Search results for ""V A Publishing""

Elegantly packaged in a bespoke box, these 100 postcards feature some of the most spectacular examples of ukiyo-e. All sourced from the V&A's outstanding collections, the Japanese Woodblock Print Postcard Box is the third release in the best-selling V&A box set series. Each set celebrates the V&A's status as a source of inspiration for designers, reflecting the unique breadth and depth of a collection that represents over 3,000 years of objects from all over the world. Colourful, bold and moving, these masterpieces acutely capture the vibrancy and atmosphere of their depicted scenes and subjects, from serene waterfalls to crashing waves, from graceful courtesans to celebrity actors.

Read more less

Winner of the 2017 Milia Davenport Publication Award given by the Costume Society of America. Brought to life for the first time outside the attic in which they were stored for generations, here are more than 300 garments and accessories, beautifully preserved and complemented by archival objects, family photographs, and letters. The book is packed with evocative descriptions of whom the garments belonged to, when they were made or bought, and even where they were worn-all by members of the Roddis family of Marshfield, Wisconsin. Author Jane Bradbury describes the joy of discovering the clothes when her aunt, Augusta Denton Roddis, showed her the astonishing collection. A remarkable resource, the book presents the garments and their designers in the context of the various eras in which they were created, from the turn of the 20th century, spanning the 1920s and The Depression, through to the late 1990s. Beautifully designed, this is a must-have for every fashion enthusiast.

Read more less

What makes us human? We are all connected but do we feel lonely? Does democracy still work? Are cities for everyone? Should the planet be a design project? If Mars is the answer, what is the question? Who wants to live forever? The world of tomorrow is shaped by emerging design and technology of today. Bringing together a range of objects either newly released or in development, The Future Starts Here begins to imagine where our society might be headed. Cute but intelligent robots, massive unmanned aircraft that deliver internet access, crowdfunded buildings, tools printed in space, mysterious black boxes that understand human genetic codes - how can these objects affect the way we live, learn and love? And how are they challenging our understanding of what it means to be an individual, a citizen, a crowd or a species? With contributions from Arjun Appadurai, Zara Arshad, Teju Cole, Anne Galloway, Corinna Gardner, Rory Hyde, Jennifer Kabat, Alex Kalman, Natalie D. Kane, Kieran Long, Justin McGuirk, An Xiao Mina, Richard Moyes, Mariana Pestana, Susan Schuppli and Leanne Shapton.

Read more less

This fascinating book explores Italian fashion at the beginning of the 20th century, tracing its growth through two world wars to emerge as a dominant force in global fashion. When the Lombard tailor Rosa Genoni created the first Italian fashion house, she broke free of the prevailing French style and launched a national industry. Illustrated with archival material from the design houses as well as illustrations from the earliest Italian fashion magazines, the book focuses on the most important designers from the period: Gabriella di Robilant, the Italian “inven­tor” of sportswear; Salvatore Ferragamo and his famous orthopedic shoes; and Elsa Schiaparelli, the first great protagonist of Italian style. These are the designers who shaped Italian fashion, and their influence continues to be felt today.

Read more less

This attractive series reveals the V&A's spectacular and extensive pattern collections. Each title in the series includes a free CD of high resolution images. Spitalfields Silks displays delightful floral designs alongside quirky, stikingly modern silks, all produced in eighteenth-century London. The compact disc at the back of the book invites you to appreciate the ingenuity of the designs, and the endless possibilities for their application.

Read more less

Innovations in technology, materials and processes are a key feature of future travel, as well as changing demographics, environmental concerns and safety criteria. This title explores fresh design directions for transportation, from door-to-door journeys, to mass transit solutions and luxurious vehicles, to visions for space travel.

