From the invention of the needle to the dawn of denim, neolithic weavers to catwalk creations, this title intends to cover the trends, from vintage to high street chic and the reinvention of haute couture. It also explains the forces shaping fashion, including Internet technology, celebrity influence, fast fashion, recession and global markets.
James Laver Books






From the momentous invention of the needle some 40,000 years ago to the development of blue denim, this classic guide covers the landmarks of costume history, the forms and materials used through the ages, as well as the ways in which clothes have been used to protect, to express identity, and to attract or influence others. For the fifth edition, Amy de la Haye, former Curator of Twentieth-Century Dress at the Victoria and Albert Museum, has revised the final chapter and included a new section addressing the fashion industry in the twenty-first century. She discusses the expansion of the Asian luxury market; the rise of “fast fashion,” stylists, and celebrity endorsements; and the influence of the Internet.
Guide to the landmarks of costume history, to the forms and materials used and to the motives of fashion
Manners and Morals, 1750-1848