In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine

Book Description

In Vogue is a fascinating look at the history of the world's most influential magazine. The complete compendium is illustrated with hundreds of covers and archival interiors of past Vogue editions, featuring the work of some of the twentieth century's most respected artists, cover illustrators, and photographersâfrom Edward Steichen, Toni Frissell, and Erwin Blumenfeld to Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, Steven Klein, Bruce Webber, and Herb Ritts. In 1909, an entrepreneurial New Yorker named CondÃ© Nast took charge of a struggling society journal and transformed it into the most glamorous fashion magazine of the twentieth century. In Vogue traces the history, development and influence of this media colossusâfrom its beginning as a social gazette in the late nineteenth century, to the exploration of modern fashion photography and new visuals in the mid-twentieth century, to its status as the top style magazine today. The book explains the makings of the magazineâfrom runways, to editorial meetings, to the pages of Vogue.The thoroughly researched story incorporates first-person accounts, interviews with editors and photographers, and excerpts from stories written in the magazine by many world-renowned writers, including Truman Capote, Aldous Huxley, Richard Burton, Federico Fellini, and Marcello Mastroianni. Unparalleled in its scope and exceptionally illustrated, In Vogue is sure to be among the most important publications on the subjects of culture, art, fashion, photography, and media.

Customer Reviews:

A Taste of Owners' Plans, Editorial Direction, Style, Fashion, Great Photography, and Memorable Models.......2007-07-16

What attracts you to Vogue? Chances are that element is represented someplace within the pages of In Vogue.

To me, the photographs are the main appeal of Vogue. Since its founding on December 17, 1892, Vogue has attempted to capture current and future fashion through its images. The magazine has been blessed by talented work done by most of the world's best fashion photographers since then who brought us the most interesting society women, celebrities, cultural icons, and, of course, fashion models. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book contained at least a few works by each of the greatest photographers to appear in Vogue. Most of the images were known to me, but a number were new. My main disappointment was that the photographers I like the most didn't have more photographs in the book. But the book is very bulky and heavy as it is.

To my interest in the photographs came many essays about why the photographers were selected and what the editors asked them to accomplish. The interaction of the art directors and the photographers was particularly noteworthy in regard to covers.

I have also spent many years as a management consultant in the magazine industry. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's a pretty complete overview of the management thinking and decisions that led to Vogue becoming so successful.

But the most interesting surprise came in the extended views into the editorial philosophies and working styles of the magazine's editors. Creating a fashion magazine is very demanding, and Vogue has been fortunate in its editors both for their energy and their vision for the reader.

If neither business nor editing interest you, you'll still find lots of marvelous images to help you trace the development of fashion and style in the United States over the last 100 plus years.

Here are a few of my favorite photographs in the book:

Helen Lee Worthing by Baron Adolphe de Meyer, September 1, 1920 (p. 61)

White by Edward Steichen, January 1, 1936 (p. 67)

Mademoiselle Koopman by George Hoyningen-Huene, September 15, 1933 (p. 69)

Mary Taylor by Cecil Beaton, May 15, 1935 (p. 73)

Lisa Fonssagrives by Horst P. Horst, August 1, 1938 (p. 76)

Decor by Horst P. Horst, March 15, 1938 (p. 77)

Corset by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1939 (p. 78)

Coco Chanel by Horst P. Horst, February 15, 1954 (p. 79)

Cover by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1940 (p. 89)

Loretta Young by John Rawlings (p. 111)

Twelve Beauties by Irving Penn, 1947 (pp. 116-117)

Cover by Horst P. Horst, May 15, 1941 (p. 131)

Cafe Society by Cecil Beaton, 1948 (pp. 136-137)

Concentration Camp by Lee Miller, June 1945 (p. 143)

Jean Pachett by Irving Penn, February 15, 1949 (p. 144)

Atelier of Pablo Picasso, November 1, 1956 (pp. 156-157)

Twiggy by Richard Avedon, July 1967 cover (p. 172)

Marisa Berenson by Berry Berenson, 1969 (p. 179)

Marisa Berenson by Irving Penn, April 1970 (pp. 186-187)

Lauren Hutton by Richard Avedon, January 1, 1969 (pp. 198-199)

Celebrity covers, 1965-1971 (p. 202)

Cheryl Tiegs and Rene Russo by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 215)

Cybill Shepherd by Helmut Newton, 1973 cover, (p. 216)

Kim Basinger by Irving Penn, September 1978 (p. 217)

