Stitched Up

The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion

By: Tansy E. Hoskins

Narrated by: Anneliese Rennie

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Stitched Up delves into the alluring world of fashion to reveal what is behind the clothes we wear. Moving between Karl Lagerfeld and Karl Marx, the book explores consumerism, class, and advertising to reveal the interests which benefit from exploitation.

Tansy E. Hoskins dissects fashion’s vampiric relationship with the planet and with our bodies to uncover what makes it so damaging. Why does "size zero" exist, and what is the reality of working life for models? In a critique of the portrayal of race in fashion, the book also examines the global balance of power in the industry.

In a compelling conclusion, Stitched Up explores the use of clothing to resist. Can you shock an industry that loves to shock? Is "green fashion" an alternative? Stitched Up provides a unique critical examination of contemporary culture and the distorting priorities of capitalism.

©2014 Tansy Hoskins (P)2018 Tansy Hoskins

One of the best books on fashion

Loved the content and the way the book is structured. Knowledge level is kept high throughout the chapters. It offers a holistic view on fashion and a vision for a better world. Although I didn't agree with some of the conclusion, it did offer me a knew perspective and deeper knowledge and understanding of the industry.

Always hard to know how to end a book

Intense and sobering with compelling statistics it is a taut cogent vilification of capitalism.

The last chapter has an astounding naïveté and is just embarrassing to read.

Inside view of the Fashion Industry.

As the Audio Book began I thought I was listening to a scholarly review of Western Fashion and the consumer culture from the old Soviet Union perspective with a Marxist point of view.

While some may believe the entire Book has this tone I believe it is a worthy effort in giving another view on the many
weaknesses of not only the Fashion Industry which is a mirror on not only overall society but our present Civilization.


The Narrator has her own style which is low key not making the listen very
enjoyable but she does deliver the material so that the listener can digest the various views of the Author.


This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Thorough and engaging!

First of all: "This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

I quite enjoyed this thorough and comprehensive review of the fashion industry and its impact on the economies and of the world, not to mention the environment. The author has evident passion for the subject, and has clearly researched the topic extensively. Whether this is your first foray into the world of fashion or just an attempt to stretch your knowledge further, this book is an excellent resource.

The narration of the audiobook is very well done. The narrator has obviously taken care to learn the various pronunciations of the designers and styles, and adds interest to the subject matter through her inflection.

Conclusion less interesting than body

I found most of this book interesting. While the issues within the fashion industry were familiar, some of the specific stories were new to me. I was sorely disappointed, though, that the final chapters, rather than providing any actionable steps that individuals can take to minimize their personal impact on these issues by making better choices in their own clothing, delved into an idealized, post-revolutionary, Marxist dreamworld in which all of the problems of the industry are magically solved.

Overall Anneliese Rennie's narration was clear and enjoyable.

Fashion forward read

First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

This is an excellent book and a much-needed critique of the fashion industry and capitalism. It should be a best-seller and required reading at schools, but of course, people don't want to hear the truth. Consumerism is King.