Little Black Dress

In 1926, Coco Chanel designed a simple, short black dress described in American Vogue as 'the frock that the entire world will wear'. In exploring interpretations of the 'LBD' in the 20th and 21st centuries there will seven different themes in the book. Well-mannered black considers the appropriateness of the LBD for certain occasions; Rebellious black explores black as an indication of subversive and subcultural style; Intellectural black interrogates the cerebral approach of Japanese fashion; Seductive black looks at its historical associations with eroticism and fetishists; Sensory black - the appeal of textured fabrics and smart materials; Technical black - the designers considered 'masters' of the LBD; and Spiritual black on the associations with piety and witchcraft.The book has expert contributors and is lavishly illustrated.