Beverly Johnson by Albert Watson, October 1977 (pp. 218-219)

Charlotte Rampling by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 221)

Eveningwear by Arthur Elgort, 1978 (p. 222-223)

Lisa Taylor by Arthur Elgort, October 1976 (pp. 228-229)

The Right Moment by Arthur Elgort (p. 230)

Lisa Taylor by Helmut Newton, May 1975 (p. 233)

Winnie by Helmut Newton, 1976 (p. 234)

Daryl Hannah by Helmut Newton, 1984 (p. 235)

Bathhouse by Deborah Turbeville, May 1975 (pp. 236-237)

Satin and Leather by Peter Lindbergh, September 1991 (pp. 252-253)

Color and Opulence by Peter Lindbergh, October 1997 (pp. 254-255)

Tribute by Annie Leibovitz, November 1999 Cover (pp. 272-273)

Linda Evangelista by Steven Meisel, September 2001 (p. 274)

Shape by Annie Leibovitz and Patrick Demarchelier, April 2002 (p. 278)

Lisa Cant by Irving Penn, September 2005 (p. 283)

Cindy Crawford by Helmut Newton, December 1991 (p. 287)

Haute Couture by Irving Penn, December 1995 (p. 292-293)

Epic Proportions by Irving Penn, April 2004 (p. 297)

Swimsuits by Mario Testino, May 2000 (pp. 298-299)

Portrait of a Lady by Steven Meisel, March 1995 (p. 307)

Mad About You by Steven Meisel, October 2003 (p. 313)

Naomi Campbell by Herb Ritts, May 1996 (pp. 314-315)

Barbarian Chic by Arthur Elgort (p. 325)

Near Bora Bora by Patrick Demarchelier, December 2004 (p. 330)

Golden Girl by Annie Leibovitz, April 2006 (pp. 345-346)

Condoleeza Rice by Annie Leibovitz, December 2001 (pp. 358-359)

Kate Moss by Irving Penn, September 1996 (pp. 368-369)

Hillary Clinton by Annie Leibovitz, December 1998 (p. 372)

Nicole Kidman by various photographers, September 2003 (pp. 378-379)

Models and Supermodels by Steven Meisel, September 2004 (pp. 380-381)

Ben Stiller and Stella Tennant by Annie Leibovitz, October 2001 (pp. 388-389)

Mario Testino, April 2006 (pp. 392-393)

Take a close look!

Just OK........2007-06-28

I liked the information and photos about the early Vogue, and wish there was more of it. I was not so interested in the later stuff, as it seemed overly self-important. Instead of presenting fashion, the current Vogue seems to commision special clothes for its photo shoots. What's the point if you can't buy that? Plus the photos don't even show what the clothes look like. I have better books on fashion, but this really was about the history of the magazine, and as such it succeeds. I just don't happen to like the magazine as it never shows anything I'd want to wear.

Magnificient overview of an iconic magazine.......2007-06-22

Ten gets you one that when you ask someone to name a fashion magazine, the first answer you get will be, "Vogue". That's how much of an institution the magazine has become. While "Elle" and "Women's Wear Daily" might dispute the contention, "Vogue" seems to have become the periodical of record for worldwide haute couture. As such, as the authors note in their introduction, a basic history is past due. With a great deal of help from the Vogue staff itself - Anna Wintour, the magazine's longtime editor (and so prominent a figure in her own right that Meryl Streep's spoof of her in last year's movie "The Devil Wears Prada" was instantly recognizable), is prominent in the list of contributors - Angeletti and Oliva, magazine historians both, have assembled an informative text and a gorgeous array of imagery which effectively covers the century-plus history of Vogue, from the cover of the very first magazine to the latest photos of Nicole Kidman. The book is certainly a highly display-worthy item, as another reviewer has suggested, but more than that, it's meant to be leafed through and read. You can find it brand-new at a wide variety of prices, but even if all the Amazon Marketplace sellers were somehow sold out of their copies, it'd still be worth the list price!

A travel through time by book.......2007-05-14

The authors of In Vogue composed a diversified chronicle of the appearance and the development of Vogue from 1892 until today. The photographs chosen portray the history of fashion photography wonderfully, each of them either a ravishing new sight or a spectacular recognition. The structuring by Decade, introduction of publishers, contributing editors, photographers, etc interposed by special contributions and excerpts of resumes offers the reader a diverting journey trough publishing history in general and the publishing of fashion in particular.

