The Short Story of Fashion

A new title in our bestselling The Short Story of series, covering the history of Western fashion from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the present day.

The Short Story of Fashion is a compelling look at all aspects of an industry that is also an art form, one driven by the singular vision of the designer. The book showcases the pivotal points in the history of fashion, charting dramatic changes in form and structure, the shift from voluminous to sparse, sweeping hems to miniskirts, artisan to mass production and the move from function to fantasy. It explores the emergence of shape-changing innovative designers that have altered the fashion trajectory, including Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Gianni Versace, Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood and many others.

The book is divided into four sections starting with the fashion eras, covering eighteenth-century French Court dress up to Contemporary African Fashion. This is followed by the key works that have rocked the fashion world, including the iconic Chanel little black dress among more eclectic works like the Norma Kamali sleeping bag coat. The third section focuses on accessories, ranging across shoes and handbags, and the final part of the book investigates the innovations that have helped drive developments in technique and style. Fully illustrated throughout with fascinating images that bring the key moments in fashion to life.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.