In a dozen essays, academic experts explore the history, trading culture, and contemporary refashioning of secondhand clothing. Though the practices origins are in necessity, the passing of clothes between social and economic groups has become a global business. To move from one cultural situation to another, used clothes must be transformed in some way to become of potential value to a new social group; the contributors look at how, when, and why this has happened. The wan, gray photos that illustrate several essays dont do either fashion or the text justice. The editors are a museum curator and a design historian specializing in dress and textiles; the contributors are based in North America, Europe, and Australia. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Second-hand fashion has a history as old as the production of clothing itself, but until recently it was given little consideration. Used clothes represent the largest numbers of existing garments but until recently they were not perceived as serious fashion items. However, this has changed dramatically with the rise of vintage web sites, value clothing chains, and the fashion medias perpetuation of the idea that secondhand clothes can be recycled into avant-garde cool. This book not only shows how important used clothing has become but also what role it plays in culture and history. The Japanese, for example, traditionally salvage sections of kimonos, while in India garments are inexhaustibly recycled. This cross-cultural and historical perspective fills a major gap by offering fresh insights into the innovative use of secondhand dress and age-old traditions of recycling fashion. Second-hand fashion has a history as old as the production of clothing itself, but until recently it was given little consideration. Used clothes represent the largest numbers of existing garments but until recently they were not perceived as serious fashion items. However, this has changed dramatically with the rise of vintage web sites, value clothing chains, and the fashion medias perpetuation of the idea that secondhand clothes can be recycled into avant-garde cool. This book not only shows how important used clothing has become but also what role it plays in culture and history. The Japanese, for example, traditionally salvage sections of kimonos, while in India garments are inexhaustibly recycled. This cross-cultural and historical perspective fills a major gap by offering fresh insights into the innovative use of secondhand dress and age-old traditions of recycling fashion.