InVogue: The Illustrated History of the World's most famous fashion magazine.......2007-03-28

great extensive fashion history on Vogue magazine: superb pictures, designers, models....

Survey Of Historic Costume: A History Of Western Dress

Average customer rating:

Survey Of Historic Costume: A History Of Western Dress
Phyllis G. Tortora , and Keith Eubank
Manufacturer: Fairchild Books & Visuals
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

Average customer rating:

Great manual to test your sartorialism!
fantastic
Beautiful. Classic Manual...Comes Across As A Little Dated
Excellent with one caveat about the format...
Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion
Alan Flusser
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing
Style and the Man: How and Where to Buy Fine Mens' Clothes
The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style
The Modern Gentleman: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy & Vice
A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up: What to Wear, When to Wear it, How to Wear it (Gentlemanners Book.)

Accessories:

Panasonic ER411NC Nose and Ear Hair Groomer
Braun 8595 Activator Self-Cleaning Shaving System with LCD Display
Sonicare Elite 7500 Power Toothbrush

ASIN: 0060191449
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Book Description

Dressing the Man is the definitive guide to what men need to know in order to dress well and look stylish without becoming fashion victims.

Alan Flusser's name is synonymous with taste and style. With his new book, he combines his encyclopedic knowledge of men's clothes with his signature wit and elegance to address the fundamental paradox of modern men's fashion: Why, after men today have spent more money on clothes than in any other period of history, are there fewer well-dressed men than at any time ever before?

According to Flusser, dressing well is not all that difficult, the real challenge lies in being able to acquire the right personalized instruction. Dressing well pivots on two pillars -- proportion and color. Flusser believes that "Permanent Fashionability," both his promise and goal for the reader, starts by being accountable to a personal set of physical trademarks and not to any kind of random, seasonally served-up collection of fashion flashes.

Unlike fashion, which is obliged to change each season, the face's shape, the neck's height, the shoulder's width, the arm's length, the torso's structure, and the foot's size remain fairly constant over time. Once a man learns how to adapt the fundamentals of permanent fashion to his physique and complexion, he's halfway home.

Taking the reader through each major clothing classification step-by-step, this user-friendly guide helps you apply your own specifics to a series of dressing options, from business casual and formalwear to pattern-on-pattern coordination, or how to choose the most flattering clothing silhouette for your body type and shirt collar for your face.

A man's physical traits represent his individual road map, and the quickest route toward forging an enduring style of dress is through exposure to the legendary practitioners of this rare masculine art. Flusser has assembled the largest andmost diverse collection of stylishly mantled men ever found in one book. Many never-before-seen vintage photographs from the era of Cary Grant, Tyrone Power, and Fred Astaire are employed to help illustrate the range and diversity of authentic men's fashion. Dressing the Man's sheer magnitude of options will enable the reader to expand both the grammar and verbiage of his permanent-fashion vocabulary.

For those men hoping to find sartorial fulfillment somewhere down the road, tethering their journey to the mind-set of permanent fashion will deliver them earlier rather than later in life.

Customer Reviews:

Great manual to test your sartorialism!.......2007-09-19

Great manual to test your sartorialism!

lot's of examples and illustrating pictures. Nice hardcover tablebook.

fantastic.......2007-06-21

This book is amazing, it has everything you could possibly want to know about dressing a man.

Beautiful. Classic Manual...Comes Across As A Little Dated.......2007-05-23

This book falls into one of my most favorite genres of such; Men's fashion, grooming, style manuals. This one is beautifully photographed with many, many tried and true guidelines for men who wish to appear well dressed. A good number of the photos are from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 40's and 50's. This was a time when many of the rules for fashionable men were firmly established. On the other hand, there have been many cultural changes in how American and European men approach fashion and style. For these men (of which I am one) portions of Mr. Flusser's book will seem dated and irrelevant. I found this true of the section that addresses a man and his accessories; especially jewelry! The best thing about Mr. Flusser's style chronicle is that is does establish the ground rules for what is appropriate for business, casual and formal wear. One who is so inclined may veer from the foundations to find one's own sense of style. I enjoy this book and I reccomend it to anyone wanting to establish a wardrobe foundation. Worth the price.

I fully enjoy this book. I recommend it.

