Fashion Plates: 150 Years of Style
Yale University Press
MMXVIII – fashion, labels, advertisement, and connectivity - access all areas. When it comes to the creation of couture these days, there is hardly anything that cannot be gained access to in nearly real time.
Rewind to the end of the 18th century and fashion plates were the only medium to convey what the latest styles would look like.
Fashion Plate: 150 Year of Style is an opulently illustrated mélange of two-hundred depictions of what the the fashionistas of the respective eras from 1778 to the early 1900s not only feasted their eyes on but helped them to decide what to purchase.
No matter if it is French dresses from the early eighteenth century, Art Deco from the early twentieth century or male and female haute couture in between, the book presents a diary-like chronic of the fashion world before photographic evidence became commonplace.
The quality of the depictions is superb, with the plates having been meticulously reproduced on quality paper, which makes it a visually appealing addition to one’s coffee table book collection.
The accompanying elaborations and essays by fashion historian April Calahan give additional insights and contextualize them in a meaningful and enlightening manner, which should offer something new to discover for both the uninitiated as well as subject matter experts.
The fashion plates illustrated come from the Gladys Marcus library at the Fashion Institute of New York, with some of them never having been reproduced before.
A great overview of how fashion has evolved but also deteriorated over the centuries that offers plenty of eye candy and is substantiated by a foundation of solid research.
Art Gear – Faber Castell Welcome to the first instalment of a new series dedicated to the arts and gear that has tried, tested and proven to be useful ... read more
Thus Let us Drink Beer – Pirate Life I have covered quite a few Australian breweries over the last couple of years as part of this series and discovered ... read more
Magic Mike Live Moore Park Sydney, Australia January 9, 2021 Apparently, the concept of the stage adaption of Magic Mike Live was incepted on the set of the film of ... read more
The Formative Years – Iconic venues, Pt. 1 How could a series on iconic venues possible start without paying homage to one of the most legendary rock venues in the ... read more
Water of Life – Husk Distillers When I started this series a couple of years ago, I highlighted that the Australian spirits scene is thriving, with distilleries mushrooming manifold. ... read more
Looking for the SPB logo? You can download it in a range of styles and colours here:
Click anywhere outside this dialog to close it, or press escape.