Book picks similar to
Alexander McQueen by Claire Wilcox


fashion
art
non-fiction
fashion-and-textiles

Costume and Fashion: A Concise History


James Laver - 1969
    The concluding chapter by Amy de la Haye, covering the second half of the twentieth century, has now been updated by Andrew Tucker. He discusses the reinvention in the 1990s of the luxury label Gucci, the rise of houses such as Prada and Tommy Hilfiger, and the appointments of relatively avant-garde British, American, and European designers to head classic French houses. All the late-twentieth-century and turn-of-the-century style innovations are included, such as the appropriation of utility clothing by designers like Helmut Lang—who spearheaded the predominantly unisex urban sportswear look—and the impact of workplace dressing down on masculine fashion. The phenomenon of the must-have accessory—the pashmina shawl and the Fendi baguette, for example—is also considered.

SuicideGirls


Missy Suicide - 2004
    The punk rock pin-up cultural phenomenon known as suicidegirls.com includes journal entries excerpted from the site and over 200 artful, color photos.

From A to Biba: The Autobiography of Barbara Hulanicki


Barbara Hulanicki - 1984
    This lively autobiography evokes the adventurous spirit of the 1960s and describes an extraordinary life with clarity and wit.

Chihuly: 365 Days


Dale Chihuly - 2007
    Chihuly: 365 Days is a richly illustrated photo survey of his entire four-decade career, with more than 500 pictures showing all facets of his work—from intimate smaller pieces to the tremendous outdoor installations that have thrilled millions of visitors. There are also personal photos of the artist; of “Team chihuly” at the Boathouse, his studio in Seattle, Washington; and of his marvelous drawings—all selected by the artist himself. Most of the photographs have never before been published.Quotations from and about Chihuly, as well as descriptions of his various types of works and short texts on his most prominent series pieces, accompany the images. The captions also act as a chronology of his life and work.

Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin


Lawrence Weschler - 1982
    Traces the life and career of the California artist, who currently works with pure light and the subtle modulation of empty space.

A Dress for Diana


David Emanuel - 2006
    It remains a day embedded in the memory of millions of people around the world—over 800 million people were watching at home on television.Of all the images from the day itself, the one that springs to mind immediately is that of Diana's arrival at St. Paul's Cathedral in the glass carriage and the public's first glimpse of the best kept secret of the day: the royal wedding dress.For the young designers, David Emanuel and Elizabeth Emanuel creating Diana's wedding dress was "a fairytale come true." Having only been introduced to Lady Diana Spencer in February 1981, the Emanuels quickly became one of her favored designers, which lead to a telephone call in March 1981 that would change their lives forever.Officially commissioned by Buckingham Palace, the Emanuels set about designing a dress that would never be forgotten. Each step of the process was completed in total secrecy to ensure that no one, especially the world's press, got a glimpse of the famous dress until that glorious July day.

The Private World of Tasha Tudor


Tasha Tudor - 1992
    Now seventy-seven years old, she lives on a farm in southern Vermont, where she has recreated an early Victorian world. To capture this intimate portrait of Tasha Tudor, photographer Richard Brown followed her throughout a year on her farm. By interweaving Tudor's own words and more than 100 color photographs, Brown has evoked the essence of Tudor's uniquely appealing personality and way of life. The inspiration for Tudor's art is evident in her delightful surroundings. Foremost is the magnificent garden she designed and rightfully calls "Paradise on earth." A lively menagerie is always underfoot, indoors and out, including her trademark corgies, the Nubian goats she milks twice a day, the one-eyed cat Minou, the chickens, fantail doves, and the cockatiels, canaries, exotic finches, and parrots that inhabit a virtual village of antique cages. We watch Tudor at work in a corner of her winter kitchen, her "chipmunk's nest," on the delicate watercolors and drawings that illustrate the books and calendars that have charmed three generations. Examples of her work are scattered throughout the book, including many drawings from her sketchbook and vignettes never previously published. Her enchanting three-story dollhouse is featured in detail as are her handmade dolls and marionettes as well as the candlelit tree that is the centerpiece of Tasha Tudor's old-fashioned New England Christmas. Born in 1914 into Boston society (she sat on Oliver Wendell Holmes's knee as a child; Mark Twain and Albert Einstein were also her parents' friends), Tudor felt from an early age that she had lived before, in the 1830s. She says, "Everything comes so easily to me from that period, of that time: threading a loom, growing flax, spinning, milking a cow." Dressed in antique clothing, spinning and weaving her own linen, cooking on a woodstove with nineteenth-century utensils, Tudor inhabits a world that in all these evocative photographs speaks to all who long for a simpler existence in harmony with the seasonal rhythms of nature.

