Book Description

Henri Matisse's ancestors had been weavers for generations: textiles, a key to his visual imagination, were in his blood. Although he was to outgrow every other influence, textiles retained their power for him throughout his life. His studio in Nice was a treasure house of exotic Persian carpets, delicate Arab embroideries, richly hued African wall hangings, and any number of colorful cushions, curtains, costumes, patterned screens, and backcloths.

This sumptuously illustrated book, which accompanies a groundbreaking exhibition at the Musée Matisse, Le Cateau-Cambrésis; the Royal Academy of Arts, London; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, explores for the first time Matisse's relationship with the textiles that surrounded him from his earliest days. Charting how the fabrics he painted became the very fabric of his painting, the authors examine the ways in which one of the greatest pioneers in modern art history used what he called his "working library" of textiles to furnish, order, and compose his extraordinary works of art. AUTHOR BIO: Ann Dumas is an independent exhibition curator. Jack Flam is professor of art and art history at Brooklyn College and New York University's Institute of Fine Arts. Rémi Labrusse is professor of contemporary art history at the Université de Picardie, Amiens. Hilary Spurling is working on the second volume of a biography of Matisse. Dominique Szymusiak is director of the Musée Matisse, Le Cateau-Cambrésis. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Breathtaking paintings, sketches, and art objects
The collaborative publishing project of art historians and expeters Ann Dumas, Jack Flam, Remi Labrusse, and Hilary Spurling, Matisse: His Art And His Textiles is a stunning, full-color artbook showcasing how Henri Matisse, an artist descended from weavers, was influenced by his personal collection of vivid textiles - Persian carpets, Arab embroideries, African wall hangings, cushions, curtains, patterned screens, backcloths and more. Over 100 of Matisse's artworks along with numerous colorful fabrics, displayed as the catalogue of an exhibition at the Musee Matisse, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The text explores the connection that Matisse had to beautiful textile works, though the latter half of Matisse: His Art And His Textiles is devoted entirely to breathtaking paintings, sketches, and art objects. An enthusiastically recommended addition to library collections and art shelves.

GLORIOUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXCELLENT SCHOLARSHIP

What does the name "Matisse" bring to mind?For most, it would probably be the fact that he was a great artist, perhaps some would think of his use of color, the Fauvist movement, or perhaps his cut-outs, works that marked his late career.Textiles, fabrics would probably notcome to many minds.Now, this sumptuous volume published to accompany an exhibit that traveled to France, Britain, and New York sheds light on how very important these elements were to Matisse personally and to his oeuvre.

Matisse's unique visionwas astounding.In addition to his paintings, he sculpted, illustrated books, and designed sets for Diaghilev.Born in the north of France, which is the core of that country's textile industry, Matisse was exposed early on to the beauty of fabrics.. For many generations his family had been weavers, perhaps his love of textiles came to him naturally.It's been said that he was particularly attracted to Islamic art, the intricate patterns and colors that arrested the eye.What is known is that his Nice studio held a veritable trove of exotic carpets, embroideries, wall hangings, and all manner of brilliantly colored cushions and curtains.

His use of textiles is evident in his paintings in which he uses fabric as a backdrop or simply to drape a model.It was, indeed, part and parcel of his art.Consider the use of fabric in his "Purple Robe and Anemones" - there is, of course, the purple striped robe worn by his model but also the two wall coverings in golds, red, blue.Amazing.Or, consider his "Interior, Flowers, and Parakeets," in which we find the table covered by a colorful, intricately patterned runner above a diamond patterned ruby rug.

Many of the fabrics on display in the exhibit and brought to vibrant life in this marvelous volume have been stored away since Matisse's death in 1954."Matisse, His Art, and His Textiles, " in addition to being superbly illustrated, explores the relationship of Matisse'sfabrics to his paintings, and thus adds considerably to our knowledge and appreciation of one of the forerunners of modern art.