Excellent with one caveat about the format..........2007-04-18

All of Mr. Flusser's books are superb and make reliable guides for anyone interested in classic men's dress (as opposed to fleeting fashion trends). I do have one critical observation to make however. Having recently picked up a used copy of the authors first book Making The Man: The Insiders Guide to Buying and Wearing Men's Clothes and having browsed through all of his books since one thing has become very apparent to me. A good 75% or more of the information in his books is simply recycled for each publication for the simple reason that the fundamentals of classic men's dress doesn't change or date...that's why it's considered "classic". In the introduction to his second book Clothes and the Man he says outright "With the publication of my first book, Making the Man, I thought I had answered most of the questions men asked about dressing." and indeed he had. For this reason I am surprised that the author hasn't simply published an updated edition of Making the Man every few years with the information on the specific retail stores updated. The real reason probably comes down to the fact that large hardcover books make more money for the publishers than oversized trade paperbacks do. Flusser's first book was a deserved success but each new one has been more lavish and pricey than the last...from Making the Man published back in 1981 as a $10 oversized trade paperback to the latest one, Dressing the Man weighing in as a $50 hardcover.

There was a period in the 60's and 70's where the U.S. seemed to be entering a sort of golden age of quality oversized paperback publications, perhaps taking after France where almost everything (even bestsellers like the Harry Potter books) are published only in paperback. The books (and I have many of them) were solid, printed on good acid-free paper and light enough to carry on the bus or subway to work. We seem to have headed back to the point where hardcovers are seen as prestigious and the bigger, heavier and more expensive the better. This book is full of the same useful information that all of the authors books are but his first one, Making the Man, (along with The Indispensible Guide to Men's Clothing by Josh Karlen) remain the most concise, straightforward and compact of my men's dress references and therfore my favorites.

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion.......2007-04-14

This was just the book I needed when I decided to update my wardrobe after fifteen years on neglect. Perfect for learning or re-learning the basics.

Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution

Average customer rating:

Not sure whether it wants to be a biography or fashion
what a great read
Queen of Fashion
queen of fashion
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution

Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Caroline Weber
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805079491
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Book Description

Marie Antoinette has always stood as an icon of supreme style, but surprisingly none of her biographers have paid sustained attention to her clothes. In Queen of Fashion, Caroline Weber shows how Marie Antoinette developed her reputation for fashionable excess, and explains through lively, illuminating new research the political controversies that her clothing provoked. Weber surveys Marie Antoinettes "Revolution in Dress," covering each phase of the queens tumultuous life, beginning with the young girl, struggling to survive Versailless rigid traditions of royal glamour (twelve-foot-wide hoopskirts, whalebone corsets that crushed her organs). As queen, Marie Antoinette used stunning, often extreme costumes to project an image of power and wage war against her enemies. Gradually, however, she began to lose her hold on the French when she started to adopt "unqueenly" outfits (the provocative chemise) that, surprisingly, would be adopted by the revolutionaries who executed her. Webers queen is sublime, human, and surprising: a sometimes courageous monarch unwilling to allow others to determine her destiny. The paradox of her tragic story, according to Weber, is that fashion -- the vehicle she used to secure her triumphs -- was also the means of her undoing. Webers book is not only a stylish and original addition to Marie Antoinette scholarship, but also a moving, revelatory reinterpretation of one of historys most controversial figures.

Customer Reviews:

Not sure whether it wants to be a biography or fashion.......2007-08-27

I found queen of fashion to be not enough queen and not enough fashion. It pairs a less than adequate biography of Marie Antionette with a smattering of observations on how her fashion choices both represented her role as well as influenced events around her.

What I found problematic was that the fashion highlights jumped around in terms of time periods. There would be a detailed explanation of a time, then a gap of several years before another touching base. I'm not sure if this was due to a lack of source material for the intervening period, but it made for very choppy reading.

If you've read a lot on Marie Antionette, you can skim this to pick up the fashion pieces. If you haven't read a lot about her, pick up another biography first.

This might have worked better as a series of essays than as an overall biography.

Disappointing -- 2&1/2 stars.

what a great read.......2007-07-26

So I picked this up just because the title intrigued me and what a pleasant suprise! It is very readable, interesting and balanced. You won't regret this purchase.

Queen of Fashion.......2007-06-29

I've found that if you want to get a really good feel for the history of a period, read something like this book that concentrates on some interesting aspect of a major figure. An example (besides this well written book) is A Scented Palace by DeFeydeau, which also has amazing insights and stories that you never read in more biographical type treatments. For instance, an anecdote in this book about how Marie Antionette gave her jeweled fan to a pretty village girl, that I never heard anywhere else, really colors the way I now perceive her. But it's an astonishingly "like-you-are-there" inside look at life at Versailles during a (or the) most interesting period in it's history...

queen of fashion.......2007-06-27

I haven't got a chance to read the entire book yet but it is very good and interesting. It is especially useful if you are a Marie Antoinette fanatic or history buff. This was a package that got lost in shipping and It only took one day to get a replacement one. I was surprised at how fast the costumer service was and very pleased.

Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution.......2007-06-04

This is a well-researched, engaging, and poignant read. When is Weber's next book coming out?! I'll purchase for sure.

Fashion: A History from the 18th to 20th Century: the Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute (Taschen 25th Anniversary)

Average customer rating:

A great book
Best Illustrated Historical Fashion Volumes Available!
A nearly perfect tome on Fashion history
What a beautiful book!
4 1/2 stars really

Fashion: A History from the 18th to 20th Century: the Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute (Taschen 25th Anniversary)
Akiko Fukai , Tamami Suoh , Miki Iwagami , Reiko Koga , and Rie Nii
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3822827630

Customer Reviews:

A great book.......2007-06-06

Got this books last christmas, and I was blown away. Have always been interesting in design, fashion and history. This book has it all. Great design on the book (maybe a little hard to handle since it quite big in size), great photos, lots and lots with detail from the garments, and the best, it give you a look in to the past.

Best Illustrated Historical Fashion Volumes Available!.......2007-04-09

This is the most beautifully illustrated book available on the history of fashion. I have looked at many, but none are so thorough and definitive for the 18th to the 20th centuries. The publisher lists the book at $49.99 (unbelievable for what you get!). It has been reprinted several times since I first became aware of it. Each time I have missed my chance to get a copy -- It seems to sell out quite regularly. After almost losing hope, I was finally able to get a copy of this latest edition!
The current edition is a set which consists of two large volumes. The first covers the 18th and 19th centuries, and the second is devoted to the 20th century. These two tomes are in a sturdy outer case. The illustrations are clear and detailed, making it easy to examine the construction used for the garments, and also are displayed so that one can see the overall beauty of the craftsmanship. They are truly works of art! Text is at a minimum; the books consist first and foremost of these beautiful illustrations.

A nearly perfect tome on Fashion history.......2007-03-13

Everything is perfect in these two volumes. Was terribly upest when the first issue (single volume) was discontinued, but this one tops it. Clear photos, specific research and exceptionally well laid out. My students beg to look at it, and THE PRICE! Incredibly inexpensive for a book of this sort.

Makes a great gift- and can substitute for barbells when needed.

What a beautiful book!.......2007-03-02

When visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art I found this book, and let me tell you, what a find! It is quite impressive in size, detail, length, and quality of pictures. The books range from the 18th century to present. The set consists of two magnificent volumes. Whether you love fashion or are simply interested in how people in centuries before us lived and dressed, get this book! By the way- this makes an amazing coffee table book. Not many (female!) friends and relatives can leave my house without taking a look at the set. Would make a great gift as well. Well worth the price.

4 1/2 stars really.......2007-03-01

I bought what I think is a compiled version of these two books from a local bookstore. It is similar length and has the same title. I have long been searching for a good fashion history book and this one is fabulous. Nearly every page is a large photo of a real antique costume. There is a nice balance of close-up detail photos and full photos, as well as undergarments and accessories. You can really watch the progression of fashion through nearly 300 years. I also like the amount of text that is written; just enough to explain the style progression and the political environment of the time. A picture is worth a thousand words and trying to explain a garment in text is pointless when you can just look at the picture. The only thing I wish was different is that the modern section (from about the 70's on)features primarily avant garde experimental clothing, not the stuff we actually see on red carpets and runways.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris

Average customer rating:

Imposible to put down, a must read for fashion lovers
The Beautiful Fall
A Tremendous Book
Stunning Evocation of Stars and Decade
Must-read for anyone even remotely interested in fashion

The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris
Alicia Drake
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316768014

Book Description

Paris in the '70s was running at full tilt -- a new order was coming into view amid hedonism, ambition, and outrageous decadence. This was a fashion revolution, the beginning of fashion as rock-star spectacle, and the world went wild for it. Alicia Drake writes about the dramatic collision and rivalry between two titanic geniuses, Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, whose clashes sparked that tumultuous decade. Americans came to Paris in droves - from Andy Warhol and Jerry Hall to Bianca Jagger and Jessica Lange -- to be part of this irresistible moment. Others came just to catch sight of Karl Lagerfeld strutting around the cafs in his high heels and furs. Drake vividly captures the stunning highs and heartbreaking lows, the glorious achievements and dramas of an era when style reigned in the most glamorous of cities.

