More than two decades ago; John Galliano and Alexander McQueen arrived on the fashions scene when the business was in an artistic and economic rut. Both wanted to revolutionize fashion in a way no one had in decades. They shook the establishment out of its bourgeois; minimalist stupor with daring; sexy designs. They turned out landmark collections in mesmerizing; theatrical shows that retailers and critics still gush about and designers continue to reference.Their approach to fashion was wildly differentmdash;Galliano began as an illustrator; McQueen as a Savile Row tailor. Galliano led the way with his sensual bias-cut gowns and his voluptuous hourglass tailoring; which he presented in romantic storybook-like settings. McQueen; though nearly ten years younger than Galliano; was a brilliant technician and a visionary artist who brought a new reality to fashion; as well as an otherworldly beauty. For his first official collection at the tender age of twenty-three; McQueen did what few in fashion ever achieve: he invented a new silhouette; the Bumster.They had similar backgrounds: sensitive; shy gay men raised in tough London neighborhoods; their love of fashion nurtured by their doting mothers. Both struggled to get their businesses off the ground; despite early critical success. But by 1997; each had landed a job as creative director for couture houses owned by French tycoon Bernard Arnault; chairman of LVMH. Gallianorsquo;s and McQueenrsquo;s work for Dior and Givenchy and beyond not only influenced fashion; their distinct styles were also reflected across the media landscape. With their help; luxury fashion evolved from a clutch of small; family-owned businesses into a $280 billion-a-year global corporate industry. Executives pushed the designers to meet increasingly rapid deadlines. For both Galliano and McQueen; the pace was unsustainable. In 2010; McQueen took his own life three weeks before his womens wear show.The same week that Galliano was fired; Forbes named Arnault the fourth richest man in the world. Two months later; Kate Middleton wore a McQueen wedding gown; instantly making the house the worldrsquo;s most famous fashion brand; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened a wildly successful McQueen retrospective; cosponsored by the corporate owners of the McQueen brand. The corporations had won and the artists had lost.In her groundbreaking work Gods and Kings; acclaimed journalist Dana Thomas tells the true story of McQueen and Galliano. In so doing; she reveals the revolution in high fashion in the last two decadesmdash;and the price it demanded of the very ones who saved it.
#170551 in eBooks 2014-10-07 2014-10-07File Name: B00G1J1CHE
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy stephanie sturtzgreat0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This is a great book for those who are looking to learn the ...By JVanTThis is a great book for those who are looking to learn the intricacies of playing the penny whistle and already have a good start at it. The author rapidly moves from the basics of reading music to playing tunes that progressively move from basic techniques such as blowing and tonguing to more intricate ornamentation including trills and slides. The insights into the history of each tune and how to play it are great!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Helpful CompanionBy R. BowmanI find this to be a good companion to The Clarke Tin Whistle. The CD included with the Clarke book helps a lot to get a feel for the music even though it is played without ornamentation. While Williamson spares you Clair du lune and other chestnuts there are very few tunes in the book that I know.