Read more less

The representation of the body, and particularly the female body, provides a common thread through the activities of the Surrealists. In fashion photography and illustration, the body was manipulated, fetishized and irrecoverably changed. The mechanics of fashion promotion ensured that this new vision of the body gained general currency and the fashion magazine played an innovative role in promoting a new and often highly eroticised femininity. From the jewellery of Salvador Dali and the collections of Elsa Schiaparelli and Meret Oppenheim to the representations of the body in fashion photography and ballet, "The Surreal Body" explores the widespread adoption of this imagery.

Read more less

It was during the Renaissance period that sculptors’ models, together with drawings, were first assembled by avid collectors fascinated by the tangible evidence of the creative process of the artist. This fully illustrated collection of essays, by distinguished scholars and experts in the field, focuses on the process of sculptural design in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Europe. The publication arises from a 2017 conference, and is the third and final Robert H. Smith Renaissance Sculpture volume.

Read more less

From edible insects and lab-grown meat to industrial farming and freeganism, the future of food is the debate on everyone's lips. The need for change in our food systems-to secure a more sustainable, healthy and fair future-is recognized as a major global challenge. Food: Bigger Than The Plate engages with the work of artists, designers and food professionals who are examining key activities and relationships through food. It discusses diverse and creative ways to reimagine food waste, biodiversity, supply chains and social empowerment through the politics and the pleasures of one of life's single greatest necessities.

Read more less

The Italian Renaissance was a golden age for bronze sculpture, both on a grand scale-such as Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, or Cellini's Perseus-and more intimate statuettes and small-scale functional objects. Bronze, being both costly and luxurious, embodied power, authority, and eternity and emulated the classical past. Yet it was one of the easiest materials to recycle, especially at a time when the need for artillery was ever-present. Drawing on the latest research, and including some 200 superb images, The Culture of Bronze explores the material and making of bronzes and the interrelationships and collaboration between sculptor, foundry, and owner. Encompassing works made for domestic, religious, and civic environments, the book studies the symbolism of bronze, and the bronzes themselves, within their broader societal context. Features works from sculptors including Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacoisi (Antico), Benvenuto Cellini, Donatello, Adriano Fiorentino, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Giambologna, Bertoldo di Giovanni, Leone Leoni, Barthelemy Prieur, Benedetto da Rovezzano, Adriaen de Vries and Agostino Zoppo

Read more less

Paul Poiret (1879-1944) led the fashion world in the first decade of the twentieth century and his autobiography tells the extraordinary story of his meteoric rise to fame. From his humble Parisian childhood to his debut as a couturier, to his experiences during the First World War, Poiret reveals all in this captivating tale, first published in 1931. An astute businessman, Poiret translated the spirit of Art Deco into revolutionary garments, and his memoir brings this astonishing period to life.

Read more less

This book opens an exciting and extensive archive of fashion illustration by Francis Marshall (1901-1980), held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Marshall's career coincided with the golden age of fashion illustration and commercial art. Active from the 1920s until the 1960s, his work was published widely, from Vogue magazine to the more accessible and widely read pages of the Daily Mail. Marshall also worked extensively in advertising, for companies such as Jaeger and Elizabeth Arden, and released several books - ranging from manuals on drawing fashion and ballet, to the nostalgic records of fashionable society London West and An Englishman in New York. Francis Marshall: Drawing Fashion shines a light on a sometimes-forgotten master, at a time when fashion illustration is very much in style.

Read more less

'You will have a moment of quiet delight and a mood of introspection to carry you away.' Edmund de Waal Prized by collectors from East to West, Japanese netsuke are tiny objects of wonder that originated as utilitarian accessories for traditional Japanese dress. Over the centuries these small carved toggles, designed to hook over the top of the kimono sash, evolved into high-fashion depictions of all aspects of Japanese life. In this richly illustrated and highly accessible book, Julia Hutt draws on the V&A's world-famous netsuke collection to explore the origins and techniques of this captivating art form.

