The Art of Couture Embroidery: The Secrets of Runway Design

Dive into the fascinating world of fashion embroidery, with practical tricks and techniques, and examples of some of the most iconic designs from the catwalk.

With a focus on the most influential designers and couture and catwalk pieces from the past four decades, The Art of Couture Embroidery unravels the intricate relationship between high fashion garment construction and the embroidery that makes it sing.

This beautifully presented book is perfect for embroiderers of all levels, from hobbyists to students and professionals. Looking at the finest embroidery used in high fashion, this book reveals the inside story of each leading designer, the history of the design house and the untold stories of their most groundbreaking collections. In each chapter, dedicated to a different leading designer or design house, Jessica Pile and Robert Ossant consider a single outstanding and iconic embroidered garment, showing the reader how they can apply the same techniques in their own designs.

Author of Fashion Embroidery, Jessica Pile is an established embroidery expert, having produced iconic catwalk embroideries for Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton, Mary Katrantzou, and Burberry. She spent twelve years running the world-renowned embroidery house Hand & Lock and in 2024, she founded her own bespoke embroidery company, Norica Studios. Art and fashion historian Robert Ossant specializes in textile arts, embroidery, fashion, and culture. He has written for international design houses Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent.