China Through The Looking Glass

Name/Title

China Through The Looking Glass

Context

For centuries, China’s export arts―jade, silks, porcelains, and, more recently, cinema―have fuelled Western fantasies of an exotic East and served as enduring sources of inspiration for fashion. This stunning publication, which accompanied one of the most successful exhibitions in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's history, explores the influence of Chinese aesthetics on designers, including Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent. Drawing upon Chinese decorative arts, cinema, and costume―notably imperial court robes, the close-fitting cheongsam, and the unisex Mao suit―their designs are fantastical pastiches of anachronistic motifs. As in the game of “telephone,” the process of cultural translation transforms the source material into ingeniously original fashions that are products solely of the designers’ imaginations.

Acquisition

Source (if not Accessioned)

Donated by Mark Wang

Dimensions

Dimension Description

256 pages - 231 illustrations mostly coloured - 23.5cm x 28cm x 4cm

Book Details

Publication Subjects

Galliano, John -- Interviews. Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Exhibitions. Fashion design -- Europe -- Chinese influences -- Exhibitions. Fashion design -- Europe -- History -- 20th century -- Exhibitions. Fashion designers -- Europe -- Exhibitions. Art, Chinese -- Influence -- Exhibitions. Art -- New York (State) -- New York -- Exhibitions.

Call No.

746.92 BOLTON

ISBN

9780300211122

LCCN

ocn 907391617