Read more less

Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972) remains one of the most revered and enigmatic of fashion designers. Here, breathtaking illustrations reveal why he is renowned for exceptional tailoring, sculptural shapes, deft manipulation of textiles, and a dramatic use of color. His glamorous clientele included Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, Pauline de Rothschild, Ava Gardner, and Marlene Dietrich; many of his clients dressed almost exclusively in his designs, which were celebrated for being both easy to wear and tailored to flatter any figure. Even today, Balenciaga's name remains synonymous with quality. This fully revised and extended edition of Balenciaga offers a thorough examination of the Spanish-born couturier's designs and business practice, and places him firmly in the context of the time, looking at the country in which he learned his trade and the international fashion scene in which he matured and triumphed. His perfectionism, effortless, iconic style, and the wearability of his clothes continue to influence designers today. Illustrated with archival images as well as stunning new photography, this book explores Balenciaga's legacy in fascinating detail.

Read more less

Footballs, as well as footballers, have feelings too, as proven by this reproduction of the charming 1940's children's book by design duo Lewitt-Him. The excited citizens of Kickford and Goalbridge turn out for their annual football match only to have it cut short. After a particularly violent kick, the ball decides it has had enough and remains in the air, in spite of the townspeople's heroic attempts to bring it back down. It is left to the children of the town to come up with a plan to save the match.

Read more less

This book is an investigation into the design and history of British magazines over the past 170 years. It identifies turning points and new directions in one of the most sensitive barometers of mass-market design taste, from the advent of two periodicals - Punch and the Illustrated London News - that changed publishing fundamentally, through to the beginnings of digital distribution. A magazine flourishes or folds according to its audience's response to its look and feel - sometimes more so than its written content - and this study of a developing history encompasses discussion of graphic design, typography, photography and innovative print technology. It explores why magazines have looked how they do. Published with full access to the National Art Library's unparalleled archive of periodicals, British Magazine Design is a definitive history.

Read more less

The Art of Drawing is the first book in sixty years to cover the wider history of drawing in Britain exploring the crucial role drawing has played in British art. Featuring works by foremost British artists from the early seventeenth century right up to the present day, this book offers fresh insights into the wide range of ways in which these artists have used drawing to think on paper, build up ideas and make finished exhibition pieces. Taking examples from the greatest masters, including Isaac Oliver, Peter Lely, WIlliam Blake, Thomas Rowlandson, John Constable, Edwin Landseer, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, John Piper, Sian Bowen and Grayson Perry, Susan Owens discusses the art and craft of drawing, materials and techniques and why artists chose them.ory of drawing in Britain exploring the crucial role drawing has played in British art. Featuring works by foremost British artists from the early seventeenth century right up to the present day, this book offers fresh insights into the wide range of ways in which these artists have used drawing to think on paper, build up ideas and make finished exhibition pieces. Taking examples from the greatest masters, including Isaac Oliver, Peter Lely, WIlliam Blake, Thomas Rowlandson, John Constable, Edwin Landseer, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, John Piper, Sian Bowen and Grayson Perry, Susan Owens discusses the art and craft of drawing, materials and techniques and why artists chose them.

Read more less

Clara Button returns - alongside her brother Ollie - in another charming and beautifully illustrated story. After the postman delivers their invitation to a wedding, Clara and Ollie begin careful preparations. Clara imagines what the bride might wear, and might have worn in the past, but disaster strikes the night before the big event! Can Ollie and his inventions - and a visit to the haberdashery - save the day? Playful and whimsical while packed with beautiful details from the V&A, this wonderful story is sure to enthrall and enchant.

Read more less

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection celebrates some of the most beautiful objects ever made, many in precious materials, and often on a small scale. Focussing on 50 exquisite works from the collection, this beautiful little book showcases the decorative art of creating small-scale carvings, snuffboxes, inlay pictorial illusions, and more, in cut-and-polished natural stones, often incorporating the widely known technique of pietre dure. Demonstrating remarkable skill and ingenuity, many of the works were commissioned by the powerful Medici family and royal families across Europe as symbols of their power and prestige. With detailed photography and extended captions the books explores the fascinating interplay of craftsmanship with the natural beauty of stones such as amethyst, lapis lazuli and jasper.

