Fashion History: A Global View proposes a new perspective on fashion
history. Arguing that fashion has occurred in cultures beyond the West
throughout history, this groundbreaking book explores the geographic
places and historical spaces that have been largely neglected by
contemporary fashion studies, bringing them together for the first time.
Reversing the dominant narrative that privileges Western Europe in the
history of dress, Welters and Lillethun adopt a cross-cultural approach
to explore a vast array of cultures around the globe. They explore key
issues affecting fashion systems, ranging from innovation, production
and consumption to identity formation and the effects of colonization.
Case studies include the cross-cultural trade of silk textiles in
Central Asia, the indigenous dress of the Americas and of Hawai'i, the
cosmetics of the Tang Dynasty in China, and stylistic innovation in
sub-Saharan Africa. Examining the new lessons that can be deciphered
from archaeological findings and theoretical advancements, the book
shows that fashion history should be understood as a global phenomenon,
originating well before and beyond the fourteenth century European
court, which is continually, and erroneously, cited as fashion's
birthplace.
Providing a fresh framework for fashion history scholarship, Fashion
History: A Global View will inspire inclusive dress narratives for
students and scholars of fashion, anthropology, and cultural studies.