Customer Reviews:

Imposible to put down, a must read for fashion lovers.......2007-08-09

A wonderfully writen and very entertaining book. Excelent read for those lovers of fashion, of Paris, of glamour and most of all of human conduct.
Portrait of an exciting carefree era left behind. Forgive my english!

The Beautiful Fall.......2007-07-04

Alicia Drake's "The Beautiful Fall" was the most fascinating and informative book about the last fifty years of the world of haute couture I have read to date. In essence it was the joint biography of Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld, but it also created a vivid picture of the Parisian fashion scene during the period.
The book was meticulously researched and filled with marvellous anecdotes and characters, including Antonio Lopez, Paloma Picasso, and Loulou de la Falaise, to name just a few.
Especially interesting was the inimitable Pierre Berge, the business brain behind Yves Saint Laurent.
I originally found out about this book in a newspaper article about the court case in France over its contents. Karl Lagerfeld sued the author, but in my opinion, it was Yves Saint Laurent whose image was tarnished. Saint Laurent was portrayed as a self-centred, immature man who became increasingly reclusive with time. Lagerfeld, on the other hand, was portrayed as a survivor thanks to his own creativity, hard work and business acumen.
This book inspired me to research Saint Laurent's collections, and I'm sorry to say that my doubts about his reputation as a "genius" were confirmed. The archives on his own website revealed that his talent did not measure up to the hype. The relentless repetition of similar designs from season to season did not equate to great creativity or fashion intelligence. If anything, Saint Laurent could be credited with creating the "Ugly Betty" look: dull suits with pussycat bow blouses, "bridesmaid" style evening dresses and safari suits.
I had to conclude that had it not been for the amazing support and business leadership of Pierre Berge, Yves Saint Laurent would have become just one of the many forgotten couturiers who featured in the history of haute couture, after his brief stint at Christian Dior.

A Tremendous Book.......2007-05-23

I used to write about fashion (I was the first person -- god help me! -- to put fashion in US magazine so many years ago), so I picked up Ms. Drake's book with a great deal of anticipation.

I loved it, sat down and read it in practically one day. It is all here -- the talent, the heartbreak, the excess, the bitchy jealous (oh -- the bitchy jealousy), and the beauty of fashion that only the French can evoke.

Say what you will, YSL was/is the master. And Ms. Drake has written a tremendous book. I would give it ten stars if I could, she knows from whence she writes, and I look forward to more of her work.

Stunning Evocation of Stars and Decade.......2007-05-23

Fashion is not a particular interest of mine; but after I heard Alicia Drake talk at the LA Times Festival of Books, I bought her bio and dove in. The Beautiful Fall is the most exciting book I've read in the last six months at least. It's a page turner, a rhapsody of sensory indulgence. Her evocations of the clothes demonstrate why she's a sought-after fashion journalist--I could see these collections, feel the fabrics, hear the pulsating music at the runway show, smell the truckloads of flowers YSL had sent from Paris to his country manor in Normandie.

You don't have to know much about fashion to be captivated by her ying-yang portrayal of YSL and Lagerfeld. The book bristles with details, the entourages sauntering off the page and into an array of dazzling parties that are so characteristic of the 70s zeitgeist.

The rivalries, the sumptuous locales, the music and drugs and personalities--it's all here. If you want an escape from the quotidian--read this book.

Must-read for anyone even remotely interested in fashion.......2007-04-08

I have been a fashion writer for about 10 years and this is absolutely one of the best fashion biographies I've read since perhaps DV by Mrs. Vreeland. The Beautiful Fall is beautifully written--a richly detailed account of Paris in the 50's through 80's packed with fashion and Parisian history, insight, and delicious gossip and scandal. You'll feel like you're there at the party and front row at shows that took place long before the televised mania over fashion began in America in the early '90s. Fabulous photos, as well.

Average customer rating:

As a history, wonderful. As an exhibition catalog, worthless.
Historical but not enough photos
A tale of two Balenciagas
EXCELLENT FASHION REFERENCE
the master

Balenciaga Paris
Pamela Golbin , and Fabien Baron
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jacques Helleu and Chanel

ASIN: 0500513155

Book Description

A sumptuous retrospective of one of the greatest houses in international fashion

Balenciaga Paris traces the designer's collections year by year, from 1937 to 2006, using photos, press cuttings, sketches, and other archival material. The book explores two main periods in depth: 1937-1968, when Cristobal Balenciaga made his name during Paris's golden age of fashion; and 1996-2006, charting the dramatic revival of the House of Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière, one of the most widely admired and celebrated new designers in contemporary fashion. He has co-directed the book's production with Pamela Golbin, curator at the Musée de la Mode et du Textile, Paris, who has compiled the text.