J.C. Leyendecker


Laurence S. Cutler - 2008
    C. Leyendecker captivated audiences throughout the first half of the 20th century. Leyendecker is best known for his creation of the archetype of the fashionable American male with his advertisements for Arrow Collar. These images sold to an eager public the idea of a glamorous lifestyle, the bedrock upon which modern advertising was built. He also was the creator instantly recognizable icons, such as the New Year’s baby and Santa Claus, that are to this day an integral part of the lexicon of Americana and was commissioned to paint more Saturday Evening Post covers than any other artist. Leyendecker lived for most of his adult life with Charles Beach, the Arrow Collar Man, on whom the stylish men in his artwork were modeled. The first book about the artist in more than 30 years, J. C. Leyendecker features his masterworks, rare paintings, studies, and other artwork, including the 322 covers he did for the Post. With a revealing text that delves into both his artistic evolution and personal life, J. C. Leyendecker restores this iconic image maker’s rightful position in the pantheon of great American artists.

The Shock of the New


Robert Hughes - 1980
    More than 250 color photos.

Happy Little Accidents: The Wit and Wisdom of Bob Ross


Bob Ross - 2017
    His style and encouraging words are a form of therapy for the weary, but with Bob it is always about more than painting. There is a hidden depth within his easy chatter, another layer to everything he says. When he talks about painting, he's using it as a metaphor for life!Happy Little Accidents: The Wit and Wisdom of Bob Ross opens with an introduction and brief biography of Ross, followed by a collection of Ross's greatest quotes and most majestic works of art.Relax. Unwind. Be inspired.“Just let your imagination go. You can create all kinds of beautiful effects, just that easy…”

Bernini


Howard Hibbard - 1966
    He has left his greatest mark on Rome where Papal patronage provided him with enormous architectural commissions.TABLE OF CONTENTSBerniniList of PlatesList of Text FiguresForewordIntroduction1. The Prodigy2. Bernini in Command3. Disaster and Triumph4. Two Churches and St. Peter’s5. Le Cavalier en France6. The Late WorksBibliographical NoteNotes to the TextIndex

Seven Days in the Art World


Sarah Thornton - 2008
    Museum attendance is surging. More people than ever call themselves artists. Contemporary art has become a mass entertainment, a luxury good, a job description, and, for some, a kind of alternative religion. In a series of beautifully paced narratives, Sarah Thornton investigates the drama of a Christie's auction, the workings in Takashi Murakami's studios, the elite at the Basel Art Fair, the eccentricities of Artforum magazine, the competition behind an important art prize, life in a notorious art-school seminar, and the wonderland of the Venice Biennale. She reveals the new dynamics of creativity, taste, status, money, and the search for meaning in life. A judicious and juicy account of the institutions that have the power to shape art history, based on hundreds of interviews with high-profile players, Thornton's entertaining ethnography will change the way you look at contemporary culture. 8 illustrations.

Audrey: The 60s


David Wills - 2012
    Audrey: The 60s is a landmark photographic chronicle of her film and fashion career during those tumultuous years. Regarded as one of the most beautiful and best-dressed women in the world, Audrey Hepburn had timeless appeal—and this breathtaking photographic collection compiled by David Wills, author of Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis, captures this legendary star at the height of her career—from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to the Vogue fashion shoots with world-class photographers that captured her unique, trendsetting style.

Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere


Zach Klein - 2015
    As the collection grew, the site attracted a following, which is now a huge and obsessive audience.The site features photos of the most remarkable handmade homes in the backcountry of America and all over the world. It has had over 10 million unique visitors, with 350,000 followers on Tumblr. Now Zach Klein, the creator of the site (and a co-founder of Vimeo) goes further into the most alluring images from the site and new getaways, including more interior photography and how-to advice for setting up a quiet place somewhere. With their idyllic settings, unique architecture and cozy interiors, the Cabin Porn photographs, are an invitation to slow down, take a deep breath, and feel the beauty and serenity that nature and simple construction can create.

Chloë Sevigny


Chloë Sevigny - 2015
    Chloë Sevigny has been a muse in the downtown creative scene for over three decades, beginning in the early ’90s when she modeled for Sassy, appeared in a Sonic Youth music video, and then starred in the controversial independent movie Kids (1995). Her quirky and avant-garde fashion sense was quickly noticed by indie magazines and the world’s top photographers. Since then, she has starred in dozens of films and television series, in addition to starting a fashion label with the trendy global boutique Opening Ceremony. This volume is a deeply personal illustrated chronicle of the evolution of Sevigny’s unique style throughout her career: from a teenage skater girl to award-winning film actress and fashion designer. The book includes early personal photos of Chloë taken by her high school friends; film stills; modeling appearances for brands such as Miu Miu and Chloé; magazine editorials for Purple, i-D, and The Face by top photographers such as Mark Borthwick, Terry Richardson, and Juergen Teller; and homages by artists such as Elizabeth Peyton and Karen Kilimnik. Additionally, Sevigny shares some of her treasured personal memorabilia, such as casting fliers, Polaroids, zines, and pages from her day planners. This volume will appeal to the legions of global Chloë fans and fashion industry followers, as well as a mainstream audience who will find this book an inspirational style bible.