Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion

The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion contains 640 essays ranging from specific topics such as African Textiles and Zoot Suit to conceptual articles such as Globalization and Music and Fashion, the latter cross-referenced to related entries such as Hip-Hop Fashion. Naturally, we have tried to include all of the topics that readers would expect to find, including essays on specific fashion designers: Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Yves St. Laurent, and dozens more. But these essays are neither hagiographies of great artists nor potted biographies of successful businesspeople. Of the hundreds of possible candidates for inclusion, we have concentrated on those who made a lasting contribution to the arts of fashion and to fashion culture; each designer’s work is not only described in detail but also analyzed with reference to its social and cultural context. Readers interested in, say, Dior can also find related essays on topics such as the New Look and Paris Fashion. Of course, fashion is a part of most people’s lives, not only because they wear clothes, but also because they constantly consume images of fashion. This encyclopedia addresses the subject of fashion across the media, with essays on Fashion Photography (and on individual photographers such as Richard Avedon, Guy Bourdin, and Helmut Newton), Caricature and Fashion, and Film and Fashion. The encyclopedia also includes unexpected topics, such as Cross-dressing, Footbinding, and Super-models. There is even an essay on The Future of Fashion. Because the production and marketing of textiles, clothing, and accessories is an integral part of the fashion system, the encyclopedia includes a wide range of essays on such topics as Techno-textiles, Sweatshops, Fashion Magazines, and Department Stores.