Beene by Beene - Hardcover

Luther, Marylou; Jacobs, Laura; Parmal, Pamela A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0865651620 ISBN 13: 9780865651623

Publisher: Vendome Press, 2005

Synopsis

Beene by Beene is a journey through Geoffrey Beene's life in fashion, a 40-year exploration that was, by turns, visionary, witty, irreverent, iconic, and timeless. His work was of such powerful clarity, such complete complicity between form and function that it actually teaches us-as all works of art do-how to look. A defining American artist, Geoffrey Beene towers in his field.

Pamela A. Parmal provides a chronological survey of Mr. Beene's career as a fashion designer and discusses the evolution of his work. Chapters focus on themes or influences-Woman, Body, Fabric, Comfort, Geometry, Sport, Culture-that were a constant source of inspiration to the designer. Beene won the attention and admiration of other artists, and here we see his work through the eyes of renowned photographers and illustrators, even filmmakers and choreographers.

Geoffrey Beene died in September 2004, before this book could be published, but he was intimately involved with its creation, including the editing of the text, the photo selection, and the book design. The book itself is as tailored and soignée as Mr. Beene's couture, as it looks back at his long and distinguished career.

About this title

About the Author:

Marylou Luther is the editor of The International Fashion Syndicate and the creative director for The Fashion Group International.

From Publishers Weekly:

Beene, who died in 2004 at age 77, strove to create clothing that celebrated a woman's form by letting it move. The results were dresses, jackets and pantsuits that were timeless, rather than of-the-moment. This collection of photographs and essays, conceived by Beene before his death, brings together thoughts from Vanity Fair columnist Wolcott and contributor Jacobs, editor Luther and Parmal, Boston Museum of Fine Arts curator for a comprehensive retrospective of Beene's 40-year career. The book's design is as spare and straightforward as a Beene cocktail dress. Photos by several photographers show such diverse images as ballerinas in woolly overcoats and closeups of small flourishes, such as the stitching on a belt or the folds of a crepe flower accenting a bolero jacket. The abundance of space and simplicity complements Beene's formidable collection and melds with the prose's aim of putting couture in context. A minor pucker in the volume's seam is its occasional tendency toward hagiography (contributors depict Beene as perhaps the most inventive, intelligent and artistic designer who ever lived). But their breathless admiration is balanced with enough detail about Beene's inspirations and career path to make the work an important contribution to fashion history. 150 illus. (Nov. 1)
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About this edition

• Publisher: Vendome Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0865651620
• ISBN 13: 9780865651623
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208