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Black: Masters of Black in Fashion & Costume / Zwart: meesterlijk zwart in mode & kostuum
This is a bilingual book, in English and Dutch.
At various times over recent centuries, and for various reasons, black has played a dominant role in western wardrobes. Few colours have evoked such divergent connotations, from vector of death and loss to symbol of wealth, piety and even rebellion.
BLACK: Masters of Black in Fashion and Costume illustrates various phases in black's history with examples taken from painting, historical costume and contemporary fashion.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Antwerp grew to become one of the main European centres for the dyeing of textiles black. Nobles and wealthy citizens often had artists portray them dressed in black, thereby following the ever-fluctuating and fickle dictates of fashion as imposed by the leading royal court of the moment. At the beginning of the twentieth century, black dominated the wardrobe of modernity, culminating in Chanel's little black dress. From the 1950s onwards, black emerges repeatedly as the colour of counter culture, omnipresent in the wardrobe of various subcultures and in intellectual currents.
With plenty of attention paid to the work of contemporary designers such as Oliver Theyskens, Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester and Comme des Garçons, who have all developed a special relationship with the colour black.
At various times over recent centuries, and for various reasons, black has played a dominant role in western wardrobes. Few colours have evoked such divergent connotations, from vector of death and loss to symbol of wealth, piety and even rebellion.
BLACK: Masters of Black in Fashion and Costume illustrates various phases in black's history with examples taken from painting, historical costume and contemporary fashion.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Antwerp grew to become one of the main European centres for the dyeing of textiles black. Nobles and wealthy citizens often had artists portray them dressed in black, thereby following the ever-fluctuating and fickle dictates of fashion as imposed by the leading royal court of the moment. At the beginning of the twentieth century, black dominated the wardrobe of modernity, culminating in Chanel's little black dress. From the 1950s onwards, black emerges repeatedly as the colour of counter culture, omnipresent in the wardrobe of various subcultures and in intellectual currents.
With plenty of attention paid to the work of contemporary designers such as Oliver Theyskens, Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester and Comme des Garçons, who have all developed a special relationship with the colour black.
183 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2010
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