Visionaries: Interviews with Fashion Designers [Hardcover]

In her first book, Frankel presents a fashion-first look at the world, giving readers at least a decade of new material. This collection of her interviews with fashion designers, previously published in journals such as the Independent and Dazed & Confused, offers a closer, more penetrating look into some of the world's most intriguing designers. Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and John-Paul Gaultier are some of the designers showcased, alongside images of their clothes. The reproductions of the work that originally ran with each piece are enticing eye candy, sweetening the illuminating and juicy revelations printed in the accompanying interviews. The interviews, which took place between 1997 and April 2001, seem to preserve each designer's pre-glory moments in time while presenting other designers' careers as the standard by which all success is measured. Although thorough in her coverage, Frankel does leave out prominent designers in America and Europe to include lesser-knowns from Britain. Radical Fashion offers a short list of designers who innovate on the avant-garde of design. Since the honor of inclusion is bestowed upon only the most eccentric of the London/Milan/Paris set, the book seems a bit more elitist than Visionaries, excluding progressive designers such as Galliano, Gianni Versace, and Viktor & Rolf. The text offers a more academic glimpse of fashion and its extreme, with articles centered on one main concept. For example, a discussion of haute couture leads to Azzedine Alaia and Gautier, whereas Helmut Lang's vision is related to an essay about mixing art and fashion. The essays are extremely well researched as the authors, including Frankel, take on more complex concepts of design and also consider how fashion has altered in the face of modernity. The pictures included here are less glamorous and, on the whole, smaller, but they are useful reference points for the text. Both titles include notable quotes from each designer, highlighting their perspective on fashion. Radical Fashion is an excellent source for fashion theory, whereas Visionaries offers closer insight into the designers themselves. Rachel Collins, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

'A bible for fashion lovers' Dazed and Confused 'An opportunity to uncover the secrets of the rag trade' Wallpaper 'Your fashion-obsessed friends will love Visionaries' Elle 'This is a book to be dipped into, savoured in small slices and appreciated by anyone interested in fashion' Times Higher Education Supplement 'A fashion fanatic's dream' Ok Magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Brings together a unique series of in-depth profiles of leading fashion designers written over the last five years by the fashion editor Susannah Frankel.

Orginially featured in The Independent, The Guardian and Dazed and Confused, these interviews cover the work of the most influential designers of the past ten years, including successful British designers: Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Hussein Chalayan - as well as big international names from Japan, Italy, France and the USA: Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Tom Ford, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce and Gabbana, Donatella Versace, Sonia Rykiel and more.

The interviews provide an insight into the designers' lives, comprehensive biographical detail and in-depth analysis into the way they think and work as well as documenting the cultural climate at the time. The book is illustrated with portraits and shoots by some of the best fashion photographers - both more established and up-and-coming - working today, among them Robert Wyatt, Juergen Teller, Donald Christie, Julie Sleaford, Mark Aleski, Justin Smith and Jane McLeish.

This book is an essential addition to any fashion lovers bookshelf. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Publicity: National publicity tie-in with Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition; National magazine and newspaper coverage

Susannah Frankel is fashion editor of the Independent newspaper in London, former fashion editor of the Guardian, and has written for such publications as Dazed and Confused, Tatler, Time Out, and the Daily Telegraph.