Françoise Tétart-Vittu – författare

Originally published in France between 1876 and 1888, Auguste Racinet’s Le Costume Historique was in its day the most wide-ranging and incisive study of clothing ever attempted. Covering the world history of costume, dress, and style from antiquity through to the end of the 19th century, the six volume work remains completely unique in its scope and detail.This TASCHEN reprint presents Racinet’s exquisitely precise color illustrations, as well as his delightful descriptions and often witty commentary. Spanning everything from ancient Etruscan attire to French women’s couture, material is arranged according to Racinet’s original plan by culture and subject. As expansive in its reach as it is passionate in its research and attention to detail, Racinet's Costume History is an invaluable reference for students, designers, artists, illustrators, and historians; and a rich source of inspiration for anyone with an interest in clothing and style.

Arriving in Paris in 1845, at the age of twenty and with only a few francs in his pocket, Charles Frederick Worth would go on to build the most prominent, innovative and successful fashion house of the century. Worth was inspired by a love of fine art, luxurious fabrics and his vision of the female ideal. He was the first to set out to dictate new styles and silhouettes to his elite clientele – not the other way around – hosting them in his rue de la Paix salons, which included ground-breaking ‘sportswear’ and ‘maternity’ departments, as well as silk, velvet and brocade rooms, and a special salon with closed shutters and gas lighting designed to allow clients to try on ball gowns in lighting conditions precisely matched to those of the event. Organized chronologically and illustrated with striking ensembles (including photographs of details that reveal the garments’ intricate construction and craftsmanship), paintings and documents sourced from both private family archives and the best fashion collections from museums around the world, The House of Worth is an inspiring tribute to the house that started it all.