Described by Christian Dior as "the master of us all," Balenciaga's bold genius with cut, line, and fabric mark him out as one of the most daring and original designers in the world of haute couture. His virtuoso command of technique and imaginative exuberance recall his Spanish roots as well as assuring his place in the pantheon of twentieth-century style and elegance. 280 illustrations, 200 in color.

Customer Reviews:

As a history, wonderful. As an exhibition catalog, worthless........2007-09-02

As a history of Cristobal Balenciaga, the founder of the original Balenciaga house of haute couture, this volume is quite good in its informative and studied approach to the origins and success of M. Balenciaga. However, as an exhibition catalog it is, in a word, worthless. Nowhere in its 227 pages does it show any of the creations displayed in the Parisian exhibition. All associated with this publication should be ashamed for offering this as an exhibition catalog and should have paid heed to such genuine exhibition catalogs as The Philadelphia Museum of Art's 2003 Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli by Dilys Blum (at this juncture the absolute gold standard for Costume exhibition catalogs) or The Costume Institute's 1996 Christian Dior by Richard Martin and Harold Koda. Ms. Blum accomplishes what Balenciaga is unable to accomplish, the mix of history within the context of a present reality. By this I mean, she offers the reader a detailed, exciting read by supporting her text with specially commissioned photographic examples of the creations actually displayed at her museum during the exhibition. For me, such exhibitions are marvelous, as one is afforded to see just how certain creations have weathered the storm of time, something not afforded in the Balenciaga catalog.

Also, while I grasp the marketing reason behind this particular catalog, it should be pointed-out that Balenciaga, as it exists today, is no longer a house of haute couture, but a resurrected brand of ready-to-wear apparel. Anyone viewing the original creations of M. Balenciaga should be able to see at once, how ill-suited is Nicolas Ghesquière to be passed-off as the torch bearer of Cristobal Balenciaga. It's perfectly horrendous to view page after page of M. Balenciaga's exquisite creations to then be faced with the ugliness of M. Ghesquière's.

Historical but not enough photos.......2007-08-31

This book is good if you are interested in contemporary reviews of Balenciaga shows and information about the house and the designer. But it is not as well illustrated as I might have wished. For fashion retrospective books such as this, I want hundreds of clear color photos of garments! I am not as interested in reading about fashion as I am in looking at it. At the risk of sounding like a kid who can't read, this book has too much text and not enough pictures.

A tale of two Balenciagas.......2007-06-22

This gigantic book by Pamela Golbin (author of the excellent overview "Fashion Designers") really tells the story of two houses of Balenciaga - the original, helmed by the great Cristobal Balenciaga, and the modern-day couturier. I'm not a huge fan of the 2000's Balenciaga lines, so I won't say much about them here - though, in all truth, this book does cover modern-day Balenciaga quite thoroughly for anyone who's interested.

The real heart of the book for vintage-fashion mavens, however, is the first half of the book, detailing the work of the illustrious Senor Balenciaga. The gentleman was probably the finest designer of the "New Look" era after M. Dior himself, and worked for much longer than Dior did. He excelled particularly, in my own opinion, at lush, silken, flowing gowns, which are copiously - and beautifully - detailed here. It's all here; biographical information, design sketches, behind-the-scenes photographs, catwalk shots. If you've been having trouble finding Marie-Andree Jouve's huge (and very expensive) Balenciaga retrospective, this is a perfect way to satisfy your desires!

EXCELLENT FASHION REFERENCE.......2007-05-27

A beautiful history of the great Balenciaga. His work was wonderful.

A true artist and a fine gentlemen.

the master.......2007-05-20

My third book on Balenciaga and what a thrill it is. But if you love his work as much as me, you can never get enough. To my great relief more than half the book is on 'the master' and not the 'new guy'. Nothing nice to say about the new guy, so best not to say anything.....BUT the other....I'm a nut for fashion (lots of the great designers I like) but Balenciaga was inspired by Heaven, I think. I wish I could have been at one of his shows!

