Published in the summer of 2010 in print and online, the 10-volume Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion is the first comprehensive reference work to explore all aspects of dress and fashion globally - from pre-history to the present day. Arranged geographically and written by an international team of experts, the Encyclopedia will serve as the go-to source for all issues relating the art and anthropology of costume, dress, and fashion the world over for students, scholars, members of the design and fashion industries, and fashion aficionados for years to come.

The Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion brings together for the first time the work of over 600 renowned scholars from every part of the globe. All articles have been specially commissioned and particular effort has been made to commission articles by indigenous scholars with in-depth local knowledge.

This volume examines the complex strands that make up the European tradition of dress and fashion. Europe's varied landscapes and climates have influenced ways of dressing, as have continental and regional historical movements. West Europe, while emphasizing the global importance of European dress and fashion since 1800, provides information about the earlier contexts for their development. It also provides an analysis of haute couture as well as concise introductions to ethnic dress traditions and developments in the making and selling of clothing. Mainstream topics such as the changing shape of the the female form are analyzed alongside current issues: ethics in the fashion industry, intelligent textiles, and subcultural dress, for example. Articles are illustrated by images ranging from exquisite couture creations to caricatures lampooning the extravagant follies of history's "fashion victims." This volume is the key reference work for everyone wishing to discover more about West
Europe's seminal role in both fashion history and the shaping of cultural identities.