Vogue: The Gown

by Jo Ellison

Illustrated with fabulous images from Vogue 's archive, The Gown is the ultimate book for fashion lovers. In The Gown , Jo Ellison has gathered more than 300 images and grouped them into five thematic Classical , Fantasy , Drama , Decorative and Modern . The book provides an evocative celebration of almost a century of fashion history, showcasing the work of photographers including Tim Walker , Nick Knight , David Bailey , Herb Ritts , Norman Parkinson , Corinne Day , Cecil Beaton and Horst . Something about a gown's intrinsic construction, unashamed opulence and sheer feminine romance ignites in us the promise of fairy-tale adventure and unparalleled glamour. The magical gowns featured here give full reign to those fantasies, be they the sublime yet simple classical creations of Madame Grés, the heavenly bodies sculpted by Azzedine Alaïa, the lean, seductive lines of a Deco-inspired silhouette or huge tulle poufs fit for a princess. Now available in a new format with a luxurious real cloth cover, at a more pocket-friendly price of £30, this is essential reading for fashionistas everywhere.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Photography, Coffee Table Books, Art, History

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2014

Reviews

[mol · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, finished
other than all the typical complaints i have about the fashion/modelling industry (which basically start and end with almost all the models being skinny white women), this was a pretty okay read! i wasn't like AMAZED by any of the designs, though there were a number of them that i found to be really beautiful, and it felt a little lacking in that department. as per usual i did not read any of the little blurbs so i can't speak for any of those, but i liked that the book was divided into sections. i thought my favorite section would be the fantasy one because i love a fairy gown like no one else but surprisingly the decorative section was my favorite !! the designs were the most unique out of all the sections, and they had an element of fun that set them apart from the other designs. idk this just felt okay, it's definitely not bad i just don't feel particularly strong about it

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Fashion, like the word suggests, is about trends. Change is the only constant, and the sweet spot is the timing: it's about knowing where things are going, and move there when the momentum is mature, and abandon it when the new momentum is mature

- Fashion comes in cycles, but not exactly: the old fashion never repeats itself - they merely rhymes

- Fashion often takes inspiration from the surrounding (history, background etc) - they never come from a vaccume

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many pretty photos but also shows how far we've yet to go when flipping through pages and pages of models who all are of a type.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!