Fashion Book: Fashion, the Century of the Designer

Fashion Book: "Fashion, the Century of the Designer"

In the first few years of the 2000's, there were many publications that reviewed 20th century fashion.  This is one of those books, however it is well written and illustrated, being more than a pretty coffee table book.


Every fashion library needs an encyclopedia of sorts.  This is a huge volume that spans the 20th century and includes nearly every important trend and designer. Arranged by decades, this book can give an overview of a specific era, or it can be used to look up specific information. Probably every designer of importance in included here, located within the decade chapter where their contributions mattered most. Additionally, there are features that include British, Italian and American fashion.

Having this book on the shelf will ensure that you can find information on 20th century fashion in a concise but well defined way, providing a start for any type of research or general knowledge.  If I have any problem with "Fashion, the Century of the Designer" it might be that it is very heavy and awkward, being larger than most textbooks on the subject.  I guess that's the price you pay to include lots of color photos.

Title: Fashion: the century of the designer, 1900 - 1999
Author: Charlotte Seeling

Hardcover: 656 pages
Publisher: Konemann (2000)
Book size: 11.7 x 10.2 x 1.9 inches

This book may be found in my shop

Fall Fashion, 1949: Claire McCardell does Tartan Plaids

Taking a look back to the fall of 1949, fashion of the late 1940s was showing dramatic and inventive silhouettes that followed Dior's New Look. American designers such as Claire McCardell would see a huge rise in their fashion star as the post war economies allowed for greater experimentation and design creativity than had been possible during the war years.

Back to school fall fashions have always included plaids in the mix. Warm wool plaids would appear in the fall magazine issues that hit newstands during the hottest weeks of late summer, providing the reader with an exciting change from hot weather wear.

While the classic, preppy kilt and other plaid skirts seemed to dominate, there have always been those who explore plaids just a bit further. Case in point: Claire McCardell's knife pleated plaid dress on the left with push up sleeves and a dramatic shawl collar (Miron worsted wool, $59.95 at Lord & Taylor). On the right is a dress designed by Dorothy Cox. Her design shows a traditional plaid made up as a wonderful cape collar over a circular skirt ($55 at Henri Bendel). Both are from the fall of 1949, when skirts were wide, hems longer, and gorgeous textiles were becoming more plentiful. These would be the seed of style for the next decade to come, the 1950s fashion silhouette.