Read more less

An exclusive insight into glamour of Edo–period society through the medium of 170 exquisite ukiyo-e This sumptuous book explores the important world that woodblock prints played in the fashionable world of Edo–period Japan (1603–1868). One hundred and seventy ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) offer us a vivid view of the culture of entertainment, style, and glamour that developed in bustling urban centers. Expert curators bring to life the scenes and figures depicted, and highlight the fashions, dress accessories, and hairstyles shown in these colorful and compelling images by artists such as Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Hiroshige. Benefitting from the V&A’s world-leading collection and including many rarely seen prints, this is a fascinating glimpse into an exciting world of celebrity actors, courtesans, kimono retailers, fabric workshops, makeup brands, theatre managers, brothel keepers, and restaurant owne

Read more less

Dolls' Houses have fascinated children and adults for centuries. This delightful book, revised and now presented in hardback with a new foreword by artist Rachel Whiteread, explores the astonishing skill and craftsmanship required to create these miniature homes. A brief history of dolls' houses is followed by a closer look at some of the most interesting and historically significant examples in the V&A's collection. From country mansions to cosy suburban villas, from a Japanese house to Rachel Whiteread's celebrated installation Place (Village) it uncovers the fascinating role that dolls' houses have played in the lives of their owners and as records of contemporary lifestyle. The book ends with a full catalogue of the dolls' houses held by the museum.

Read more less

The V&A houses a remarkably rich and varied collection of works that depict and interpret the countryside. A small but beautiful selection of these rural scenes and motifs feature in this irresistible page-per-week diary. Included are images of landscape, trees, flowers and pattern, as they appear in posters, paintings, photographs, textiles and other media. Artists, designers and makers range from John Constable and William Morris to Kenneth Rowntree, Tom Hammick and Monica Poole.

Read more less

Dame Mary Quant is a fashion icon. The first focused study of her career, this book shows how she revolutionized fashion, harnessing youth, streetstyle and mass production to create a new look for everyone. It surveys the development of her business in the context of British, European and American fashion in the post-war period, and explores how her innovative marketing created a powerful global brand. Featuring new photography of Quant garments, alongside previously unpublished fashion photographs and designs, this book is a dynamic and authoritative account of the designer and her legacy.

Read more less

In 1947 Christian Dior rocked the fashion world with his New Look, which dominated postwar fashion and firmly secured the name of his house in the minds of the public and the fashion industry. He drew on historical models of femininity, the unique skills of Parisian haute couture, and a myriad of suppliers to produce stunning designs that captured a mood of optimism after World War II. Dior also designed and marketed ready-made luxe lines and broke new ground by creating and controlling innovative global licensing agreements for all Dior products, from perfume to stockings, jewellery, bathing suits, and even men's ties. Newly expanded and updated to accompany the V&A Exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, this absorbing and beautiful book examines the seminal years of Christian Dior, 1947-57, from a truly international perspective.

Read more less

The autobiography of Mary Quant—the inventor of the miniskirt—was originally published in 1966 at the height of Swinging London. After opening her groundbreaking boutique Bazaar on London’s King’s Road in 1955, Quant soared to international fame with her brand of witty style that fitted perfectly with modern city life. She was at the forefront of fashion’s democratization—seeking to eliminate snobbery and “make fashionable clothes available to everyone.” Her joyful, evocative autobiography captures the world in which she found inspiration—and which she ultimately helped to define and change.

