The Book of Silk
Philippa Scott
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| 'The Book of Silk' is as luxurious as the remarkable material itself' | | - Fashion Weekly |
| 'Full of scholarship, wit and fine writing' | | - The Washington Post |
| 'The most comprehensive history of silk ever written' | | - Drapers Record |
The Book of Silk tells the rich history of this remarkable material through five millennia, reproducing hundreds of fabrics, furnishings and garments from all parts of the world.
From ancient China, where the secret of reeling silkworm cocoons was first discovered, the narrative leads by the legendary Silk Routes to Byzantium and the Islamic world, to Ottoman Turkey and India - and on to the Renaissance, and the baroque and rococo silks of western Christendom.
In modern times the fashion industry yields a wonderful array of designs, from Fortuny and Balenciaga, Poiret and Schiaparelli. At every stage, silk's status as the most prized fabric of all ensured that it drew the most creative talents of every period, from anonymous Chinese masters to the celebrated couturiers of France and Italy.
A dazzling selection of illustrations, many drawn from private collections, reveals silk's omnipresence in couture and decoration, carpets, embroidery and even painting. Complete with a detailed reference section that includes terms and technical processes, collecting and care, galleries and museums, and a bibliography, The Book of Silk will appeal to anyone interested in history, fashion, beauty and textiles.
Also of interest:
Textile Designs |
|  |  | | | | ISBN 0500283087 | | ISBN-13 978-0500283080 | | | | 31.0 x 24.0 cm | | Paperback with flaps | | 256pp | | 274 illustrations, 180 in colour | | First published 2001 | | | | £19.95 | | | |  | | | | 
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