Haute Couture [Hardcover]

Richard Martin (Author), Harold Koda (Author)

Book Description

Series: Metropolitan Museum of Art Series | Publication Date: January 1, 1995

This is a survey of the history of haute couture, from the formation of the House of Worth in mid-19th-century Paris to the major designers of the present day. The book focuses on the highly skilled crafts that are essential to the production of haute couture. Separate chapters examine tailoring techniques and finishes, weaving, draping, and the intricate decoration produced by embroiderers, feather-makers, and other craftspeople on whom couturiers rely for the execution of their ideas.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Published to accompany an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute, this lavishly illustrated volume provides a survey of the history of haute couture (fashion driven by the artistic expression of the designer rather than the dictates of clients) from its beginnings with the formation of the House of Worth in mid-19th-century Paris to the present-day creations of fashion's major designers. From its inception, haute couture has been closely aligned with modern art, "a fulfillment of mutually agreeing ideas that are contingent upon and wrought on the human body." This synergism can be seen in garments such as Poiret's "sorbet" lampshade gown, influenced by the Orientalism of the 1910s, and Chanel's "little black dress," the archetype of clothing's penchant for social reversal and political change, as well as in contemporary couturiers such as Gianni Versace, whose 1995 evening gown merges old technique and new technology by manipulating industrial-weight vinyl onto a crystalline overskirt evocative of 19th-century silhouette. Authors Koda and Martin, curators at the Costume Institute, have given special prominence to technique, the workshop masteries distinguishing the couture from other visual arts. Highly recommended for all fashion collections.?Marcie S. Zwaik, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 118 pages
• Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300086253
• ISBN-13: 978-0300086256
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,770,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contains excellent photographs- from Dior to present day., July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Haute Couture (Hardcover)

It contains beautiful color photos of the couture garments design by the following houses: Balenciaga, Chanell, Dior, Jacques Fath, Gianfranco Fere, Hubert de Givenchy, Aliz Gres, Jacques Griffe, Christian Lacroix, Carl Lagerfeld, Jeanne Lanvin, Patou, Poiret, Saint Laurent, Schiaparelli, Ungaro, Versace, Madeleine Vionnet & the House of Worth.

The table of contents lists "History, Atelier, Dressmaking, Tailoring, Technique, Embroidery, Lace and Tulle and Featherwork.

I strongly recommend this book because it contains the works of many designers, and the photos of these beautiful creations are taken "up close".

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy the pictures; skip the text, June 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Haute Couture (Hardcover)

The clothes are superb and are very nicely photographed. In many cases, there are photos of fascinating details as well as a shot of the entire dress. But the prose is just as awful as the gowns are lovely. Not since Rex Reed got laughed off the pages of American periodicals have I encountered such pretentious and ignorant use of my native language. I would think that a major museum could afford a real writer.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful pictures, abysmal text, May 25, 2002

By 

Kate Cole (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haute Couture (Hardcover)

I could not agree more with the review by "Reader from Spain". I buy a LOT of costume/fashion books and hardly ever review them, but felt moved to do so for this book because the text is so dreadful. The photographs are stunning, as are the garments pictured, but the words are really quite atrocious (to steal a line from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!). The text is utterly pretentious and so badly written that I (an editor) checked several times to see whether it had been translated from a language other than English - it is that stilted. Obviously a book like this is bought mostly for the pictures, but the text is so disappointing.