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Madeleine Vionnet (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Issey Miyake (Foreword) "It was June 1974 when I arrived with my husband in Paris to meet Madeleine Vionnet..." (more)
Key Phrases: trois coquettes, anatomical cut, madeleine vionnet, New York, Harper's Bazaar, Callot Soeurs (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)

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  • This item: Madeleine Vionnet by Betty Kirke

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Madeleine Vionnet's greatest distinction as a designer was her discovery of the bias cut. Cutting patterns along the bias forces the fabric to cling to the body and move with it, which created her trademark look of draped, form-conscious clothing. When designer Issey Miyake first saw a Vionnet dress, it was like the first time he saw Winged Victory at the Louvre: "I thought then that the statue of Nike had been reincarnated in the dresses by Vionnet. She had captured the most beautiful aspect of classical Greek aesthetics: the body and movement." Vionnet's long career as a dressmaker and designer began with the 20th century. Always conscious of women's bodies and inspired in part by modern dancer Isadora Duncan, she soon dispensed with corsets and other constricting garments, and used barefoot models to present her first solo collection. Though simple, her dresses were never plain; the use of a Cartier necklace as a halter strap is a classic Vionnet innovation. This inimitable combination of comfort and glamour made Vionnet's clothes a favorite among European nobility, Hollywood royalty--notably Marlene Dietrich, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Katharine Hepburn--as well as socialites and other trendsetters. Close to a century after its introduction, the bias cut remains an important element in clothing design.

Madeleine Vionnet is a tall book that echoes many of the designs inside. It is filled with contemporary photographs of the clothing, period pictures shot by Man Ray and Steichen, design sketches, and, perhaps most interestingly, patterns for the clothes. The accompanying text traces Vionnet's evolution from an 11-year-old seamstress, through her days apprenticing at the famed Callot Soeurs couture house in Paris, and on into the design empire that secured her an enduring spot in fashion history.



From Library Journal

This oversized book is costume historian Kirke's singular achievement, over 20 years in the making, and includes interviews with Vionnet (1876-1975) herself. The sexy, slinky bias-cut dresses associated with the 1930s were invented by Vionnet to move with the body and show every curve. Over 400 illustrations?45 in color?include archival photographs and magazine illustrations. A unique feature is the inclusion of 38 cutting patterns produced between 1917 and 1938. Cutting clothes for a woman's body was a geometric puzzle for Vionnet, and chapters are arranged by the rectangles, quadrants, and triangles that composed the gowns. Even surface decorations and furs were intricately cut. The "queen mother of haute couture" retired in 1939, but designers ever since have looked to her for inspiration. This expensive book is well worth the price for fashion and design collections.?Therese Duzinkiewicz Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 244 pages
  • Publisher: Chronicle Books (January 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0811819973
  • ISBN-13: 978-0811819978
  • Product Dimensions: 14.9 x 10.9 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,930 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #12 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion > Commercial
    #21 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion > Designers
    #58 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion > History

More About the Author

Betty Kirke
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Inside This Book (learn more)




What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Madeleine Vionnet
72% buy the item featured on this page:
Madeleine Vionnet 5.0 out of 5 stars (30)
$63.00
Madeleine Vionnet
15% buy
Madeleine Vionnet
$47.25
Lanvin
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Lanvin 4.0 out of 5 stars (7)
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Madame Gres: Sphinx of Fashion
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Customer Reviews

30 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional insight into bias construction. Amazing book!, September 22, 1999
By A Customer
Probably the best book I have read on bias construction. Decribes many of the techniques Vionnet used, like rules for mixing bias with straight weaves. The scale patterns are a major plus.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Vionnet, April 17, 2005
It's so sad that the name of Madeleine Vionnet is today only familiar to students of fashion history. She was a revolutionary couturiere who still influences designers over half a century after her retirement. This is one of the best books about her work. I especially loved the reproduced dress patterns which reveal the extent of Miss Vionnet's genius. This book deserves to be reprinted.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book!, October 27, 1998
By A Customer
Finally, a fashion book worthy of its subject! This is a big, beautiful book, with high production values and gorgeous design. The writing is thoughtful and intelligent. The contents are informative and interesting. The photos are wonderful and the illustrations and patterns are amazing. I can't say enough good things about this book!

Too many fashion books have terrible writing paired with "artistic" photos that obscure the clothes. This book makes none of the mistakes that plagued recent books on St. Laurent and Beene. It's a wonderful book for fashion historians, dressmakers, and designers.

And Amazon's price is half of the bookstore price!

I recommend this book very highly.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Madeleine Vionnet
This book is worth every penny paid for it. The photographs alone are just gorgeous. I am an accomplished dressmaker and avid follower of fashion--then and now--and this book has... Read more
Published 6 months ago by F. K. O'NEILL

5.0 out of 5 stars unbelievable
i purchased two of these...one for my brother and one for myself. it is incredible to study the patterns inside to see what a real designer is made of. Read more
Published 12 months ago by M. Pollack

5.0 out of 5 stars exelente
Es lo mejor que he tenido , el libro de un diseñador donde estan patrones, diseños y fotos...que mas se puede pedir! Read more
Published 17 months ago by M. B. Morales

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, with BIG Problems
This is an outstanding book on a revolutionary designer. Wonderful photos, and "patterns" from the clothing. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Bonny Dune

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Fashion Designers
This book is even better than I hoped. The photographs are stellar and for some designs - a bird's eye view of the pattern peices are included. Read more
Published 24 months ago by E. S. Perez

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent book and a must for costumer's library
A great book on Vionnet's work and life. It has a lot of sewing patterns with instuctions from the WWI era to late 1930's; the patterns include day and evening dresses and frocks,... Read more
Published on October 6, 2007 by Haydee

5.0 out of 5 stars Madeleine Vionnet
This book is an absolute dream right through from the beautiful hard cover to the wonderful photographs, history and patterns. Read more
Published on August 18, 2007 by Victoria Hannah

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference book
Madeleine Vionnet
A fascinating book on Madeleine Vionnet. Betty Kirke has plunged into the personal story, the career, but mostly the clothes, this avant garde fashion... Read more
Published on May 21, 2007 by Eleni Ioannidou

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely gorgeous!
Well worth the price. Saw this in a store and was mesmerized.Where Poiret is fun....this gal was ALL class.
Published on April 12, 2007 by Christopher S. Smallwood

4.0 out of 5 stars draped fashions
I wanted to learn how to do this style of gowns for my fashion dolls. I saw this book on ebay go for $600 so figured it should be a good one. Read more
Published on March 16, 2007 by Marsha E. Whitt

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