Fashion Criticism

Acknowledgments viii
Introduction 1

PART I Late Nineteenth Century-1960s

Introduction to PART I 13

1 Mr. Oscar Wilde on Woman's Dress Oscar Wilde 17
2 Literary and Other Notes (excerpt) Oscar Wilde 19
3 Philosophic Fashions: Who Fell Asleep on the King's Highway? Dame Rogue [Louise Norton] 23
4 Philosophic Fashions: Trouser-Talk (excerpt) Dame Rogue [Louise Norton] 27
5 Philosophic Fashions: The Importance of Being Dressed Dame Rogue [Louise Norton] 31
6 Feminine Fashions Lois Long 35
7 Feminine Fashions Lois Long 37
8 Copying a Fancy Name Elizabeth Hawes 39
9 News ... News ... News ... Elizabeth Hawes 45
10 Fashions from Paris: A Suit Story at Balenciaga Eugenia Sheppard 51
11 A Mini for Men? Eugenia Sheppard 53
12 A Campaign Issue-Clothes? Eleni Epstein 55
13 Candidates in a Tie on Fashion's Slate Eleni Epstein 57

PART II 1970s-1990s

Introduction to PART II 61

14 The Wound in the Face Angela Carter 65
15 Feminine Fashions: The Fall Collections II Kennedy Fraser 69
16 Looking with Avedon Susan Sontag 77
17 What Happened to the Afro? Bebe Moore Campbell 81
18 Ralph Lauren's Achievement Holly Brubach 87
19 In Fashion: Modernism Outmoded Holly Brubach 95
20 Haute Coiffure de Gel Elizabeth Wilson 103
21 Hippie Heaven Eve Babitz 107
22 Calvinism Unclothed Valerie Steele 113
23 Coming Apart Amy Spindler 119
24 The Once and Future Suit Anne Hollander 125
25 Sexualities Anne Hollander 129
26 The Eastern Bloc Lynn Yaeger 133
27 Avant Guardians Lynn Yaeger 137
28 The Only One Hilton Als 139
29 Buying the Fantasy Hilton Als 147
30 Fashion's Military Fascination: Unsettling, Romantic Esthetic Suzy Menkes 151

PART III Twenty-first Century

Introduction to PART III 155

31 Future, Take Note: Raf Simons Was Here Cathy Horyn 159
32 Hussein Chalayan: Nostalgia for the Future Caroline Evans 163
33 The Misfit Judith Thurman 169
34 Dressed to Thrill: Alexander McQueen at the Met Judith Thurman 179
35 Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch (Excerpt) Dwight A. McBride 183
36 The Mystery Man: Margiela, Be Mine Sarah Mower 193
37 All Hail the Leader of the Fashionable World Robin Givhan 197
38 The Revolution Will Be Branded Vetements Anja Aronowsky Cronberg 201
39 Will I Get a Ticket? A Conversation about Life after Vogue with Lucinda Chambers Anja Aronowsky Cronberg 205
40 Trump vs. the Disappearing Tie Vanessa Friedman 209
41 Suket Dhir, Men's Wear Designer, from Delhi to the World Guy Trebay 213
42 Melania Trump and the Chilling Artifice of Fashion Rhonda Garelick 217
43 Is Wokeness in Fashion Just Another Illusion? Connie Wang 219

Sources and Acknowledgments 222
Index 225