Robert Leach

Interviews with leading contemporary designers, including Paul Smith, Stephen Jones, and Maria Cornejo and education professionals, including Willie Walters, Course Director at Central St Martins, Andrew Groves from the University of Westminster and a Foreword by Shelley Fox, the Donna Karan Professor of Fashion, Director of the MFA Fashion Design and Society Program at Parsons, New York, will enable all readers both to understand the vital role of research and to discover the techniques the designers have adapted for themselves, while a richly illustrated profile of the major themes of fashion is both a highly original resource and a mine of information about each theme for readers to draw on in their own research.

This companion to the successful The Fashion Resource Book shows student and professional designers how to use visual research to develop a personal aesthetic as a fashion designer in a global industry. The book is divided into three sections: the first presents the research process underpinning the work of 10 designers including Kim Jones for Louis Vuitton, Yohji Yamamoto and Alexander McQueen; the second section is on research and inspiration. The subjects covered include street style and uniform, and the influence of established companies such as Barbour and Gieves & Hawkes. The concept-led work of such contemporary designers as Christopher Shannon and Walter Van Beirendonck is also explored. The third part presents detailed case studies of particular garments, trench coats, parkas and denim jackets among them. Illustrations provide an informative accompaniment to the text throughout.