- Gail Cooke
... Read more

Book Description

A superb reference book and an ideal instructional textbook for classroom use, this beautifully illustrated guide is organized into units that reflect required courses at leading design colleges. Twenty step-by-step exercises cover methods of finding inspiration, developing observation techniques, and creating fashion drawings in both color and black-and-white media. Separate sections are devoted to getting started and understanding figure proportions, planning and designing garments, and creating and assessing flat specification drawings. The book also features cross-references to its various art instruction techniques, a designer’s glossary, and a helpful index. This book guides students through their first steps in fashion illustration, covering everything that is presented in the best college-level courses. It makes a fine starting point for all students of fashion, introducing them to fashion drawing as a first step toward a career as a creative costumier. More than 250 illustrations in color and black and white. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a real course in fashion design
Unlike other fashion design books, the authors do not teach figure drawing and clothing. They start out with a visit to a museum where you need to gather information, then find a theme and make four sketches. The individual lessons build upon each other so that the beginner can easily follow. The authors require you to be active, go out and find your sources of information and inspiration. You learn to do what fashion designers do: look at architecture and find ideas for a new fashion line, look at flowers and find a color scheme, etc.
The book has 24 lessons that lead the student of fashion design from the first sketch to the fashion show. It's a good book if you are looking for a guided course that helps you to improve and evaluate your designs.

Important principles of fashion illustration
The book mentions the main and the important principles of fashion illustration, how to use colors and more. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Very detailed
I would have loved to had seen the pieces of the garment drawn in their pattern shapes, but otherwise an excellent book with much detail written about each garment. Only other problem was that sometimes the writer's handwriting about the details on the drawings were a bit hard to decifer.

The BEST
Until this book dissapeared from my local library I must have borrowed it for over half its shelf life there, in all of 15 years this book has been THE reference for me, no mean feat to hold my attention since I was 11.
I love it because of the minute detail of the fabric patterns which although hard to find today similar items can be found for those wanting to recreate the dresses.
The value for money is unreproachable, you just have to buy this book. Thank the publishers for reprinting in the U.S and here in U.K !

The best costume books I've ever read to date!
This book remains my favorite costume book, even 10 years after I first checked it out of the library. I find myself coming back to this book time after time, either to study a particular point of fashion or just to browse the fabulous drawings.

Nancy Bradfield has done a great service to all who enjoy studying vintage clothing and their construction. Each item includes 2 to 4 full-page, detailed drawings so the reader can see every detail of the original garment -- inside AND out. Many of them include measurements, so if you're a very talented seamstress/tailor, you can recreate the garments and scale them to fit a modern body.

Some books seem to just throw pictures or drawings together in no particular order, which makes it difficult to fully understand the fashion changes that took place. Nancy Bradfield has arranged the drawings in chronological order, which I find much easier to follow. She also has rather detailed comments along the bottom of each 2-page spread which explains particular details of the item or the fashion changes that were occuring at the time the dress was made. Those comments are in addition to the description found on the top left side of the left page, which is specific to the dress in question.

This is the Bible for any costumer or vintage clothing collector! The only thing that would be better is examining the clothes in person...And unlike seeing the clothes in person, you can keep going back to the drawings again and again.

a great book.
I had checked this book out of my high school library, er. . .almost 20 years ago (can it be)? It was one of those that I'd check out over and over again. Something reminded me of it the other day, and now I'm going to buy it, yeah!
The illustrations and descriptions are excellent.

Don't miss it!
This is the single most outstanding study of period construction detail out there. No one who loves clothes should be without this book. I highly recommend the first edition, which has a few color plates. ... Read more

Book Description

"Textile Designs is a dazzling, informative fabric encyclopedia ofarchival beauty. It is a necessary tool for the fashion industry, schools, and libraries."

