Basics Fashion Design 07: Menswear: (Basics Fashion Design)

Menswear books for fashion design students are under-represented when compared to womenswear titles, and are often divided into historical surveys of menswear and technical pattern cutting books. Basics Fashion Design 07: Menswear provides a broad introduction to menswear by considering a range of social and historical contexts that have served to define and redefine this fascinating area of fashion through the ages, and also includes interviews with contemporary menswear labels, stylists and designers. These interviews provide valuable insights into the different styles and role models who continue to influence and define menswear in the twenty-first century. This colorful and varied book provides details on both the design process and sources of research for menswear. All topics are considered and presented in context with fashion drawings and presentation formats - from students and recent graduates as well as more established design labels.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Menswear through the ages: Menswear chronology; Introduction to social and historical contexts; Military dress and uniforms; Menswear's influence on womenswear; 20th-century influences; Counter-culture dressing; Interview: Heritage Research; Interview: Lou Dalton. Sartorial traditions: The suit; The sartorialists; British tailoring; Italian tailoring; American tailoring; Shirts; Trousers and pants; Neck ties; Undergarments; Shoes; Interview: Dashing Tweeds; Interview: Stowers Bespoke. The sportswear revolution: A brief history of sportswear; Denim; Active sportswear; Interview: Mottainai; Interview: Ijin. Menswear by design: Research sources for menswear design; Design development; Fashion Illustration; Portfolios; Interview: Giles Price; Interview: Peter Jensen. Conclusion. Bibliography. Further resources. Index. Acknowledgements and picture credits. Working with ethics.

About the Author :
John Hopkins worked as a womenswear designer at Jaeger and Burberry for over ten years. His teaching career began in the United States, where he served as chair of Fashion at Savannah Colege of Art and Design, before taking up his current position as head of Fashion and Textiles at Winchester School of Art, UK.

Review :
Visually beautiful and very informative. I plan on adding this book to my student list of must look at Menswear resource materials. This book is a well-crafted collection of everything you need to know about menswear ... The design development, sketchbook and portfolio pages promote creativity and individuality and the interviews portray menswear design as both creatively engaging and attainable. There is a good mix of all the different aspects involved in the design process, well laid out and easy to navigate for students to consider and digest. A recent addition to the AVA Basics Fashion Design series is Menswear by John Hopkins. This is a fantastic little book which belies its size, covering a tremendous amount of ground. Four clear sections are crammed with useful and easy to read information, creating a comprehensive platform for study in this specialist area. The first section, Menswear through the ages, begins with a clear chronology, which tracks the key developments of men's dress from the ancient world through the ages to the 20th century. An introduction to social and historical contexts is then set out, before key aspects of menswear are explored, such as the importance of military dress and uniforms, influences from the 20th century, counter-culture dressing, and also menswear's impact on womenswear design. Section 2 of the book looks closely at the important items found in formal menswear; the suit is explored - and the differences between British, American and Italian tailoring are explained. The section also analyses key pieces in detail, such as shirts, trousers, ties and underwear. The sportswear revolution is dealt with in section 3, with a brief history of sportswear, both for fashion and also for active sports. This section looks at the importance of denim, outlining influential brands in this hugely important area. The final section covers many aspects of the design process, such as research sources for menswear design, design development, fashion illustration and includes inspirational sketchbook examples and portfolio pages. Career profiles are featured as interviews throughout the book, and reveal to the reader the scope of diverse career possibilities within this discipline. Profiles include established designer Peter Jensen, brands Heritage Research (Russ Gator and Daniel Savory) and Dashing Tweeds, (Guy Hills and Kirsty McDougall), as well as independent English jeans-maker, Ijin, created by Philip Goss. This book is an invaluable asset to menswear students - and with its clarity of content and comprehensive, accessible format it is also tremendously useful to anyone interested in the wider development of fashion and clothing. This little book, the seventh in the Basics Fashion Design series (see also Hopkins's Fashion Drawing, CH, Dec'10, 48-1862), is packed with information on all aspects of the menswear industry. Not sure what bespoke means? The definition appears here. Hopkins (Univ. of Southampton, UK) emphasizes both the American and British menswear businesses, with some information on the Italian and Japanese industries. Four chapters-- Menswear through the Ages, Sartorial Traditions, The Sportswear Revolution, and Menswear by Design - provide historical background and a modern look at all aspects of design. The color photos and clear illustrations support the text. Interviews with designers, illustrators, and owners of tailoring/bespoke firms provide good insight into the business. Included are a brief but useful bibliography and a list of trade exhibitions, which lead to other resources. The detailed table of contents and full index will be useful to students and librarians. This volume would be a good starting point for doing research on menswear, and faculty may find the lists of firms useful in organizing study tours. Libraries supporting any kind of fashion design or clothing construction curriculum should consider purchasing this work. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates, two-year technical program students, graduate students, researchers, and practitioners. A very interesting book ... I like the pictures, the fashion forward design and the insights this book provides on the menswear and the fabrics used ... a great resource. I am finding the first three chapters an amazing resource ... I love the ethical notes!