READ THIS: American Beauty by Patricia Mears
American Beauty
Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion
A stunning tribute to great American fashion designers—both the famous and little known—of the twentieth century
The mysterious woman on the cover with quite the hat on invites the reader into Patricia Mears's great work of art: American Beauty. At Whom You Know, we are competitively patriotic and although we appreciate the fashion from Europe, we do like our own the best and we just loved this book. From the stunning red strapless floor-length dress on the left side in the opening pages and throughout the book, this captures looks that are intrinsic to the spirit of America and we love it. The geometric fashions and color are the best!
As good as the fashion is, the photography is just as good if not better throughout the work. Unlike many other coffee-table-type books on fashion, this has an interesting history and commentary accompanying the outstanding photography. Halston, Geoffrey Beene, and many others are shown and fashion is explored beyond the surface from dressmaking to tailoring and beyond. Part of the history of American is the history of fashion; this is a needed piece of culture! Towards the end, you will even see a couple of designs for men...
Whom You Know recommends American Beauty by Patricia Mears!
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This December, Yale University Press, in association with The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, published American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion by Patricia Mears.
This beautifully illustrated book is the first to examine the relationship between innovation and aesthetics as expressed by American couturiers and fashion designers from the late 1910s to the present day. The book, which accompanies a major exhibition opening in November at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, reveals that great design and great style were consistent elements in the work of American’s best fashion designers.
Patricia Mears introduces many great forgotten figures, as well as many familiar names: work by lesser-known figures such as Jessie Franklin Turner, Ronaldus Shamask, and Charles Kleibecker is discussed alongside pieces by more celebrated creators, such as Halston and Charles James; work by designers of the past is juxtaposed with that of present-day designers such as Rick Owens, Yeolee Teng, and Maria Comejo. James’s grand and structurally imposing gowns from the 1950s appear alongside contemporary Infantas by Ralph Rucci; the section on draping juxtaposes 1930s gowns by Elizabeth Hawes and Valentina with more contemporary garments by Jean Yu and Isabel Toledo; clothing cut into pure geometric shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles is illustrated by World War I–era teagowns by Jessie Franklin Turner, Claire McCardell’s mid-century rompers garments, and modern sportswear by Yeohlee and Shamask.
While the United States may be best known worldwide for its casual mass-marketed garments, Mears demonstrates that artistry, innovation, and flawless construction are the true marks of American fashion.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Patricia Mears is deputy director of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is the author of Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion and coauthor of Ralph Rucci: The Art of Weightlessness.
TITLE: American Beauty: Aesthetics and Innovation in Fashion
AUTHOR: Patricia Mears ISBN: 978-0-300-15535-8 Cloth
PRICE: $55.00 PAGES: 192 pp., 120 color illustrations
PUBLICATION DATE: December 15, 2009
