Monet & Morisot this delightful book revisits the world of Parisian fashion through the eyes of first-hand observers. Thematic chapters present a gallery-like ensemble of paintings that follow in the footsteps of stylish Parisians as they stroll in the parks & boulevards meet friends at cafes take in the theatre relax at home & go on holiday. In an extended narrative-style caption to accompany each image fashion & art historian Debra N. Mancoff offers a detailed discussion of what men & women wore & how their dress defined them. To complete the picture illustrated interludes providing glimpses into dressmaking corsetry & millinery the origins of couture & the rise of the department store reveal how Paris became the fashion capital of the world. ...

The 1920s was a vibrant energetic decade that bustled with jazz music fast cars & glamorous movie stars. Fashion was at the forefront of this first true explosion of popular culture: bright young things donned short skirts & cloche hats gents dressed in sharp tweed suits & spats & even children's clothing was given a thorough overhaul. Jayne Shrimpton here explains the various elements that shaped British fashion in the 1920s including the strong influences of Paris & Hollywood & looking not only at the clothes worn by the rich & famous but also at those of the common people
- & at those who chose to dress conservatively in this age of 'anything goes'.
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The broader Regency period 1795 to 1820 stands alone as an incredible moment in fashion history unlike anything that went before it. For the first time England became a fashion influence especially for menswear & became the toast of Paris as court dress became secondary to the season-by-season flux of fashion as we know it today. Sarah Jane Downing explores the fashion revolution & the innovation that inspired a flood of fashions taking influence from far afield. It was an era of contradiction immortalised by Jane Austen who adeptly used the new-found diversity of fashion to enliven her characters: Wickham's military splendour; Mr Darcy's understated elegance; & Miss Tilney's romantic fixation with white muslin. ...

This practical foundation course in fashion photography offers key advice on the principles practice & techniques of the subject. Dealing with far more than just the technical aspects of photography this book will help the reader to evolve a unique artistic style of their own. All photography students as well as anyone interested in magazine or promotional design will find this book an invaluable tool & reference. ...

Interviews with leading contemporary designers including Paul Smith Stephen Jones & Maria Cornejo & education professionals including Willie Walters Course Director at Central St Martins Andrew Groves from the University of Westminster & a Foreword by Shelley Fox the Donna Karan Professor of Fashion Director of the MFA Fashion Design & Society Program at Parsons New York will enable all readers both to understand the vital role of research & to discover the techniques the designers have adapted for themselves while a richly illustrated profile of the major themes of fashion is both a highly original resource & a mine of information about each theme for readers to draw on in their own research. ...

This stylish publication heralds a new movement in fashion the arrival of Scandinavian designers onto the world scene. Their appeal lies in the simplicity minimalism attention to detail & high quality of materials so iconic in Scandinavian design as well as in the sustainable & ethical production methods espoused. This book features over 50 notable fashion designers from Sweden Norway Denmark Iceland & Finl&. Whether they are well-established or up-&-coming whether they work in menswear or womenswear they all share a passionate commitment to a cool & refined design style that carries huge international appeal. ...

Budding fashionistas will love getting creative with this colourful book full of stunning illustrations. Packed with beautiful ...

Fast fresh simple is not just a cookbook it's the Donna Hay antidote to toady's whirlwind life. With Donna's help & the confidence of tested shortcuts & time saving tips to freshen up every recipe you can rediscover entertaining & cooking as the wonderful relaxing shared adventure it's meant to be. The fast chapter offers sweet & savoury options for cooks who need to deliver big results in the barest minimum of time. Home at six & dinner on the table by six-thirty? Donna's recipes are bound to save the day. In the fresh chapter Donna looks to the classics & explains how to deliver all the flavour without the fuss of time-consuming preparation. Donna reinvents the old favourites & gives them a fresh edge. If there is a short cut trust Donna to have found it. In the simple chapter she reveals how to take fresh produce & a few store-bought standbys & turn them into a collection of recipes that will become essential weapons in your culinary arsenal. No Donna Hay food journey is complete without the tips hints & know-how to pull everything together. We eat with our eyes first & Donna knows the way to our hearts through images & presentation that lift smells texture & tastes off the page & onto our plates. ...

The recipes in Fast Cakes are really fast! Most of them can be prepared in less than ten minutes & baked in under & hour. These are not instant cakes but proper cakes of all kinds
- from old nursery favourites such as Fruit Cake Gingerbread & the reassuringly named Can't-go-wrong Chocolate Cake to the more adventurous but equally speedy delights of Praline Meringue Iced Queen Cakes & Mocha Gateau. This tempting selection

Includes:: delicious chapters on tray bakes no-bake cakes tea breads scones & biscuits as well as an invaluable introduction a sensible emergency section useful hints & straightforward children's recipes. Altogether this is the complete book for busy bakers.


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