Visionaries: Interviews with Fashion Designers (Victoria and Albert Museum Studies) [Hardcover]

Susannah Frankel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Victoria and Albert Museum Studies | Publication Date: October 1, 2001

Serious fashionistas will simply devour Visionaries, Susannah Frankel's collection of in-depth interviews with 23 of the world's top couturiers-and the only book of its kind. From Azzedine Alaïa to Zandra Rhodes, Ghost to Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood to Junya Watanabe, plus, of course, the names behind such universally recognized monograms as CdG, D&G, and YSL, each ultra-chic subject openly deconstructs his or her own designs. Originally written at pivotal moments in their careers, the profiles offer exclusive insights into not only the mind of the creator in question, but also the cultural climate at the time. Archival runway pictures, portraits, and glamorous new shots by some of the hottest photographers in the industry illustrate this sharp, smart volume.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In her first book, Frankel presents a fashion-first look at the world, giving readers at least a decade of new material. This collection of her interviews with fashion designers, previously published in journals such as the Independent and Dazed & Confused, offers a closer, more penetrating look into some of the world's most intriguing designers. Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and John-Paul Gaultier are some of the designers showcased, alongside images of their clothes. The reproductions of the work that originally ran with each piece are enticing eye candy, sweetening the illuminating and juicy revelations printed in the accompanying interviews. The interviews, which took place between 1997 and April 2001, seem to preserve each designer's pre-glory moments in time while presenting other designers' careers as the standard by which all success is measured. Although thorough in her coverage, Frankel does leave out prominent designers in America and Europe to include lesser-knowns from Britain. Radical Fashion offers a short list of designers who innovate on the avant-garde of design. Since the honor of inclusion is bestowed upon only the most eccentric of the London/Milan/Paris set, the book seems a bit more elitist than Visionaries, excluding progressive designers such as Galliano, Gianni Versace, and Viktor & Rolf. The text offers a more academic glimpse of fashion and its extreme, with articles centered on one main concept. For example, a discussion of haute couture leads to Azzedine Alaia and Gautier, whereas Helmut Lang's vision is related to an essay about mixing art and fashion. The essays are extremely well researched as the authors, including Frankel, take on more complex concepts of design and also consider how fashion has altered in the face of modernity. The pictures included here are less glamorous and, on the whole, smaller, but they are useful reference points for the text. Both titles include notable quotes from each designer, highlighting their perspective on fashion. Radical Fashion is an excellent source for fashion theory, whereas Visionaries offers closer insight into the designers themselves. Rachel Collins, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'A bible for fashion lovers' Dazed and Confused 'An opportunity to uncover the secrets of the rag trade' Wallpaper 'Your fashion-obsessed friends will love Visionaries' Elle 'This is a book to be dipped into, savoured in small slices and appreciated by anyone interested in fashion' Times Higher Education Supplement 'A fashion fanatic's dream' Ok Magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810965895
• ISBN-13: 978-0810965898
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,766,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smart, sharp coffee table book, March 8, 2003

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Visionaries: Interviews with Fashion Designers (Victoria and Albert Museum Studies) (Hardcover)

The interviews in the book were originally published in the Independent, the Guardian and Dazed & Confused. They cover a wide range of modern designers and is well-illustrated by the crisply chosen photographs.

Particularly nice moments are the interview with Helmut Lang, Vivienne Westwood'sphotographic portrait, and the interview with Paul Smith.

Nice to have.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars personal talk, December 7, 2001

By 

Travis Haglin (London, England and Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visionaries: Interviews with Fashion Designers (Victoria and Albert Museum Studies) (Hardcover)

Claire Wilcox has put together an amazing collection of interviews with the world's top designers. From the up and coming Alexander McQueen to the legends such as Yes Saint Laurent and Vivianne Westwood. Every major designer you can think of is interviewed in this book. Along with the text their are fine pictorial displays of the artists (designers) and images of their work. It is a must for anyone that is involved with the fashion world.