Full Description
Orientalism is a central factor within the fashion system, both subtle and overt. In this groundbreaking book, the author shows the extent of the influence that the Orient had, and continues to have, on fashion.
Our concept of Western fashion is unthinkable without it, whether in terms of the growth of the cotton industry or of garments we take for granted, such as the dressing gown. From pre-modern to contemporary times, this book demonstrates that, in the realms of fashion, the Orient is not simply a construction or a fascination of the imperial West with its eastern other. Rather, it reveals the extent of cross-pollination, exchange and multiple translation that has taken place between East and West for the last 500 years.
Exploring topics including Chinoiserie, masquerade, bohemianism, Japonisme, the "de-Orientalization" of the Orient, perfume and the birth of couture, Fashion and Orientalism is an essential read for students and scholars of fashion, cultural studies and history.
Contents
Introduction
Early Orientalism and the Barbaresque
1690-1815: Chinoiserie, Indiennerie, Turquerie and Egyptomania
1815-1871: Turkophilia, Afromania and the Indes
1870-1944: The Japoniste Revolution, the De-Orientalising of the Orient, and the Birth of Couture
1944-2007: Orientalisms: Postwar Revivalism and Trans-Orientalism
Conclusion: The Revenge of China
Bibliography
Index
