Autumn's two big fashion books
The Fashion Museum, run by Bath & North East Somerset
Council, has contributed to two major fashion books out this
autumn: Bill Gibb Fashion and Fantasy by Iain R Webb and John
Bates: Fashion Designer by Richard Lester.
To coincide with the publication of his book, Iain R Webb has
been working closely with Rosemary Harden, the Fashion Museum’s
manager, to create a display of 25 stunning examples of Bill Gibb’s
work in the museum.
Many of the dresses visitors will see on display are also
featured in the book. The final end paper of the book, for example,
is a detail of the blood orange, green and black printed fabric,
complete with a design of Bacchanalian figures, from which one of
the Fashion Museum dresses is made. The front cover shows a model
wearing a dramatic panelled and printed leather skirt which too can
be seen in the museum’s special display Bill Gibb: A Personal
Journey. The display opens on 17 October 2008, and runs until 4
October 2009, at the Council-run museum.
“Gibb has become one of British fashion’s forgotten stars, and I
am delighted to have had the opportunity to show the designer in
all his glory and record the talent that has, for the most part,
gone uncelebrated by the fashion industry,” commented Iain R
Webb.
The text of John Bates: Fashion Designer by Richard Lester is
based on detailed interviews with John Bates, covering his entire
career in fashion. The book also features contributions from
Felicity Green, Deirdre McSharry, Brigid Keenan, Barbara Griggs,
Sian Phillips and other key figures from the fashion industry,
cultural scene and media of the time.
Rosemary Harden, the Fashion Museum’s manager, said: “The front
cover of Richard’s book uses a photograph of Diana Rigg wearing a
fur coat designed by John Bates, which is part of the Fashion
Museum’s collection. A version of this very coat will be on display
in the museum galleries in October. We have also put on display
reproductions of some of the original museum photographs that can
be seen in the book.”
The book has been designed by Bath-based design group
Northbank.
Richard Lester commented: “The attitude of Rosemary Harden
and the Fashion Museum in Bath has always been approachable and
far-sighted. The John Bates: Fashion Designer exhibition in 2006
could not have happened at any other museum because until that time
John's contribution to fashion had largely been overlooked. Bath
helped to change that and it is as a direct result of the support
for the exhibition that the book came about.
“The museum's collection of over 500 John Bates designs is
unparalleled, and a terrific resource for fashion students and
writers in years to come”.
Bill Gibb Fashion and Fantasy by Iain R Webb, is published by
Victoria and Albert Museum, price £24.99. John Bates: Fashion
Designer by Richard Lester is published by the Antique Collector's
Club, price £25, and is out on the 15 October.
Both books are available from mid October from the Fashion
Museum shop’s extensive range of books, gifts and fashion
accessories.
The Fashion Museum is open daily from 10.30am to 5pm, exit 6pm,
March to October, and 10.30am to 4pm, exit 5pm, November to
February. The Fashion Museum shop can be visited during these hours
without paying admission to the Museum. Email museumshopenquiries@bathnes.gov.uk
or telephone 01225 477713 to order copies. Visit http://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk/
for more details.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
Iain R Webb is a fashion journalist of international standing. He
was fashion editor of The Times and Elle magazine, and writes today
for a variety of newspapers and magazines including The Independent
and the New York Times magazine. He is also a visiting Professor of
Fashion at Central Saint Martins, the Royal College of Art and
London College of Fashion. In the late 1970s he trained as a
fashion designer at St Martin’s School of Art (the same course as
Bill Gibb); but his formative years in fashion were spent as a boy
sketching in the galleries at the Museum of Costume. In recent
years, Iain has returned home to Bath and renewed his love of the
museum (now called the Fashion Museum) and its world class
collection of contemporary and historical dress.
For images contact: Maggie Bone, Museums Publicity Officer, Bath
& North East Somerset Council, on 01225 477736, or e-mail
maggie_bone@bathnes.gov.uk
For comment:
Rosemary Harden, Manager, Fashion Museum, on 01225 477282 or email
rosemary_harden@bathnes.gov.uk
Fashion Museum
• The Fashion Museum was formerly known as the Museum of
Costume, it is owned and operated by Bath & North East Somerset
Council. A major redisplay and relaunch of the Museum began in
January 2007 and was completed in July 2007.
• The Museum has an outstanding collection of more than 60,000
objects of fashionable dress- including dresses, shirts, skirts,
jumpers, and even underwear and nightgowns, plus shoes and
accessories from the late sixteenth century to the present day. The
collection also includes works on paper (for example, fashion
drawings, photographs and dressmaking patterns) that relate to the
history of fashion.
• It is one of the largest and finest collections of original
fashionable dress in the world, and in 1999 it was awarded
Designated status by the UK government as a non-national museum
that holds a pre-eminent collection.