Style from the Nile: Egyptomania in Fashion From the 19th Century to the Present Day
Jul 2022 · Pen and Sword History
Ebook
272
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
A compelling look at the influence of ancient Egypt on modern fashion, by a dress, textile, and decorative arts historian—includes illustrations.
In November 1922, when the combined efforts of Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon revealed to the world the “wonderful things” buried in Tutankhamen’s tomb, Egypt had already been a source for new trends in fashion for quite some time. In the early nineteenth century, for example, Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign contributed to the popularization of Kashmir shawls, while the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 stimulated “Egyptianizing” trends in gowns, jewelry, and textiles.
But post-1922, a veritable Egyptomania craze invested all artistic fields, quickly becoming a dominant Art Deco motif. That included fashion. “Flapper-style” dresses were elaborately embroidered with beaded “Egyptian” patterns; evening bags were decorated with hieroglyphics; brooches nonchalantly sported ancient scarabs; and the sleek black bobs favored by the admired icons of the time, Louise Brooks and Clara Bow, looked up to the fabled Egyptian beauty of Nefertiti and Cleopatra.
Egyptomania continues to influence twenty-first-century fashion as well: the awe-inspiring John Galliano’s designs for Dior Spring-Summer 2004 brought back pharaonic crowns in lieu of headdresses in a triumph of gold-encrusted creations; the ancient practice of mummification was referenced by Iris van Herpen’s Fall 2009 collection; and Egyptian vibes resonated in Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2018/2019 collection. Through the combination of rigorous fashion history research, intriguing images, and well-informed, approachable writing, Style from the Nile offers a comprehensive overview of a phenomenon that, to this day, has a mesmerizing appeal.
In November 1922, when the combined efforts of Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon revealed to the world the “wonderful things” buried in Tutankhamen’s tomb, Egypt had already been a source for new trends in fashion for quite some time. In the early nineteenth century, for example, Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign contributed to the popularization of Kashmir shawls, while the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 stimulated “Egyptianizing” trends in gowns, jewelry, and textiles.
But post-1922, a veritable Egyptomania craze invested all artistic fields, quickly becoming a dominant Art Deco motif. That included fashion. “Flapper-style” dresses were elaborately embroidered with beaded “Egyptian” patterns; evening bags were decorated with hieroglyphics; brooches nonchalantly sported ancient scarabs; and the sleek black bobs favored by the admired icons of the time, Louise Brooks and Clara Bow, looked up to the fabled Egyptian beauty of Nefertiti and Cleopatra.
Egyptomania continues to influence twenty-first-century fashion as well: the awe-inspiring John Galliano’s designs for Dior Spring-Summer 2004 brought back pharaonic crowns in lieu of headdresses in a triumph of gold-encrusted creations; the ancient practice of mummification was referenced by Iris van Herpen’s Fall 2009 collection; and Egyptian vibes resonated in Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2018/2019 collection. Through the combination of rigorous fashion history research, intriguing images, and well-informed, approachable writing, Style from the Nile offers a comprehensive overview of a phenomenon that, to this day, has a mesmerizing appeal.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
