[in two volumes] History of Fashion from the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Century. The Kyoto Costume Institute Collection

Moscow: Taschen, 2008.
720 p., ill. 25 x 34 cm.

In illustrated edition bindings and dust covers. Cardboard slipcase. Slight scuffing to the slipcase. In good condition.

Clothing defines the style and behaviour of people. A person's clothing, be it a sari, kimono or business suit, is the most important key to comprehending a person's belonging to a certain culture, class, even religion, not to mention personality traits.

The Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI), founded in 1978, has one of the world's largest collections of clothing and curates many exhibitions in all countries of the world. Devoting most of its attention to Western-style women's clothing, the KCI boasts an extensive collection of historic costumes, lingerie, shoes and fashion accessories dating from the 18th century to the present.

This History of Fashion from the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Century takes you on a fascinating tour of the past three centuries and traces trends in fashion development with an impressive selection of first-rate photographs from the Institute's archives showing clothes placed on specially made mannequins. From rare treasures such as a 17th-century iron corset with embroidered corsage to the work of contemporary designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Calvin Klein, the collection provides a broad overview of the evolution of women's fashion. The KIC believes that "clothing is the most important manifestation of our being, " so the passion and dedication of the Institute's staff can be felt on literally every page of this publication.

You are given a rare opportunity to see how our ancestors dressed, to compare their clothes with the amazing achievements of modern fashion, and to imagine how our descendants may be dressed in the distant future as fashion design continues its relentless path of evolution.

A rare and sold-out edition. Russian language edition.

Sales:
November 17, 2020, BookFund, "Eliminating a Private Collection of Small Circulation, Collectible and Bookish Publications" (6), lot 20 - 6,000 rubles