Synopses & Reviews
What woman can resist imagining herself in a beautiful designer dress?and#160;Here, for the first time ever, are 100 fabulous gowns from the permanent collection of the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each of which is a reminder of the ways fashion reflectsand#160;the broader culture that created it.
Featuring designs by Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Madame Grand#232;s, Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and many others, this one-of-a-kind collectionand#160;presents aand#160;stunning variety of garments. Ranging from the buttoned-up gowns of the late 17th century to the cutting-edge designs of the early 21st, the dresses reflect the sensibilities and excesses of each era while providing a vivid picture of how styles have changedand#8212;sometimes radicallyand#8212;over the years.and#160;A late 1600s wool dress with a surprising splash of silver thread; a large-bustled red satin dress from the 1800s; a short, shimmery 1920s dancing dress;and#160;a glamorous 1950s cocktail dress; and a 1960s minidressand#8212;each tells a story aboutand#160;its periodand#160;and serves as a testament to the enduring ingenuity of the fashion designerand#8217;s art.
Images of the dresses are accompanied by informative text and enhanced by close-up details as well as runway photos, fashion plates, works of art, and portraits of designers. A glossary of related terms is also included.
Review
"The 100 dresses of the title, taken from the largest and most comprehensive costume collection in the world, range across four centuries, from the elaborate, buttoned-up gowns of the 17th century to cutting edge 21st-century designs."and#8212;The Globe and Mail
Review
"Full of famous ladiesand#8217; fabulous gowns, this tome will delight fashion mavens and history buffs alike."and#8212;
Good HousekeepingReview
"For fashion lovers, this book is an addictive visual history of fashion's rite of passage, replete with breathtaking photography, portraits of designers and detailed insets."and#8212;
St. Petersburg TimesReview
and#8220;100 Dresses, from the Costume Institute's holdings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is not a page-turner. You'll take your sweet time on every exquisite specimen here, enhanced as they are by enlarged detail insets, related works of art, fashion plates, and portraits of designers.and#8221;and#8212;
Austin ChronicleReview
"Features page after page of swoon-worthy concoctions...."and#8212;
The Washington PostReview
"100 Dresses will satisfy a broad audience of students and historians, fashion insiders and general consumers. The volume has great visual impact from the cover image...and equally startling pink endpapers; to insets of intricate hand-worked surface decorations; to fine art reproductions and fashion plates; to portrait photos of designers and shots taken on the runway...."and#8212;
Studio InternationalReview
"This ones perfect as a fashionable primer of classic style."—
NY Post New York Post
Review
"Here, for the first time ever, are 100 fabulous gowns from the permanent collection of the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each of which is a reminder of the ways fashion reflects the broader culture that created it."and#8212;The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
Review
"This one's perfect as a fashionable primer of classic style. . . . Details on the pieces offer historical and cultural context and the whole package may send readers right over to the Met to see the collection in person."and#8212;New Yorkand#160;Post
Review
"Features page after page of swoon-worthy concoctions from bold-faced names."and#8212;Holly E. Thomas, Washington Post magazine
Review
"What better way to spend a cold winter night, than snuggled by the fire with a great book to flip through? From opulent court dresses to frocks by the modern masters, 100 Dresses showcases beautiful creations from The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Artand#8217;s extensive collection.andnbsp; Each entry is accompanied by a detailed description, providing you with a range of historical and cultural facts that express the dresses as more than just draped fabric. For its beautifully designed pages and informative entries, weand#8217;ve chosen 100 Dresses as our Must Have book of the holiday season!" and#8212;
PrettyCity.comSynopsis
An irresistible look into more than 300 years of fashion through an exquisite collection of designer dresses
What woman can resist imagining herself in a beautiful designer dress? Here, for the first time ever, are 100 fabulous gowns from the permanent collection of the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each of which is a reminder of the ways fashion reflects the broader culture that created it.
Featuring designs by Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Madame Gr s, Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and many others, this one-of-a-kind collection presents a stunning variety of garments. Ranging from the buttoned-up gowns of the late 17th century to the cutting-edge designs of the early 21st, the dresses reflect the sensibilities and excesses of each era while providing a vivid picture of how styles have changed--sometimes radically--over the years. A late 1600s wool dress with a surprising splash of silver thread; a large-bustled red satin dress from the 1800s; a short, shimmery 1920s dancing dress; a glamorous 1950s cocktail dress; and a 1960s minidress--each tells a story about its period and serves as a testament to the enduring ingenuity of the fashion designer's art.
Images of the dresses are accompanied by informative text and enhanced by close-up details as well as runway photos, fashion plates, works of art, and portraits of designers. A glossary of related terms is also included.
Synopsis
This unique and groundbreaking book presents dynamic and interpretive photographs of 60 years of British ballgowns and includes designs by Alexander McQueen, Bellville Sassoon, Bill Gibb, Erdem, Gareth Pugh, Stella McCartney, and Zandra Rhodes. The specially commissioned photographs by fashion photographer David Hughes are supplemented by essays exploring the ballgown as a particularly British garment, with designers, clients, and occasions unique to Britain.
Britainand#8217;s traditional social season of debutante parties, private balls, weddings, and charity events has long provided fashion designers with opportunities to create elaborate, tour-de-force eveningwear. In more recent years, the ballroom has been replaced by the red carpet. Though the context has changed, the ballgown remains a staple in many designersand#8217; collections and continues to serve as an expression of status, protocol, and taste, while simultaneously embodying elements of drama and fantasy.
About the Author
Sonnet Stanfill is the curator of 20th-century and contemporary fashion at the VandA. Oriole Cullen is the curator of modern textiles and fashion at the VandA.