Tregenza, Liz,

Wholesale couture : London and beyond, 1930-70 / Liz Tregenza. - 256 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 24 cm

Originally published: 2023.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

'Wholesale Couture' seeks to revise the notion that wholesale couturiers were simply copyists and demonstrates the complexities of their design processes and business strategies. This term has fallen out of usage; however, it was used to describe the pinnacle of the British ready-to-wear fashion industry between the 1930s and 1960s. Companies within this sector have typically been recognised as creators of high-quality copies of French haute couture, using ready-to-wear techniques. Liz Tregenza traces wholesale couture garments from concept to usage, considering design, manufacture, branding, promotion, retail and export. She looks beyond the garments produced and investigates the people behind these firms, consequently demonstrating the significant role that largely Jewish immigrants played in the development and success of this industry.

9781350245907 (pbk.) : £28.99


Fashion--History--England--London--20th century--Pictorial works.
Fashion design--History--England--London--20th century.
Clothing trade--History--England--London--20th century.
Beauty and Fashion.