Embroiderers' Guild Bookshop - Costume & Fashion

Bra: A Thousand Years of Style, Support and Seduction
Stephanie Pedersen
Pub. David & Charles
Price £9.99 hardback
This fun book celebrates the bra and all it stands for. The bra has had more impact than any other item of clothing on shaping generations of women.

Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers NEW!
New Edition updated by Cat Glover
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £9.95 paperback
This indespensible guide to fashion provides more than 1200 entries detailed information on the life and work of every important designer from 1840 to the present day, including not only couturiers but also shoe, hat, and knitwear specialists, costume designers, jewelers and hairdressers. This is an essential sourcebook for designers, students, collectors and enthusiasts.

Dior - A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-57) NEW!
Alexandra Palmer
Pub. V&A Publications
Price £19.99 paperback
In 1947 Christian Dior rocked the fashion world with his New look which dominated post war fashion and firmly secured the name of the house in the minds of the public and the industry. He drew on historical models of femininity and the unique skills of Parisian haute couture and a myriad of suppliers to produce stunning designs that captured a mood of optimism after the war. Based on new research, this absorbing and beautiful book examines the seminal years of Christian Dior, 1947-57, from a truly international perspective.

Essential Fashion Illustration NEW!
Lafuente, M
Pub. Rockport
Price £24.99 paperback
If like me, you always think that you have brilliant ideas for fashion but the final illustration never manages to fulfil your ideas full potential - than this is the book for you. Very simple drawing techniques are explored to create an accurate figure without loosing essential character. As well as anatomical drawings of hands and feet, you will not get stuck on the fashion bit either, as there are detailed illustrations everything from shoes, blouses and even folds in the fabric.

Fashionize
Mondofragile
Pub. Gingko Press
Price £28.00 paperback

Hats an Anthology by Stephen Jones NEW!
Oriole Cullen
Pub. V&A Publications
Price £19.99 hardback
Hats an Anthology by Stephen Jones opens a window onto the world of millinery: the wonderful, the whimsical, the wicked and the downright wacky. World-renowned milliner Jones creates the hats that have crowned the glories of the great fashion designers for three decades.

History of 20th Century Fashion
Elizabeth Ewing Revised by Alice Mackrell
Pub. Batsford
Price £16.99 paperback
One of the most dynamic, exciting and innovative periods in the history of fashion, the 20th century was a dramatic time of change and reinvention. This comprehensive sourcebook traces these changes, from the elegant attire of Edwardian ladies, through World Wars 1 and 2 to the youth explosion of the 60's and 70's, and from the anarchic era of Punk to street culture at the end of the 20th century.

Indian Saris NEW!
Vijai Singh Katiyar
Pub. Annokhi Museum of Hand Printing
Price £49.99 hardback
This book lends a new dimension to the way the traditional Indian sari is looked upon, and upholds it as the epitome of holistic design with a unique creative expression. In the backdrop of Indian socio-cultural and economic ethos, the pages of this book unfold the mesmerising woven yards of the sari, the quintessential piece of garment that has draped the Indian women since time immemorial. The sari has been subjected to innumerable cross-cultural influences brought in by the rise and fall of empires that marked the history of India. Perhaps no other textile product reflects the resilience of the Indian handloom sector as the sari, a true example of fine Indian sensibilities. This volume aims to delight and enrich the aesthetic experience of the reader with information on a wide range of saris from both the past and the present.

Knitwear in Fashion
Black, S
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £17.95 paperback

Making Kimono and Japanese Clothes NEW!
Jenni Dobson
Pub. Anova
Price £14.99 paperback
Now in paperback - A practical and creative sourcebook for anyone inspired by the elegant design of Japanese clothes, this comprehensive guide includes patterns, practical diagrams and step-by-step assembly instructions. Providing everything you need to start stitching, for beginners to more accomplished dressmakers, quilters and embroiderers, expert dressmaker and quilter Jenni Dobson guides you through the history of Japan and the Kimono, providing a stunning showcase for the art that is making Japanese clothes.

Making Latex Clothes
Mooney, S-K
Pub. Batsford
Price £15.99 paperback

Manolo Blahnik Drawings NEW!
Foreword by Anna Wintour
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £9.95 paperback
For over three decades, Manolo Blahnik's shoes, and his sense of the theatrical wedded to the finest materials and superlative craftsmanship, have inspired fanatical devotion. This beautiful book collects together over 120 of the exquisite drawings Blahnik makes at the outset of the design process. These drawings - superbly reproduced in this book with special links - vividly convey Blahnik's unique vision. Contributions from Andre Leon Talley, Michael Roberts and Anna Piaggi.

My Wonderful World of Fashion NEW!
Nina Chakrabarti
Pub. Laurence King Publishing Ltd
Price £12.95 paperback
An excellent book for young embroiderers! Billed as a book for 'drawing, creating and dreaming' this interactive colouring book for younger readers might just tempt them to pick up a needle and thread. Alongside the illustrations, there are designs to finish off, as well as simple ideas for making and doing (how to make a sari, turn a napkin into a headscarf, dye a t-shirt) making it an ideal stocking-filler).

Nineteenth-Century Fashion Detail
Lucy Johnston
Pub. V&A Publications
Price £19.99 paperback
This book captures the richness of nineteenth-century fashion. As part of the V&A Fashion in Detail series, it explores the opulence and diversity of clothing in the period through exquisite colour photography, specially commissioned line drawings of the garments and authoritative text. Illustrating delicate embroidery on neoclassical gowns, Liberty and Co. smocking, vibrant colour on crinoline and bustles and elegant men's tailoring, Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail brings the nineteenth-century to life.

