English Textile

Using objects that Americans have saved through the centuries and stories they have passed along, as well as histories teased from documents, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich chronicles the production of cloth—and of history—in early America. Under the singular and brilliant lens that Ulrich brings to this study, ordinary household goods provide the key to a transformed understanding of cultural encounter, frontier war, Revolutionary politics, international commerce, and early industrialization in America.

There is a major disconnect between what we wear and our knowledge of its impact on land, air, water, labor, and human health. Even those who value access to safe, local, nutritious food have largely overlooked the production of fiber, dyes, and the chemistry that forms the backbone of modern textile production. While humans are 100 percent reliant on their second skin, it’s common to think little about the biological and human cultural context from which our clothing derives.

The story of humanity is the story of textiles - as old as civilization itself. Since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture. In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world.

From colorful 30,000-year-old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to the Indian calicoes that sparked the Industrial Revolution, The Golden Thread weaves an illuminating story of human ingenuity. Design journalist Kassia St. Clair guides us through the technological advancements and cultural customs that would redefine human civilization - from the fabric that allowed mankind to achieve extraordinary things (traverse the oceans and shatter athletic records) and survive in unlikely places (outer space and the South Pole).

From a Black philosopher and the author of The Politics of Black Joy, an epic retelling of American history from slavery to Jim Crow from the perspective of the Black women who used magic and spirituality to gain freedom and reshape the culture of the nation. The Conjuring of America tells the...

Twenty thousand years ago, women were making and wearing the first clothing created from spun fibers. In fact, right up to the Industrial Revolution the fiber arts were an enormous economic force, belonging primarily to women. Despite the great toil required in making cloth and clothing, most books on ancient history and economics have no information on them. Much of this gap results from the extreme perishability of what women produced, but it seems clear that until now descriptions of prehistoric and early historic cultures have omitted virtually half the picture.

In the 1970s, Paris fashion exploded like a champagne bottle left out in the sun. Amid sequins and longing, celebrities and aspirants flocked to the heart of chic, and Paris became a hothouse of revelry, intrigue, and searing ambition. At the center of it all were fashion’s most beloved luminaries - Yves Saint Laurent, the reclusive enfant terrible, and Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant freelancer with a talent for reinvention - and they divided Paris into two fabulous halves.

The classic, “gripping” (New York Times) history demonstrating that America's economic supremacy was built on the backs of enslaved people Winner of the Avery O. Craven Prize from the Organization of American Historians Winner of the Sidney Hillman Prize “A stinging indictment of slavery...

When a vulnerable young mother takes a new job in another city, she gets ensnared in a hedonistic lifestyle. Excerpts: - - - “Two coffees, please. Make it quick and don't bother taking time with the change.” “Reese, is that you?” A strikingly handsome middle-aged man approached and stood behind her in the line. “Oh my God! Derek, what are you doing here?” “Grabbing a quick coffee the same as you. You're naked.” “I know.” “You need a ride or something?” “No. I'm here with my friend Cat. She's waiting in the car for my quick getaway.” I saw him wave at me. I waved ...

Dive into the vibrant world of textile arts with "Color Palette Mastery," the must-have eBook for both novices and seasoned enthusiasts seeking to elevate their mastery of color. This meticulously crafted guide opens the doors to a spectrum of knowledge, empowering you with a keen understanding of how to harness color's boundless potential. Embark on a journey that begins with the essence of color in textile arts, delving into the foundational color theory basics that underpin the medium's visual language. Discover the profound psychological impact colors can exert and explore the rich ...

Slaves to Fashion is a cultural history of the black dandy, from his emergence in Enlightenment England to his contemporary incarnations in the cosmopolitan art world. Interpreting performances and representations of black dandyism in particular cultural settings and literary and visual texts, Monica L. Miller emphasizes the importance of sartorial style to black identity formation in the Atlantic diaspora.

He doesn't do mice. He does vibes. Meet Merlin, the prescient New Yorker cat who knows that beige candy is a character flaw and that his human, Eliza Bennett, has a "galloping toward trouble" look. When Eliza takes a consulting gig at a "haunted" Southern museum, Merlin is dragged into a high-stakes mystery involving toxic pralines, a vengeful socialite, and a ghost who might actually be helping. Forced to crawl through dusty vents and endure flirtation from a charming horse trainer, Merlin uses his nose for metallic thread and weaponized clove oil to help Eliza find a hidden ledger before ...

Unveil the secrets of textile transformation with "Color Craft," your comprehensive guide to the vibrant world of dyeing and finishing. Begin your adventure in "Color Craft" with a solid foundation—a thorough exploration of textile coloration and finishing awaits in the opening chapter. You'll gain insights into the essential techniques that form the bedrock of all textile crafts. Grasp the nuances of different dyeing technologies, and learn how finishing processes add that professional touch to your personal gear. Ready to get hands-on? "Color Craft" guides you through the practical art ...

A call to action for consumers everywhere, Consumed asks us to look at how and why we buy what we buy, how it's created, who it benefits, and how we can solve the problems created by a wasteful system. We live in a world of stuff. We dispose of most of it in as little as six months after we...

When a priceless Aztec textile goes missing and a museum director drops dead in a lecture hall, textile historian Eliza Bennett and her imperious, snarky, orange-and-white feline consultant, Merlin, are thrust into a tangle of high fashion, lethal dyes, and horse-soaked secrets. From the glittering lobby of the Gran Hotel to the dusty arenas of Club Hípico and the neon chaos of Xochimilco, this romp fuses scholarly sleuthing with cat-powered chaos. Think forensic yarn-pulling, midnight canal chases, a billionaire with a spider-web of influence, and a killer who wears riding boots. Witty, ...

In February 2011 John Galliano, the lauded head of Christian Dior, imploded with a drunken, anti-Semitic public tirade. Exactly a year earlier, celebrated designer Alexander McQueen took his own life three weeks before his women's wear show. Both were casualties of the war between art and commerce that has raged within fashion for the last two decades.

The Nature of Fashion is an epic sweep through history, revealing how plants have been used to make and dye our clothes. Textiles have transformed the human world–and the natural world. Now we need to re-root clothes-making in plants, rather than plastic, to find a new material future. Fashion is at a turning point–to look forward, we need to look back.

The Wardrobe Project is your guide to gently shifting your spending habits and finding confidence within yourself instead of searching for it on a rack. It might even tempt you to take on the no-buy challenge as you discover your inner brilliance, without the need to add to cart.

Look closely at any typically "American" article of clothing these days, and you may be surprised to see a Japanese label inside. From high-end denim to oxford button-downs, Japanese designers have taken the classic American look - known as ametora, or "American traditional" - and turned it into a huge business for companies like Uniqlo, Kamakura Shirts, Evisu, and Kapital. This phenomenon is part of a long dialogue between Japanese and American fashion.

Feel Unprepared for Emergencies? Learn How to Protect Your Family—Even If You’re on a Budget, Live in a Small Space, or Are Starting from Scratch. When the power goes out, store shelves are empty, or a storm rolls in with no warning… will your family be ready? If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of prepping—unsure where to start, what to buy, or whether you even can prepare in your current home—you’re not alone. Most preparedness advice feels like it’s made for hardcore survivalists or people with deep pockets and rural land. But this book is different. Prepper’s ...