Customer Reviews

Rock Style: A Book of Rock, Hip-Hop, Pop, R&B, Punk, Funk and the Fashions That Give Looks to Those Sounds

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First the positives: This book is very large format so the pictures are extremely clear and details are very easy to see. This book covers everything from the early 50s through the present day, with especial focus on the bigger names (and thus, most influential trend-setters) like the Beatles, Elvis, and Madonna. The reason I do not give this book the full 5 stars is because I think it leaves out some crucial (if less well known) musicians/looks (the gothic style of the Cure and Siouxsie Sioux, early hip-hop look of Salt & Pepa, and the '90's club stylings of Bjork and Lady Miss Kier of Dee-Lite, to list some examples) and because it doesnt go very far in depth into the fact that some musical styles eschew any claims to fashion whatsoever (the chapter on grunge being the sole exception). A good intro with large fabulous photos but supplement with "Street Style" or "Style Surfing" by Ted Polhemus for more detail.

Let me start off by saying this book is beautiful. Big in size, full-color pictures; it would look fantastic on any coffee table. I am assuming that that was the real purpose for publishing this book. The text leaves much to be desired, however. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for the way things are in order in the book. And no reason why a single band like the Stones gets twelve pages while an entire genre like Funk gets a measley two. Lenny Kravitz alone even got four! This leads me to believe that at least part of the reason for this book is to be a promo vehicle for the designer himself (Hilfiger outfitted both The Stones and Kravitz on their previous tours). So if what you're looking for is a pretty book for your living room, this is it. If you're look for something because you want to learn, check out "Rock Fashion" by Joshua Sims.

Hmm. This book has some great pix, though none which haven't been published before. But it's a real confusing mish-mash trying to cover shoes say from rock and roll t glitter rock so that you have no idea what the context is.

The other thing is that the writing appears a real rush job. There are some really grave errors - Johnny Rotten was never arrested for wearing one of the controversial Sex shop t-shirts and the correct spelling of the man who founded Carnaby street is John Stephen, not John Steven. May seem a bit anal I know but if you're going to cover this subject, at least pay attention.

All in all a bit of an embrassment for Josh Sims who I think works at The Face.

dear readers and reviewers
just a quick note to say that this Hilfiger product is nothing to do with me! Mine ('Rock Fashion') is a different book altogether. I like to get the record straight...
Happy reading.
josh sims

dear readers and viewers
just a quick note to say that I had nothing to do with this Hilfiger product. Mine ('Rock fashion') is a different book.
I like to get the record straight....
Happy reading
Josh Sims

Did Josh Sims do this book?
There are tons of other designers you might want their oppinion on rock n roll instead of all american tommy. He hasn't designed for Rockers in my eyes..

I took the book to work and it has become the "main event", now that staff have pawed it excessively, they run back and grab it to show clients. Speaks to the past and the present of using wardrobe for communications and market positioning.

This huge book, for me, shows the best thing about fashion and that is the garments themselves. The accompanying text is simple and to the point, no frilling round the edges, like an unnecessary essay. Its order doesn't stick rigidly to a timeline, and allows itself to vear into areas of fashion which re-appear etc. Hilfiger also chooses ungeneralized musicians as examples of fashions connection with music and is also quite up to date with more modern artists etc. All in all the book speaks through its imagery and fashion as an art form, with concise language and a good variety of examples and musicians.