—Women's Wear Daily

"An iconography of textile motifs and a vocabulary of pattern. . . . Highlyrecommended." —Choice

Never before have printed textiles been celebrated in a book of this magnitude. Now inpaperback, Textile Designs is the indispensable sourcebook for the colorful patternedmaterials that have been used in fashion and interiors for the past 200 years. Organizednot chronologically or geographically but by motif—Floral, Geometric, Conversational,Ethnic, and Art Movements and Period Styles—this bible of textile design presents astunning cross-section of the materials of everyday life: printed calicos and cottons,flowered cretonnes and chintzes, polka-dot silks and foulards. With its informative textand pattern names provided not only in English but also in French, German, Italian,Spanish, and Japanese, this is a must-have for everyone interested in color and pattern. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

textile designs
hi my name is Cevahir I am studying Cyprus International university. My departmen is fashion and textile design. I need this book(textile designers) I want buy it so I wonder how much can I take and how can I take
thanks

Textile Designs: Two Hundred Years...
This book is crammed with designs in every conceivable category. It is a must for anyone studying textile or surface design.

THE ONE WHO KNOWS THE VALUE OF ARTS
I AM HAPPY THAT THE COST OF SUCH VALUABLE BOOK IS REASONABLE AND MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD CAN GET A BENEFIT OF THAT. NABEEL NIMRI.

Magic Carpet Ride
TEXTILE DESIGNS provides the reader with more than just a visual smorgasbord. That alone would warrant owning this beautiful book. The depicted designs, limned clearly is vibrant color, can be returned to again and again for both inspiration and delectation. In addition, the accompanying commentary deeply impresses me with its scholarliness. The book is scholarly in the sense of reflecting much research and thoughtful distillation of material. It is also witty, trenchant, and amusing in the manner in which facts are presented. And facts there are aplenty. Tracking the history of textile design carries us through the spread of French, British, Dutch and Russian colonialism. It takes us on a tour of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Leaf through the book on a randon basis, and you will find nuggets of information that throw light on subjects as disparate as the origin of the myth of the cornucopia; the relative cost of a fine paisley shawl in early nineteenth England (as much as a London townhouse); or the connections between the slave trade and the textile industries of France and England. Indeed, reading this book is like taking a ride on a magic textile-design carpet, darting and swooping from one aspect of the human story to another...but maintaining a unique perspective based on a deep appreciation of the link between decorative design and its cultural and historical context. This book is a must-buy not only for those who seek aesthetic visual delights, but for individuals who are intrigued by the web of socio-economic connections generated by the textile industry during the past two centuries.

I highly recommend this product.
I designed and printed my own engagement announcements and wedding invitations using patterns from TEXTILE DESIGNS DIGITAL: FLORAL. They came out beautifully!! Not only did it save printing costs, but it was a lot of fun for my fiance and I to create them together. We have also used the CD-ROM designs to make note cards, birthday greetings, post cards, and gift wrap paper, resulting in many compliments. I highly recommend this product. It contains many beautiful patterns. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration
This book promises more than it delivers. The basic templates are useful, but in all other aspects this book is lacking.
The written information is scant and repeated - very superfluous. Mr Ireland's style is very outdated and uninspiring for those hoping to make a career out of fashion - in any form. I would recommend this book only as a basic early tool for novices hoping to improve their figure construction.
For inspiration I recommend Laird Borelli's FASHION ILLUSTRATION NOW.

great for copying
this isn't the 'how to draw the fashion model' book you wish taught you everything you ever needed to know. However, its good to have around when you just need to pump an idea out. It has women, men, and children.

Figure Templates For Fashion Illustration
This book is an excellent resource at a resonable price. It is more than a primer. I'd recommend it to anyone, experienced or novice, who designs/illustrates fashion.

Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration
Mr. Ireland has produced a helpful tool. I am a fashion designer and find the templates helpful when I need to do quick working sketches. I also teach Fashion Merchandising students, the templates are wonderful for the students with limited artistic abilities. It helps them in their presentation of professional storyboards. The book is also useful in acquiring basic drawing skills. I would recommend this book to anyone interesting in learning basic fashion drawing skills and for those with more advanced drawing skills ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Art Quilt
Beautiful color plates. If you are an artist or quilter who prefers to emphasize color and design, then this book is invaluable for ideas and inspiration. Highly recommend for your library.

