#Fashion Fridays: Fashion Books for The Fashion Lover

If you are a fashion lover or know someone who is, then the likelihood that you have started a personal collection of fashion coffee table books is very high. The coffee table book is a great conversation starter and a beautiful and intelligent accent to any living space. The coffee table is a focal point in your living space and one that shouldn't be neglected. What better way to outfit it, then with creative books? These trendy texts are at once inspirational, informational and beautiful to look at.

Schiffer Publishing is one of the top publishing houses for creative and design related titles. The company has been a family-owned, independent publisher of high- quality, nonfiction books since 1974. Schiffer has published thousands of titles on the diverse subjects that fuel their readers' passion. Their titles range from our traditional subjects of antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts, and military history, to contemporary art and artists; architecture and design; food and entertaining; the metaphysical, paranormal and folklore; and pop and fringe culture, as well as books for children. Their options are endless!

Here's a rundown of some of our favorite fashion books that were recently released by Schiffer. 

For the lover of the Human Form

Bodies of Work: Contemporary Figurative Painting $49.99
Lauren P. Della Monica

Human forms can be intensely intimate or broadly universal. Here, figurative artists use the human form as a tool to express varied content and contemporary issues. These paintings depict our feelings and sentiments, our sense of belonging to a larger community in the contemporary world, while capturing the impulses behind the range of figuration presented by today’s contemporary international artists. Portraitist Marlene Dumas presents figures in a gritty, unsentimental manner, evoking the essence of the human condition, while Kerry James Marshall paints the life of African-Americans in the twentieth-century, employing recent historical review to document the social challenges. British artist Jenny Saville paints the figure in massive scale, combined with an overt, never-ending interest in the pure rendering of human flesh. Hope Gangloff paints her figures as characters, intimate friends, and acquaintances, narrating a drama from their canvases. An important resource for those interested in contemporary figurative painting.

Bodies of work is a truly an immense and striking body of work in of itself. The artists showcased throughout the text shine in their perspective take on their appreciate of the human form. This curated collection of figurative painting is the perfect addition to the library of a fashion illustrator, fine art student or an admirer of art. From raw feelings evoked in the work to well executed and technical art, all of the contemporary pieces included in the text pull the viewer into an intimate journey all their own.

For the Fashion Student

Emerging Fashion Designers 5 $39.99

By: Sally Congdon-Martin

In this newest edition to a series, Emerging Fashion Designers 5 continues to be a platform for the next generation of young designers, exhibiting original designs by more than 50 recent graduates from 13 premier fashion design programs in the United States. More than 250 images showcase the designers’ fresh perspectives on lingerie, sportswear, menswear, children’s wear, evening wear, and more. The wide range of work in this anthology is augmented with a brief dossier on each young designer, including inspiration and materials. This easy to navigate resource has garments organized alphabetically by school and indexed graphically by designer. It is an essential reference to the newest talent and trends in fashion.

The best aspect of this book is that it showcases senior collections from fresh designers from all around the United States. It's an incredible reference book for fashion students looking for inspiration and who are ready to begin concepting out their own senior collection. It's easy to navigate and beautifully photographed. The focus on the concept phase to final execution is a beautiful way to showcase the designer thought process in product development. 

For the Textile Lover

Abstract Textile Designs $19.95

 By: Tina Skinner

An art form often ignored gets its due in this collection of historic prints. The abstract genre, as it has been applied to the textiles of everyday life–from upholstery fabrics and curtains to the wearable art we don daily–is explored through photographs of 300 fabric swatches from couture houses in Italy, France, and the United States. This colorful volume is a must-have for up-and-coming textile and fashion designers ready to take a lesson from their anonymous predecessors in the everyday gallery of art.

This is an inspiring reference book for any creative, designer or surface pattern designer. This is also a great book for the fabric lovers who have a respect and appreciation for different types of textiles and prints. The swatch library is robust and a wonderful showcase of how clothing and fabric really do fall into an art form all their own. 

Conversational Prints: Decorative Fabrics of the 1950s $19.95

By: Joy Shih 

Slip into a bold and colorful era in cloth design. Once fashionable decorative fabrics for the home, these large and sometimes splashy print designs were used for drapery, upholstery, slipcover, and tablecloth fabrics. Designs prevalent in the 1950s included tropical scenes, American West motifs, sports and sporting events, nautical and boating themes, kitchen designs, and exotic foreign destinations. Often customized for specific rooms, some fabrics feature typical “den,” “kitchen,” or “child’s bedroom” themes. Included are more than 250 color photographs of vintage conversational or novelty prints with full descriptions, along with drapery and fabric-covered furnishings available from Sears Catalogs. This colorful book offers a glimpse of fabric designs available for the average home in the 1950s.

This reference book is perfect for those who find inspiration in vintage fabrications. The beautiful prints in fun and over the top designs are fun to look at and offer kitchy options in terms of color, design and overall aesthetic. Joy does a wonderful job curating these 250 prints in clear photography
and strong descriptions. It's informative and a great throwback to times long past.


Designer Fabrics of the Early 60s $19.95
By: Tina Skinner

Take a tour of the top couture fabric design houses of Paris during the early 1960s. This visual feast explores more than 250 exemplary designs in full-color photographs of fabric swatches. Explore a multitude of styles, ranging from playful geometrics to novelty prints and from abstract experimentation to the increasingly far-out florals that would mark the decade. Beautifully detailed shots present a close look at the cream of the early 1960s crop from Paris’s best couture houses. Each fabric sample illustrated lists the date of publication, as well as the fabric content when known. A special section explores upholstery and household fabrics of the era. In all, this is a comprehensive guide and an indispensable aid for both designers and students.

This is a great sourcebook for students of fashion design, textile design or surface pattern design. It offers a colorful array of vintage fabric swatches from the early 1960s. The collection is immense with 250 pieces direct from some of Paris' most well known couturiers. This is a great aid and wonderful option for inspiration in color, shape and form. 

Japanese Children’s Fabrics: 1950s-1970s $34.94
By: Anita Yasuda

This book will take you on an unforgettable comic adventure through the colorful and cute imaginations of mid-century Japanese textile designers. Travel on the hem of fun and vibrant children’s manga or illustration, translated into fabric designs. Over 300 images portray children, animals, and whimsical worlds, beautifully photographed to peak the interest of fabric collectors and historians, sewing enthusiasts, designers, and those who love all things Japanese. More than just an informative guide for collectors, this book paints a vivid portrait of Japanese childhood and explores the transformation of post-war Japan through changes in fabric design. Enlightening sections display images and themes, design layout and influences, design houses, and color trends. Additional chapters list manufacturers and provide photographs of their labels. A glossary of terms, care guide, and fabric resources round out this book.Whatever your interests, you’ll love these magical prints and the worlds to which they’ll transport you.

This is by far one of the most fun texts in Schiffer's textile related collections. The imagery showcases an international retro flair that can still feel modern at times. This is a book for the true collectors looking for reference, inspiration and a historical exploration of sorts as it related to transformation seen in the textiles industries after the war. The care guide is a magnificent addition for the readers who may already have their hands on some of these gorgeous vintage textiles.

If you are student looking to grow your library or just have an appreciation for fashion related books , definitely check this collection out! You can learn more about Schiffer Publishing HERE.