Average customer rating:

Inside Fashion Design, Fifth Edition
Sharon L. Tate , and Mona S. Edwards
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ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130453668

Book Description

This best-selling book gives readers a close look at the fashion industry from the professional designer's viewpoint. It contains clear and comprehensive coverage and excellent illustrations that examine fashion through the decades and trends of the times. KEY TOPICS Each chapter links stylishly updated visual images with relevant concepts. Coverage of the role of computers and digital technology are integrated into every phase of the design and production process .This reference covers business practice, vocabulary, and industry resources. For economic development researchers profiling the apparel industry, reporters who cover the fashion industry, PR and marketing people new to the fashion arena, and lawyers in civil cases related to apparel production and copyright issues.

Average customer rating:

Madeleine Vionnet
An excellent reference book
Absolutely gorgeous!
draped fashions
Awesome Reference

Madeleine Vionnet
Betty Kirke
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Amazon.com

Madeleine Vionnet's greatest distinction as a designer was her discovery of the bias cut. Cutting patterns along the bias forces the fabric to cling to the body and move with it, which created her trademark look of draped, form-conscious clothing. When designer Issey Miyake first saw a Vionnet dress, it was like the first time he saw Winged Victory at the Louvre: "I thought then that the statue of Nike had been reincarnated in the dresses by Vionnet. She had captured the most beautiful aspect of classical Greek aesthetics: the body and movement." Vionnet's long career as a dressmaker and designer began with the 20th century. Always conscious of women's bodies and inspired in part by modern dancer Isadora Duncan, she soon dispensed with corsets and other constricting garments, and used barefoot models to present her first solo collection. Though simple, her dresses were never plain; the use of a Cartier necklace as a halter strap is a classic Vionnet innovation. This inimitable combination of comfort and glamour made Vionnet's clothes a favorite among European nobility, Hollywood royalty--notably Marlene Dietrich, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Katharine Hepburn--as well as socialites and other trendsetters. Close to a century after its introduction, the bias cut remains an important element in clothing design.

Madeleine Vionnet is a tall book that echoes many of the designs inside. It is filled with contemporary photographs of the clothing, period pictures shot by Man Ray and Steichen, design sketches, and, perhaps most interestingly, patterns for the clothes. The accompanying text traces Vionnet's evolution from an 11-year-old seamstress, through her days apprenticing at the famed Callot Soeurs couture house in Paris, and on into the design empire that secured her an enduring spot in fashion history.

Book Description

Back in print at last, with a ravishing new cover, Madeleine Vionnet is "not only the best book on Vionnet, but perhaps the best book ever on a fashion designer" (Out). Madeleine Vionnet (1876–1975) was the greatest dressmaker in the world. Considered a genius for her innovations with the bias cut—the most difficult and desirable cut in clothing design—she has a fanatical following. Vionnet was a maverick, her results spectacular. She dressed the stars of the '30s, invented new pattern-making techniques, and eschewed corsets for her models. Vionnet's dresses are virtually un-copiable and highly coveted by vintage clothing collectors. Madeleine Vionnet is the definitive study of this venerated artist. Illustrated with more than 400 photographs, line drawings, and watercolors, it also includes 38 original patterns for Vionnet dresses. As the Art Deco Society of L.A.'s newsletter has said, anyone "interested in Art Deco or fashion must have this book."

Customer Reviews:

Madeleine Vionnet.......2007-08-19

This book is an absolute dream right through from the beautiful hard cover to the wonderful photographs, history and patterns. I am a Designer/Patternmaker and is the most beautiful book I have ever bought on fashion. Betty Kirke has put a lot of love and care into this treasure and any student of fashion, especially patternmaking and draping has to purchase this and learn a whole lot about bias cutting.

An excellent reference book.......2007-05-21

Madeleine Vionnet
A fascinating book on Madeleine Vionnet. Betty Kirke has plunged into the personal story, the career, but mostly the clothes, this avant garde fashion designer has made in the 20's and 30's. All young fashion designers should be grateful to Betty Kirke, the talented author of this book, who has given them the chance to study the patterns, the style, the technique of Madeleleine Vionnet.

Absolutely gorgeous!.......2007-04-13

Well worth the price. Saw this in a store and was mesmerized.Where Poiret is fun....this gal was ALL class.

draped fashions.......2007-03-16

I wanted to learn how to do this style of gowns for my fashion dolls. I saw this book on ebay go for $600 so figured it should be a good one. It has plenty of info and even the patterns for the gowns.

Awesome Reference.......2007-03-12

What a great book, excellent quality paper, production, layout, content--how wonderful that the author shared the patterns, this is a must have for any budding fashion designer.

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