Tremendously inspiring - gorgeous photography
I'm a weekend quilter - and love working with rich color. This is not only a coffee-table beautiful book but it inspires creative ideas far beyond normal quilting. You don't have to be a quilter to enjoy - the art is wonderful. And if you do quilt, this will inspire you to all sorts of radically new ideas.

Recommended for needlecraft students, quilters & collectors.
Robert Shaw draws upon his impressive expertise to celebrate the traditional bed quilt as a needlecraft art form that is a creative, emotional, example of "form following function". His insightful text traces the transformation of the quilt from bed cover to display piece, the quilter from homemaker to academically trained artist, the workshop from kitchen to studio, and the materials from simple to complex. The Art Quilt is superb survey of an art form grounded in tradition and, at the same time, committed to originality and innovation. The works of such superb contemporary quilters as Michael James, Yvonne Porcella, Julia Pfaff, Nancy Crow, and more than two hundred others, serve to illustrate the quilt as art -- and the art of the quilt. The Art Quilt is enhanced with 300 full-color reproductions and numerous insightful sidebars of important technical processes and leaders int he art quilt field. The Art Quilt is highly recommended reading for needlecraft students, quilters, collectors, and popular culture enthusiasts.

Incredible quitls, great gift
From the moment I set eyes on this book I knew I had to have it. The quilts are totally incredible. The skill of these quiltmakers & the detail they obtain is astonishing. They are true artists. It is a great value.

The abstract quilts combine color, pattern & shape so beautifully it takes your breath away. Surface techniques such as dyeing, painting, applique & embroidery make these quilts remarkable works of art.

Some of my favorite quilts include a nude pregnant woman & two quilts depicting Noah & his ark. I enjoyed a few scenes with vases & another made as a memorial to the artist's parents. I also fell in love with the many landscape quilts.

The text is fascinating, discussing the history behind quiltmaking & the techniques used to make these beautiful quilts. The captions are great, explaining the methods used to make the quilt as well as the artist inspiration.

good book
Was a very informative book on quilts, but was puzzeled by the caption on page 56 of the quilt titled Hank Williams. I don't believe the idea of the artist intended for it to be catagorized in pop art. Maybe a quote from the artist would be appropriate or a way to contact the artist about her view. Did the artists in the book have to sign a release for use of their quilts? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Images from Sample

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Book Description

The dazzling cloths presented in this book are the visual record of one of the great untold stories of Asian cultural history: the trade in Indian textiles to Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. Outstanding among them are the tie-dyed silk patola made for Indonesia and the patterned cottons--the famous chintz--that were unmatched anywhere in fineness of design and permanence of color. The chintzes made for export to Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are now well known, but for over a thousand years these trade cloths were exchanged by merchants of all nations for the spices and valuables of the East. They were a key element in the formation of colonial maritime empires and, in the countries that sought to possess them, they clothed kings, served as prestigious diplomatic gifts, and even preserved wearers from death. John Guy explains the weaving techniques involved and describes the history of the trade in the Malay world, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China, and Vietnam. He draws on a vivid range of contemporary sources, including the records of visitors, merchants, and trading companies; on paintings and engravings; on modern ethnographical studies; on his own firsthand research; and above all on the textiles themselves. ... Read more

Book Description

Costuming from the Hip is a comprehensive reference for anyone who works with Middle Eastern dancewear. Dancers, costume makers, designers, and historical re-enactors will like the many illustrations, historical patterns, construction techniques, and hundreds of hints and tips. This 120-page book will take you step-by-step through measuring your body, researching your costume, laying out the patterns, fitting it, and accessorizing your creation.

Topics covered include:
* Making your measurement chart
* Turkish coats, kaftans, and thobes
* Veils
* Jewelry
* Designing for every body type
* Coin, tassle, and cabaret belts
* Bras and cholis
* Shirts, vests, and blouses
* Men's wear
* Going professional.

The book includes a glossary, a list of suppliers specializing in Middle Eastern dancewear, and an extensive bibliography. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Create a Costume that is Uniquely YOU
This is a very well-done book for costuming. From constructing a coin belt to making a Turkish coat and everything in between, you will be able to design the perfect costume for you. She even includes tips on what types of costumes look best on certain body types! No matter your "flaws," if you take the advice in this book, you will be a Goddess in your costume.