Read more less

Fashion is a big bubble, and sometimes I feel like popping it.' Alexander McQueen, 2009 This definitive publication on Alexander McQueen (1969 - 2010) invites you into the creative mind and world of one of Britain's most brilliant, daring and provocative designers, and the many themes and references that shaped his visionary fashion collections. Accompanying the V&A's landmark exhibition Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, and taking the key themes of the exhibition of tailoring, gothic, primitivism, naturalism and futurism, this comprehensive catalogue features previously unseen material as well as groundbreaking essays and feature spreads by multiple authors and leading fashion commentators. This kaleidoscopic approach explores themes central to the designer's work and his collections, such as the psychology of fashion, natural history, the theatre and spectacle of his shows, and the key creative collaborators during McQueen's lifetime. Alexander McQueen also offers an encyclopaedic survey of McQueen's catwalk collections, illustrated with striking images by leading fashion photographers, and specially commissioned photographs that capture the breath-taking skill of his designs and awesome theatricality of his shows. Accompanies Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (14 March to 19 July 2015), developed and expanded from the 2011 blockbuster show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Read more less

Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was one of the leading fashion designers of the 1920s and 1930s with a flair for the unusual. The first to use shoulder pads, animal print and the inventor of shocking pink, Schiaparelli collaborated with artists including Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti and Salvador Dali, to create extraordinary garments such as the Dali Lobster Dress. Schiaparelli had an affluent clientele, from Katherine Hepburn to Marlene Dietrich, who embraced her outrageous but elegant designs. She designed aviator Amy Johnson's wardrobe for her solo flight to Cape Town in 1936, the culottes for tennis champion Lily d'Alvarez that outraged the lawn tennis establishment, and her clothes appeared in more than 30 films including Every Day's a Holiday with Mae West and Moulin Rouge. Schiaparelli's fascinating autobiography charts her rise from resident of a rat-infested apartment to designer to the stars.

Read more less

These beautiful postcards have been selected from the bestselling V&A Pattern titles. Drawing on designs intended for textiles, wallpaper, fashion and furnishing, this richly varied collection is a resource for artists, designers and students, as well as a charming addition to the design fan's stationery collection. Presented in a colourful presentation box, these beautifully printed patterns range from the intricate floral motifs of William Morris and C.F.A. Voysey to the wit and vibrancy of Pop era design; from the cool restraint of Fifties textile design to the iconic designs of Liberty & Co. A desirable gift and a surprising trove of design inspiration, this postcard collection is the perfect introduction to the V&A's design collections.

Read more less

Drawing on the collections of the V&A, Glam Rock narrates the story of glam and explores its impact on fashion, theatre and film. In the early 1970s, glam rock changed the face of popular culture in Britain and, against a backdrop of a nation racked by economical and social crises, its flamboyancy and theatricality provided an excuse for a party and an escapist dream for musicians and fans alike. British acts like David Bowie, Roxy Music, T. Rex and Mott the Hoople - together with American fellow-travellers including Lou Reed, Alice Cooper and Sparks - drew on the original blueprint of rock and roll, as well as a host of other traditions, from Hollywood to the music hall, Berlin cabaret and Broadway musicals to science fiction and pop art. The resulting music was a wild blend of camp artifice and avant-garde decadence. By 1975 the era had come to an end, but glam never truly went away. Indeed, its attitudes and aesthetics have shaped much that has followed since, from disco to punk, the new romantics to Britpop, Prince to Lady Gaga.

Read more less

This breathtakingly detailed book presents dress patterns, construction details, embroidery and making instructions for fifteen garments and accessories from a seventeenth-century woman's wardrobe. Full step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence are given for each garment alongside photographs of the objects and the groundbreaking use of x-ray photography revealing the hidden elements of the clothes, the precise number of layers and the stitches used inside.

