Mode & Fétichisme. - Geneviève Lafosse Dauvergne

LAFOSSE DAUVERGNE, Geneviève. 
Mode & Fétichisme. 
First edition. 4to. 191pp in softcover illustrated wraps. Colour plates throughout. Paris: Éditions Alternatives, 2002. 

'Leather, silk, corsets, and—of course—stilettos, but also knitwear, metal, nylon, and uniforms: far from offering a reductive view of fetishism in fashion—one that would approach it solely from a sexual angle—this book highlights the deep, enduring ties between the two worlds, both in the collective unconscious and in the minds of most designers. Starting with the original definition of the word "fetish"—an object of worship imbued with magical, beneficial powers—fashion journalist Geneviève Lafosse offers a fresh perspective on the history of fashion, its trends, and its dictates. While "clothes do not make the man," we are nonetheless defined by what we choose to wear, just as great couturiers define themselves through the materials they prefer to work with or the garments they create.' A gorgeously illustrated volume with examples from Alaïa, Mugler, McQueen, Westwood as well as a wealth of historical references. French text throughout.