Brown's bibliography is extensive, and so is her resouce list. I cannot wait to get my copy of "From Turban to Toe Ring!"

Fantastic book!
This is a TERRIFIC book for bellydancers who are starting to explore the world of costume-making for their craft. Even if you can barely sew at all (like me) this book gives you enough information for you to build a multitude of costumes. The drawings show how several different pieces can be re-combined, and multiple variations on a theme.

The binding was purposefully chosen to permit the costumer to lay the book flat (I only wish more cookbooks used this idea!); mine has been laid flat, folded over, and abused in dozens of different ways and has never lost a single page. Bad bindings are easily replaced by the publisher if you send a faulty one back.

This is a PERFECT book for folks on a budget who are trying to achieve an expensive look without breaking their wallet as well; it's affordably priced and it covers inexpensive techniques that look like a fortune. I've frequently referred back to this book while creating new outfits.

The Book I Always Come Back To When I'm Designing
I'm a costumer of the Philadelphia area bellydancers, with over 30 years of sewing experience under my beaded and bangled belt.
When I'm drawing up a new design for a customer, "Costuming From the Hip" is the book I always come back to for advice and moral support. There are lots of other wonderful books that address the sewing techniques that go into a costume, but few that address the unique concerns of a bellydance costumers.

Makes you wanna jump right in!
I really appreciate this little "how-to" book that also gives great explanations of the different kinds of costumes you'd make, i.e. what would be appropriate to wear for this kind of dance. It makes me want to just start sewing right away!

A good beginner's guide to costume creation
A very basic book for the beginner seamstress looking to make their first belly dance costume. Good breakdown of subjects including how to design a costume that will suit each dance/dancer and the techniques needed to acheive the goal. The next book in the series (Bedlah, Baubles and Beads) includes all of this information and adds more detailed information.
Excellent resources listed at the back of the book, too. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful Details.
This book goes into details that others leave out. What type of lining was used, how the embrodery was done, drawings of the hooks and eyes used to hold some garmets closed. Where many books on historical dress will tell you a garmet was laced closed up the back Janet Arnold will expand and tell you that the holes were reinforced with metal rings sewn on with thread and what color and type of thread. In addition, the clothing of the men of the time is not just given a passing nod, but every bit as important. Her attention to detail extends to giving the information on where she obtained her information, allowing yet more research to be done on your own. Not for anyone new to sewing but a must for the person who wants to understand the details of historical garmet construction.

No historic costumer's bookshelf should lack this volume!
The late Janet Arnold can certainly be called the mother of historical accuracy in costume research. Her meticulous sketches of extant garments, coupled with her carefully drawn graphed patterns, make her books indispensible both for students of historical costumes and for those who wish to reproduce them. Each drawing includes a brief description of the garment, including which materials were used and any types of embellishment. I found it very easy to scale up the patterns I wanted to use with one-inch pattern graphing paper (available through most fabric outlets). This particular volume in the _Patterns of Fashion_ series includes my favorite era -- the English Regency. The patterns provided include long gowns, a crossover bodice shortgown (a version of which was made for Kate Winslet in "Sense and Sensibility"), a riding habit and a 1790s pelisse (overdress). This book is worth every penny and will become a dog-eared favorite on your costuming shelf!

Sewing, or how I learned to be orginal...
Janet Arnold's books are great contributions to society. All historic costumers should consider her nothing short of required reading. All of the patterns are easy to use by comparison of non-commerical patterns; however, not for the novice. I personally have a failing in math, yet had no difficulty. To ease it a bit, use an overhead projecter, as I did, to enlarge the patterns. Even if you are not into the re-creation of these gowns, The book still has great information on historical sewing techniques, and certain styles and how/why they were worn. I poured over this book for hours. If you are in to re-creation however, you could create a complete 18th cenurty, Regency, or early Victorian wardrobe from this book. (and a late Victorian, Elizabethian, Barquoe, or early 20th century one from her other books). Bravo.

