Synopses & Reviews
It is easy to view fashion as an entirely modern concept. Costume historians, in fact, trace the birth of fashion back to the thirteenth century and writings on fashion date back as early as the sixteenth century. This classic fashion writing has profoundly shaped our understanding of modern day dress—from the psychology of clothes to collective fashion trends. Its impact, however, has not previously been recognized.
Fashion Foundations fills this major gap in the history of the discipline. This key text reprints a collection of pioneering fashion statements. Vital yet sometimes ignored treasures are brought together for the first time, tracing fashion writing from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. Why do we wear clothes? What do they say about our self-awareness and body image? How can we "fashion" new identities through what we wear? In this book, Michel de Montaigne, William Hazlitt, Herbert Spencer, Thorstein B. Veblen, Adam Smith, Herbert Blumer, and Georg Simmel answer these questions and many more. In the process they reveal the true origins of our contemporary approach to fashion.
Synopsis
Although it can be difficult to think of fashion in anything other than a contemporary context, as a concept it is hardly new. Costume historians trace the birth of fashion back to the thirteenth century and writings on fashion date back as early as the sixteenth century when Michel de Montaigne pondered its origins, thereby setting in motion a chain of inquiry that has continued to intrigue writers for centuries. This key text reprints classic fashion writings, all of which have had a profound if perhaps untrumpeted impact on our understanding and approach to modern day dress - from the psychology of clothes through to collective fashion trends. Why do we wear clothes? What do they say about our self-awareness and body image? How can we 'fashion' new identities through what we wear? Seminal fashion statements by Montaigne, William Hazlitt, Herbert Spencer, Thorstein B. Veblen, Adam Smith, Herbert Blumer, and Georg Simmel answer these questions and many more. Full of vital fashion treasures that have often been ignored, this book fills a major gap in the history of the discipline and will serve as an essential teaching text for years to come.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-151) and index.
About the Author
Kim K. P. Johnson is Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, University of Minnesota.
Susan J. Torntore is Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Illinois State University.
Joanne B. Eicher is Regents' Professor, Department of Design, Housing and Apparel, University of Minnesota.