One Piece of Fabric - 15 Projects to Make NEW!
Lena Santana
Pub. Collins & Brown
Price £11.99 paperback
Discover the versatility of a basic material:fabric. Take, as a starting point, one piece of fabric. Cut it into pieces, and you can transform it into some great looking clothes and accessories. In this book Lena Santana presents 15 stylish but straight-forward projects that can be made with a minimum of fuss, even if you are new to sewing. The step-by-step photographs will guide you through the process.

Print in Fashion
Fogg, Marnie
Pub. A&C Black
Price £17.99 paperback
Print is everywhere - and is a key source of colour and expression. Marnie Fogg explores cutting-edge print design for fashion, with a particular interest in the design process of the textile artists and developments in printmaking. This is a sourcebook of visual inspiration and cannot fail to impress those with an interest in contemporary fashion.

Sharp Suits NEW!
Eric Musgrave
Pub. Anova
Price £25.00 hardback
A fascinating look at men's most ubiquitous uniform and status symbol, from classic respectability to the heights of innovation. Features fantastic photographs of the suit from the 1860s to date.

Shoes: What Every Woman Should Know
Stephanie Pedersen
Pub. David & Charles
Price £9.99 hardback
Explore the fascinating history of shoes and what they say about you.

Silk NEW!
Mary Schoeser
Pub. Yale University Press
Price £29.99 hardback

Techno Textiles 2
Braddock Clarke, S E & O'Mahony, M
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £19.95 paperback
This is the key book on the leading materials in art, design and shaping the environment in the 21st century. Building on the huge success of Techno Textiles, this is a new book featuring developments over the past decade. Highlighting advanced textiles in production and available to the designer, artist, architect and consumer today, it will be required reading for professionals, those interested or working in fashion and design, and anyone prepared to be stimulated by and informed about the environment in which we now live. The book is divided into three sections: Innovations, Applications and Reference.

Textiles Today NEW!
Chloe Colchester
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £29.95 hardback
A comprehensive survey of contemporary textiles from around the world.

The Art of Knitting
Tellier-Lourgangne, F
Pub. Thames & Hudson
Price £24.95 paperback
This book is not just about knitting, it is also about colour, texture and inspiration. The author has assembled a creative and inventive overview of stitches and fabrics, presenting hundreds of different ways of working with yarn, from silk thread to Shetland wool, and opening up endless possibilities for sophisticated knitwear designs. The reader is encouraged to be innovative and to experiment with the various techniques, drawing inspiration from the natural world and one's surroundings: pebbles on the sand, autumn leaves, snow sparkling in the sun, weeds and grasses blowing in the wind. Every stitch is accompanied by photos, diagrams and instructions. This stunning book will not only appeal to domestic and professional knitters, textile designers and students, but also be a source of inspiration to anyone working with, or interested in design and textiles.

The Fundamentals of Fashion Design
Richard Sorger & Jenny Udale
Pub. AVA Publishing
Price £19.95 paperback
On offer is an illustrated introduction to the key elements of fashion design from the initial concept to the final form, including research from design, different fabrics and methods of construction. There are chapters on how a collection is formed, who it is for and the promotion of the collection. A final chapter looks at the fashion job market.

The Little Black Dress How to make the perfect one for you NEW!
Simon Henry
Pub. Guild of Master Craftsman
Price £14.99 paperback
Available now! This beautifully presented book includes a bit of the history of The Little Black Dress but most importantly how to make the perfect LBD for yourself. Expert dressmaker Simon Henry will guide you through the process of making the perfect little black dress. For beginners as well as advanced dressmakers.

The Party Dress NEW!
Simon Henry
Pub. Guild of Master Craftsman Publications
Price £14.99 paperback
Following on the from the very successful 'The Little Black Dress', Simon Henry brings us 'The Party Dress - how to make the perfect one for you'. Every girl needs a perfect party dress at some time in her life, but how do you find one that fits perfectly, suits your shape and makes you look a million dollars - the answer is to make it yourself! Simon Henry guides you gently through the whole process, giving you the confidence to sew a party dress that is as individual as you are.

The Prop Builder's Moulding and Casting Handbook
Thurston, J
Pub. Betterway
Price £12.99 paperback

Twenthieth-Century Fashion in Detail NEW!
Claire Wilcox and Valerie D Mendes
Pub. V&A Publications
Price £19.99 paperback
This glamorous book, part of the V&A Fashion in Detail series, illustrates the intricate details of twentieth-century fashion. Spectaculor photographs, accompanied by expert commentaries and specially commissioned line drawings, focus on fanciful Dior bows, Chanel button-holes and metal springs on a Schiaparelli jacket. This unique study provides an insight into the techniques and craft practices used by couturiers and the construction of these amazing garments. Twenthieth-Century Fashion in Detail will delight all followers of fashion.

Vogue Sewing
Pub. Sixth and Spring Books
Price £19.95 paperback
Everything you need to know to create fashionable, professional-looking clothing which covers everything from fabric selection, construction basics to advanced pattern alterations and couture techniques. Since first published in 1970 this book has been a best seller. Now fully revised and updated the latest edition stays true to the original whilst providing up-to-date information.