A great resource!
All three of Janet Arnold's books are a really good resource for people who want to make a period gown/outfit from the late 1500s through the 1940s! The person should, however, have a fairly decent knowledge of how to put these garments together an how to resize the patterns to scale and for the person wearing them. These all include a description of the original garment, but all of the patterns could be used to create something original. If you sew a lot of costumes, or are researching to make your own, this is a great book! ... Read more

Book Description

The significance of Pueblo and Navajo textiles transcends simple artisticexpression. Through the spiritual activity of weaving, male and female weavers beautifytheir world and integrate their art into the "web of life." Both the Pueblo and theNavajo believe that the culture hero Spider Woman has taught them to create with patience,understanding, and sensitivity. Yet over the centuries Pueblo and Navajo textiles havedeveloped along distinct paths which reflect the unique historical and individualexperiences within each culture. The textiles collection of the Southwest Museumillustrates the rich interplay between these two peoples and their art.

Southwest Textiles tells the fascinating story of the history and evolution of Puebloand Navajo fabric arts. Over 250 outstanding examples from the Southwest Museum'scollection are reproduced in full color, along with 125 illustrations showing details ofthese works and historical photographs of Native American craftspeople. Also included areabsorbing accounts of the early collectors of these superb textiles and some of thecolorful individuals who were instrumental in founding the Southwest Museum and shapingits collections. ... Read more

Book Description

The three books in Julie Parker's Fabric Reference Series explain the different fabrics made from silk, cotton and wool, using plain English instead of technical jargon. A detailed description of each fabric is illustrated with a real cloth example, right there on the same page, which clarifies in the simplest way what a silk shantung, cotton seersucker or boiled wool actually looks and feels like.

All About Silk is the first volume in the series. A brief introduction covers the history of silk, the main sources of silk and the silk textile industry, followed by descriptions and samples of 32 silk fabrics, in alphabetical order: batiste de soie, broadcloth, brocade, charmeuse, chiffon, China silk, cloque, crepe, crepe de Chine, douppioni, four-ply silk, gabardine, georgette, habutai, jacquard, knit, matelasse, matka, noil, organza, peau de soie, pongee, printed silk, sandwashed silk, shantung, suiting, surah, taffeta, Thai silk, tussah silk, tweed, velvet.

All About Silk is packed with information about the different weaves, yarns and finishes used to make silk fabrics. Terms such as cultivated silk, wild silk, raw silk and spun silk are clearly explained. The author uses simple drawings, an easy-to-read, consistent format and clear uncomplicated language.

Other books in the series include All About Cotton, with 40 cotton samples, and All About Wool, with 35 wool samples. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Indispensible resource for silk junkies!
This book was love-at-first-sight. It doesn't blab unnecessarily about the fabric, just lets you touch and see it for yourself. While being very visual and tactile, it also devotes a page with all the relevant information about each particular kind of silk (and who would have thought there would be so many?!): how to care for it, how difficult it is to sew, the ideal projects for each fabric, its characteristics, its approximate price per yard, hints/tips for working with the fabric, etc. I wish there was a reference book like this for everything! It has really inspired me and given me the confidence and knowledge that I need to both shop for silk and start some projects.

Yes, you need this book
This is the perfect book if your local fabric store doesn't carry any (or enough) silk to learn on your own. Words just can't replace running the fabric through your fingers to see if it will work for your project, and this book lets you do that and more. The information collected here is worth twice the asking price. Now you can order what you need off the internet sites and have a better idea what to expect.

Excellent book
I got this book through the Crafter's Choice bookclub, but I had to come here to recommend it. It is ideal literally for anyone. Someone who wants to know more about the fabrics they wear, or as a book for someone like myself who knows a good deal about fabrics to refer to, which I often do. I'm a student at Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, so I've taken textile classes before and know my fair share. I even have a swatchbook with many fabrics but this books is just exceptional. I will definitely buy the wool and cotton versions of this book eventually. Silk is my favorite fabric to sew in so it was a priority. The book has a really great layout also, making it not too much reading and easy to find the information you are looking for. You can find in the book what to expect from each fabric when you're sewing it, how to take care of it, all its variations, suggestions on fitting, really anything important that you'd need to know about a fabric.... and then more, making you knowledgable on the subject.

