History of International Fashion

by Didier Grumbach

First English translation of critically-acclaimed book opens the door to the fascinating universe of fashion. This book is not just a history of fashion from the early days of the creation of dressmaking fashion to the development of ready-to-wear manufacturing and the global enterprise it is today. Its ambition is to be the story of the creation, the evolution, and the implosion of the fashion related professions. With readable, highly-informative, and entertaining text—coupled with stunning photography—this book offers valuable insights into a profession which, unlike any other social body, is determined as much by its origins as by its economic context. Didier Grumbach walks you down the runways of fashion history and unfolds the secrets of the industry with stories and accounts from those who have played an active part in its development from the 1920s to the present. And he knows what he is talking about: he was born, grew up and made his mark in the circle that he opens for us here. For decades, he has collected archives, met with witnesses, interacted with the most influential players, and opened doors which are normally kept firmly shut. In his international bestseller, he finally offers us a 20th century illustrated history of fashion like no other—a saga, a family business, with noble fathers, prodigal sons, enthusiasms, passions, hatreds, strokes of genius and, of course, failures. The heroes are Dior, Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Sonia Rykiel, Prada, Hermès, and others. Their adventures are presented in an innovative chronological—and logical—order. From haute couture to the boom in ready-to-wear, the clothing industry, creators and designers, we witness the evolution in techniques, the shifting trends in the market, how an art matures and a culture changes. We also discover how the French ventured out of Paris to meet New York, London, Tokyo and Beijing. This book is a must for fashion lovers, professionals, and students who will find a thousand references never before presented. It will also enlighten the curious reader who wishes to go behind the scenes of this most seductive of theatres.

Genres: Fashion, History, Nonfiction

480 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2014

Reviews

[Syed Bukhari · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is strictly not International Hitsory of Fashion, it is mostly Pan European or Western hemisphere that is covered in the book from Couture to Ready to Wear and then to licensing arrangements and ending at integrated management of fashion brands. It did give you a perspective of how certain fashion houses evolved and what they did to achieve it. I would have appreciated if they had portion of luxury conglomerates like LVMH and Kering and most recently Qataris investment buying fashion houses.Virtually no mention of fashion from Asia