Read more less

‘We face forward’ Kwame Nkrumah, 7th April 1960 From Amanda Gorman resplendent in kente cloth (courtesy of Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton) on the cover of US Vogue, to Michelle Obama’s repeated outings in Duro Olowu, African fashion exerts worldwide influence. Africa Fashion discusses how radical post-independence social and political re-ordering sparked a cultural renaissance across the continent. Designers such as Shade Thomas-Fahm, Chris Seydou, Kofi Ansa and Alphadi drew on past traditions, recovered and reinvented them and so laid the foundation for today’s fashion revolution. The authors then present the work of the new generation of creatives such as Nigerian fashion designer Lisa Folawiyo, Somali visual artist Gouled Ahmed, Ghanaian woven bag maker AAKS, and Kenyan jeweler Ami Doshi Shah. Their work shows that there is no one way to be African and no single African aesthetic. The contemporary African fashion scene is as diverse and dynamic as the continent itself, and crucially always has been. With contributions from experts on cloth, fashion and cultural history as well as the voices of makers and designers, this inspiring and arresting book offers a window into one of the most innovative, exciting and thoughtful areas of fashion today.

Read more less

V&A Pattern: Spitalfields Silks, displays delightful floral designs alongside quirky, strikingly modern silks, all produced in eighteenth-century London. A source of inspiration for designers from William Morris to Alexander McQueen, the V&A holds over three million designs for textiles, decorations, wallpapers and prints. Now beautifully re-presented, the bestselling V&A Pattern series invites you to appreciate the work of some of the greatest names and styles in design history, highlighting interesting and imaginative works that are all too rarely seen. Each pocket-sized book features 66 carefully selected patterns, and has a concise expert introduction, making these an invaluable source of inspiration for creatives - and the perfect gift for pattern-lovers.

Read more less

V&A Pattern: Indian Florals provides a dazzling introduction to the vibrant designs of the Indian subcontinent A source of inspiration for designers from William Morris to Alexander McQueen, the V&A holds over three million designs for textiles, decorations, wallpapers and prints. Now beautifully re-presented, the bestselling V&A Pattern series invites you to appreciate the work of some of the greatest names and styles in design history, highlighting interesting and imaginative works that are all too rarely seen. Each pocket-sized book features 66 carefully selected patterns, and has a concise expert introduction, making these an invaluable source of inspiration for creatives - and the perfect gift for pattern-lovers.

Read more less

The name Faberge has long been a byword for luxury. Combining an entrepreneurial vision for craftsmanship with innovative material sourcing and technical ability, Carl Faberge created an astonishing array of bespoke jewelled and enamelled objects at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. This beautifully illustrated book explores the history and legacy of the House of Faberge, from its origins in Russia - and its role in the glamorous world of the Romanovs - to global recognition. Much of the story is familiar, but less well known is the important part played by the London branch. Opened in 1903, and the only one outside Russia, it became a choice destination for Edwardian high society and an international clientele. Featuring over 120 pieces, from delicate flowers to Imperial Easter eggs, and with contributions from leading experts Faberge: Romance to Revolution celebrates the enduring fascination with this master craftsman's works.

Read more less

Beautiful, sculptural objects, shoes are powerful indicators of gender, status, identity, taste, and even sexual preference. Featuring extensive new photography, this is a beautiful and authoritative guide to the history and culture of footwear.Iconic creations by celebrated designers sit alongside masterpieces by unknown craftsmen in this book.

Read more less

This beautiful book presents dynamic photographs by David Hughes of British ballgowns spanning 60 years and includes designs by Alexander McQueen, Bellville Sassoon, Bill Gibb, Erdem, Gareth Pugh, Stella McCartney and Zandra Rhodes.

Read more less

Looks at a group of international artists who place craft at the heart of their practice, transforming everyday subjects and ordinary materials into works that are out of the ordinary. This book features unusual works including the ephemeral ice and chocolate jewellery of Naomi Filmer, the almost hidden installations by Yoshihiro Suda, and more.

Read more less

A world without cars would be unrecognizable. They have altered the shape of our cities, transformed our nations and landscapes, revolutionised the way we make and buy things, and profoundly influenced our relationship with speed itself. From the Ford Model T and the legacy of mass production, to the GM LaSalle and the birth of style and obsolescence, and from the original Volkswagen expression of national identity to the GM Firebird and the desire for frictionless movement, this book presents the car as the driving force that accelerated the twentieth century. It takes an in-depth look at the history of the automobile and its impact, to better understand where we might want to go in the future.