What a wonderful book!
I don't know how to sew, but I love this book because I buy most of my clothes from mail-order catalogs and this book helps me understand the catalog descriptions. The fabric samples are a great idea! I also bought the cotton and wool books. I use the books every time a catalog comes in the mail. What a difference it makes to understand what is meant by poplin, twill, charmeuse, etc. Plus, they're just fun to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Patterns-bold, colorful, muted, delicate, intricate, splashy, spare, figurative, abstract, dizzying, calming-are the subject in this comprehensive reference, the first to examine pattern as an essential part of twentieth-century design history.

With stunning color plates and lively text, Lesley Jackson takes readers on a tour of the development of twentieth-century patterns from around the world. Organized by decade, Twentieth-Century Pattern Design details the technical innovations that affected the development of modern textiles and wallpapers. Focusing on surface pattern in the home, Jackson draws frequent parallels to the worlds of fashion, packaging, and graphics, and explores the interrelationship between painting and pattern design. The result is a book as inspiring as it is informative.

Twentieth-Century Pattern Design is an invaluable resource for modern design enthusiasts and historians, collectors and interior and graphic designers. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Love the whole series!
This is a gorgeous book that will delight and inspire. The photos are beautiful and the accompanying captions, located in the back of the book, provide a good background on each piece. I recommend this entire series very highly (bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces).

Breathtaking!
This is a breathtaking, beyond-beautiful book of ethnic bracelets. If you're a jewlery artist, you will gain a tremendous amount of inspiration from this coffee-table (NOT a how-to) book. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Such a beautiful and interesting book
This is the ultimate coffee table book. It is so elegant. Full of interesting picture. I am not even very interested in costumes and fashion but this is such a beautful book. It will delight any guest who sees it on your coffee table. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Back in 1993, editor-turned-designer Kate Spade made a splash in the fashion world by turning out a small collection of boxy, utilitarian handbags, each elegantly accented with her name stitched in discreet, lowercase letters. As a result, the simplicity and unabashed refinement of the Spade moniker on those Lilliputian labels has come to define the very foundation on which the designer has since built a fashion empire, one that now, in addition to handbags, includes shoes, clothing, and smart home things, all of which embody the Spade formula of timeless style--a seamless merging of cheerful colors, clean shapes, and well-chosen embellishments. Not bad for a Kansas City-born girl who used to comb vintage stores for fun. Having perfected and expertly marketed her own brand of personal style (one that has famously been counterfeited throughout the world), the designer has emerged with an equally elegant trio of books whose topics Spade has become a virtual authority:Style, Occasions, and Manners.

The packaging, as well as the neatly clipped advice found in Style, is as polished and sunny as the pert designer herself. Spade draws pearls of wisdom from fashion greats like Diana Vreeland and Coco Chanel, and also employs the inspiration of iconic films, books, artists, and design movements. The layout and typography, while vibrant, can be overwhelming at times and her suggestions a bit old-fashioned ("…if you have to wiggle into something, assume it won't flatter you."). But Style still stands out as a treasure in itself. From "forever" clothes like full skirts and jewel-neck sweaters to playing around with color combinations and cocktail rings, Spade has captured a place for herself in the modern fashion vernacular. And Style is a suitably chic way to celebrate her arrival. --Christene Barberich ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Cute book but needs more substance.
I bought this book expecting more fashion tips. There are several useless facts about how Kate finds style in everyday objects. The book was interesting even though it wasn't what I expected. If you really want a book about fashion and only fashion I would heed the words of other reviews. If you decide to get the book I recommend waiting for the paperback or buying a used version.

Hello?? Is there any substance here?
I'm a fashion design student and bought this book hoping to glean some information from it, however, I found nothing worth my while in the entire book. This is basically an inventory of what Kate Spade thinks is great about her own wardrobe and doesn't tap into any longstanding style concepts.

