The traditional textiles of Central Asia are unknown treasures. Straddling the legendary Silk Road, this vast region stretches from Russia in the west to China in the east. Whether nomadic or sedentary, its peoples created textiles for every aspect of their way of life, from ceremonial objects marking rites of passage, to everyday garments, to practical items for the home. There were suzanis for the marriage bed; prayer mats; patchwork quilts; bridal ensembles; bags for tea, scissors, and mirrors; lovingly embroidered hats and bibs; and robes of every color and pattern. Author Susan Meller has spent years assembling the 590 textiles illustrated in this book. She documents their history, use, and meaning through archival photographs and fascinating travelers’ narratives spanning many centuries. Her book will be a revelation to designers, collectors, students of Central Asia, and travelers to the region. Silk and Cotton is destined to become a classic.

The year is 1861. Hervé Joncour is a French merchant of silkworms, who combs the known world for their gemlike eggs. Then circumstances compel him to travel farther, beyond the edge of the known, to a country legendary for the quality of its silk and its hostility to foreigners: Japan.There Joncour meets a woman. They do not touch; they do not even speak. And he cannot read the note she sends him until he has returned to his own country. But in the moment he does, Joncour is possessed.

Geschiedenis van zijde wat betreft teelt en toepassing in kleding en andere producten, daarnaast komen verschillende modeontwerpers aan bod alsmede de toekomst van deze stof.

This luxurious compendium of silk is the ultimate celebration of one of the world’s most revered fabrics. Silk reveals a breathtaking selection of fabric and fiber dating from antiquity to the early twenty-first century. Structured by technique, this outstanding new survey draws on the exceptional collections of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and shows the nest aesthetic and technical achievements of artisans, designers, and manufacturers. From dyeing to weaving and crochet to embroidery, this is a magnificent visual exploration of methods used over the centuries. From historic treasures in China and South America to nineteenth-century European International Exhibitions of art and industry, and more recently, designers’ catwalk collections from the fashion capitals of America, Asia, and Europe, including pieces by Dior, Balenciaga, and McQueen, here is the ultimate compendium of silk, presented in a luxurious real-cloth binding. Silk is the authoritative sourcebook, exploring methods and traditions across the history and geography of silk production, and celebrating the ingenuity and skill of designers and makers.

Although none of the luxury fibres, including silk, is produced in large quantities, their particular and unique qualities of fineness, softness, warmth and pleasurable handle mean that they occupy a very important place in the luxury apparel and fine furnishing trades.This book covers all aspects of the growth, physical characteristics, production, marketing and consumption of silk, mohair, cashmere, camelhair, Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna, Guanaco, Yak and Musk Ox fibres. The image of these fabrics is of course all important and the book describes in detail those rare occasions when a lower priced and lower quality version of a luxury fibre has damaged its overall reputation. Some natural fibres covered here including spider silk are also increasingly finding applications within the technical textiles sector where their high performance thermal properties and bio-mimetic qualities in particular, are very useful.This is an essential reference for all those involved in any part of the luxury fibre trade. - Covers all aspects of the growth, physical characteristics, production, marketing and consumption of silk, mohair, cashmere, camelhair, Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna, Guanaco, Yak and Musk Ox fibres - Describes the rare occasions when a lower priced and lower quality version of a luxury fibre has damaged its overall reputation