Search results for ""Author Michael Pick""

"Fashion history at its finest, taking in some of the key social and artistic milestones of the last century." The Lady "The appeal of this book lies in one's curiosity about the founders of fashion, especially those who forged names for themselves in the business of shoes. [The author Michael Pick] more than generously offers the reader proof of why Rayne became and remained a leader within its classification. There is an incredible trove of photos as well as the brand s advertising during its long and revered existence." New York Journal of Books Rayne is the name synonymous with the best in British 20th-century shoe design. Re-launched as a British-owned company in 2013, the remarkable design achievements of the company in the 20th-century are illustrated in this sumptuous book. The business began in the late 19th-century as a theatrical costumier and soon added shoes to its products, with a factory in Bermondsey near the current Fashion & Textile Museum. Early clients included the Ballet Russes and Nijinsky. By the 1920s, members of the British Royal family and aristocracy were clients, and a shop was opened on Bond Street with a new factory based at King's Cross. By 1950, the company had three royal warrants, had supplied shoes for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) in 1947, and had a strong American presence with Delman Shoes at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC, amongst other locations. Sir Edward Rayne became a celebrity in his own right and collaborated with many famous designers such as Roger Vivier, Bruce Oldfield, Jean Muir, and the "Fashion Knight" Sir Norman Hartnell, and Hardy Amies. In the 1970s, Bill Gibb designed collections for Rayne, and Rayne supplied the shoes for several leading French couturiers houses such as Lanvin and Nina Ricci. In the 1980s Bruce Oldfield designed collections for them. Oliver Messel re-designed the famous Bond Street Store, which attracted stars of stage and screen, such as Elizabeth Taylor, as well as society ladies. Beautifully illustrated, this book offers a complete history of this remarkable brand.

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"This beautiful and sumptuous hardback book published by the Antique Collectors' Club (ACC Publishing Group) features hundreds of original sketches, drawings and photographs from a career spanning eight decades, many never been seen before now." Candy Says Hardy Amies epitomised understated British couture, emphasising the cut of fine materials by tailored construction. Untrained in dress-making, he achieved headlines in Vogue in 1937 with his 'Panic' suit, a reconstructed design of a staple in every woman's wardrobe, wittily named to reflect current events. Evoking the glamour of pre-war London while meeting the demands of contemporary society's activities - town to country, morning to night - Amies designs drew a star-studded clientele. His war-time 'utility' designs revealed his design philosophy (and partly concealed his role as head of the Belgian Section of SOE), unveiling a needle-sharp intelligence and intuition for the changing world of fashion, his elegant execution of which was rewarded through the influential seal of approval by HM Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess Elizabeth, in 1950. The first post-war international designer to visit the USA, Amies' luxurious style produced lucrative global business opportunities, including ready-to-wear, menswear shown as couture, and wide-ranging merchandising options.

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