It strikes me as being very self-indulgent on her part. As if we all care what her favorite colors and shoes are. Beyond tittering on about her own wardrobe, she makes mention of a few style standards, but ones we already heard of a million times, like how great Audrey Hepburn's look is in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Don't waste your money on this one!!

Style you say? Kate Spade has NO style!
I must be missing something but I cannot for the life of me figure out what makes Kate Spade a "style icon". This little book is just that, a little, nothing book. Kate Spade will never have the style or class of Jacqueline Kennedy or Audrey Hepburn. She is nothing more then a little WASP princess who happened to design a handbag that people now go into debt to buy! Having read the book and watched her segment on the "Oprah" show I can honestly say that I fail to see her style. Her home is a total color disaster and looks as if it was decorated out of a rubbish heap. Save your money on this book and if you must read it, borrow it from the library!

Where's the content?
Kate and Andy blew this opportunity by producing a painfully anemic brag book which is less of a style manual and more of an inventory of Kate's wardrobe. If you already love fashion and know something about it, there's nothing new in this insipid read. Vapid quotes from Andy such as "When a shoe is pretty or elegant it communicates to me that the woman is pretty sexy" help rob this brief read of any real thought given to the concept of style, making it more like a free-association of passing thoughts on the subject.

how could you not love this ?
Kate Spade is an extroidinary woman who has come so far and is stepping over the boundaries of fashion designers into a world that another review feels " is to emily post" i think it is awfully crazy to assume that Ms.Spade would ever copy off of someone as dignified as Emily Post. I say Bravo to Kate Spades new book ! ... Read more

Book Description

Costumes, Textiles & Jewellery of India unravels the beautiful and sophisticated language of traditional Indian Costume, in this detailed study of the complex role played by clothing and ornamentation in Indian society. It focuses on the state of Rajasthan, one of India’s most celebrated and historically rich regions. Compiled over more than fifteen years of research, this fascinating volume explores how Indian costume reflects the wearer's marital status, occupation, seasonal changes and religious commitment, serving as an essential symbol of their identity and ancestry.

Sumptuously illustrated with dozens of full-color photographs, this is an essential book for all those interested in Indian style as well as those reflecting on the cultural, social, historic and technical aspects of textiles, costumes and ornamentation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

social meanings of Indian garments
The Indian clothing expert Bhandari does a tour de force. Nothing is left out--from origins of and historical influences on Indian garb to materials and manufacture; from basic clothing to the variety of ornaments and accessories; from jewelry and bracelets to class and ethnic wear. The often exotic Indian clothing so noticeable to outsiders does not basically reflect the fashion tastes or personality of the wearer, but instead mainly denotes social station and sometimes occupation. As expected, the more sumptuous clothing and jewelry goes with those of higher class. But the typical clothing of farmers, laborers, and lower-class Indians is also colorful and elaborate in its own way. Rajasthan in northwestern India was chosen as the focus for this one-of-a-kind work because of its historical and cultural significance and the mix of different classes and ethnic groups found there. The Indian state's name is derived from Rajputs, or "sons of kings." Bhandari's meticulous text is so fascinating and endlessly informative that one is hardly conscious of the exhaustive scholarship and research going into it. Often noting measurements, techniques used by the clothing makers, how an article is worn, and what is signifies, the text nonetheless does not strike one as being technical since it deals with such a colorful subject. Readers will fall into a pattern of looking at the attractive, rich color photographs and occasional illustrations and diagrams as they come, and then going to the text to find what interesting facts and points the author has on the items the men and women are wearing. Many readers will try to put their growing knowledge to work to guess social status of the individuals shown and the meanings of their accouterments. The descriptive captions should not be glossed over either. The color photo of one man notes that his "sword denotes his royal lineage, the silk tie [around it] signifying that it is carried in peace." But one of the countless bits of social and cultural lore one learns is the significance of turbans in family relationships and relationships with others. A four-page glossary of hundreds of terms testifies to the complexity of Indian clothing. This is a remarkable work with its generous fund of knowledge, skilled organization, and magnetic appearance.
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