Read more less

This exciting book explores one of the most diverse and innovative periods in British fashion and showcases the work of some of the decade's leading designers - including Betty Jackson, Leigh Bowery, John Galliano, Body Map, Vivienne Westwood and many others. Highlighting the decade's extraordinarily creative interaction between fashion and popular music, the book shows how both catwalk and club fashions were interpreted for a wider audience through the striking photography and innovative graphic designs of key magazines. 80s Fashion includes interviews and original archive material from practitioners such as Wendy Dagworthy and Paul Smith that casts new light on the designs of the decade.

Read more less

This volume brings together new research by some of the world's leading experts, exploring the artistic production and cultural context of Renaissance sculpture from Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise to the small bronzes of Giambologna and his followers. The essays cover a range of sculptural materials and forms to cast fresh light on the artists, their creative and collaborative processes, and those who commissioned, owned and responded to their work. The papers were originally presented at a conference at the V&A in 2010 as part of the Robert H. Smith Renaissance Sculpture Programme.

Read more less

This work covers 78 Italian bronze pieces from the V&A which are fully illustrated. Catalogue entries contain details of inscriptions and makers' marks and also substantial technical information, including data based on x-ray examination and metal analysis.

Read more less

For over a century, the name of Chanel has been inextricably linked to elegance, modernity and fashion innovation. It was Chanel who single-handedly made striped jerseys and loose trousers chic, costume jewellery desirable, the little black dress the height of sophistication, and tweed suits a staple of every stylish woman's wardrobe. In this revised and updated book, dress historian Amy de la Haye celebrates Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel as the couturiere who changed the way stylish women everywhere dress, then and now. She examines the creative output of this most famous of fashion houses, from its infancy in the 1920s through Karl Lagerfeld's incredibly successful tenure, and to the present day as it continues to prosper under Virginie Viard.

Read more less

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is a cultural phenomenon. First published in 1865, it has never been out of print and has been translated into 170 languages. But why does it have such enduring and universal appeal for both adults and children? Beginning by plunging the reader into the spectacular new wonderland of acclaimed illustrator Kristjana S. Williams, Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser goes on to explore how Lewis Carroll's celebrated Alice books have fuelled creative minds for over 150 Years. This unique publication takes us on a journey whose scope ranges from art, literature, theatre and film through science and technology to fashion and politics, encouraging us to ask whether we should all try to be more like Alice.

Read more less

Now on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Raphael Cartoons are widely considered one of the glories of the Italian Renaissance. Made as full-scale design drawings for tapestries, their survival is remarkable given their original purpose and inherent fragility. This beautiful and compelling book presents a new consideration of Raphael's achievement, shedding fresh light on the Cartoons' history from their creation, their acquisition by the English Crown in 1623, to their loan to the South Kensington Museum by Queen Victoria in 1865 in memory of Prince Albert. Illustrated with entirely new digital photography, made to mark the 500th anniversary of the artist's death, the book focuses on Raphael's artistic practice and his legacy. The Cartoons were carefully designed to be reproduced, and they are shown here as never before.

Read more less

A Story about Ducks is the charming tale of a group of ducks who, tired of their quiet little river in the country, decide to take a holiday - on their adventure they eat raspberry buns, ride a roller coaster and narrowly escape being eaten for Christmas dinner!

Read more less

Capturing the highlights of the major Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, this stunning souvenir celebrates the House of Dior from its foundation in 1947 to the present day. Haute-couture gowns by Christian Dior and the illustrious creative directors who followed him -Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Bill Gaytten, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri-are showcased here, each described by Oriole Cullen and atmospherically photographed by Laziz Hamani.

Read more less