December 2023 MBR The Fashion Shelf

The Fashion Shelf

Field, Fork, Fashion
Alice V. Robinson
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9780874411935, $34.95, HC, 160pp

https://www.amazon.com/Field-Fork-Fashion-Bullock-Designers/dp/164502119X

Synopsis: As a fashion student, Alice Robinson started to question the material she worked with. Leather is universally acknowledged as a luxury material, from which desirable bags, shoes and clothing are made. But how much do we know about where it comes from?

Alice's questions led back to her childhood home in rural Shropshire, England, where she decided to buy Bullock 374 and follow its journey from a local farm to the abattoir, then to the butchery and finally to the tannery. The journey culminates with Alice's own design practice as she creates a collection based on this single hide.

In doing so, Alice would begin to see the bigger picture -- and connect farm, food and fashion for the first time to understand the true meaning of provenance, value and beauty.

Critique: Inherently fascinating, impressively informative, profusely illustrated, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Field, Fork, Fashion: Bullock 374 and a Designer's Journey to Find a Future for Leather" is further enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of a two page listing of References, a one page listing of Resources, and a six page Index. While also available to readers in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.49), "Field, Fork, Fashion" is particularly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Leathercrafting & Fashion collections, as well as supplemental Textile curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Alice V. Robinson (https://www.chelseagreen.com/writer/alice-v-robinson) explores the relationship between food and fashion by connecting farming to the design of products and revealing the story behind leather. Alice was trained as an accessory designer and is an Alumna of the Royal College of Art. Her work has been shown at the London Design Festival, Victoria and Albert Museum and MAD, Brussels; her collection '11458' was acquired by the V&A in 2020. Alice co-founded Grady + Robinson in 2020 with collaborator Sara Grady to create British Pasture Leather, the first supply of leather made from animals raised on regenerative farms in the UK. Inspired by a belief that regenerative agricultural practices are a crucial solution in renewing soils, stewarding land and reforming food and fashion systems, Grady + Robinson are linking leather with exemplary agriculture and forging new connections between farming, food and material culture. Grady + Robinson were named Sustainability Thought Leaders for the Vogue Business 100 Innovators List - 2023.

Gary Cooper: Enduring Style
G. Bruce Boyer
powerHouse Books
https://powerhousebooks.com
9781648230356, $50.00, HC, 200pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gary-Cooper-Enduring-Bruce-Boyer/dp/1648230350

Synopsis: Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper
Tryin' hard to look like Gary Cooper
Super duper
- "Puttin' on the Ritz," Irving Berlin (revised lyrics, 1946)

1940s heartthrob Gary Cooper never goes out of style (just ask your mother or your grandmother). He's got that straightforward, honest, effortless handsomeness. No matter the costume he donned, he owned it. The camera loved him, and so did the box office.

Compiled by G. Bruce Boyer, "Gary Cooper: Enduring Style" is a collection of images, taken from his personal scrapbook, that confirms that the Gary Cooper we knew and loved on the silver screen was as much a style icon off the red carpet as he was on.

He perfected his own debonair style by combining a perfectly tailored European wardrobe with all-American casual sportswear to produce the first (and arguably still finest) example of elegant, international, masculine style of the "American Everyman" ideal. From the most laid-back activewear to the most ceremonious of coat and tails, Cooper carried himself with uncontrived conviction.

An inspiration to the likes of Ralph Lauren, Cooper was casual and put together, rugged and classic, and altogether timeless. And when you look at these photos, you can't even hate him for it, because what shines through more than any amount of star power is his unequivocal authenticity.

"Gary Cooper: Enduring Style" gives readers a look at a larger-than-life leading man and the real life he led. The photos you'll see were taken primarily by his wife, Rocky, and include snapshots of his home life, his easy style, and time spent with his friends (which, of course, include artist archetypes Cary Grant and Ernest Hemingway, among others).

Regardless of place or present company, Cooper had the model outfit for every occasion, embodying a type of refined masculinity rarely seen (though always in high demand) to this very day.

Critique: This large format (10 x 0.9 x 7.5 inches, 7.9 pounds) hardcover edition from PowerHouse Books is an astonishing and inherently fascinating compilation of historic photos supported by informative captions and commentary. With a unique appeal to readers with an interest in fashion design/history, photography, and a 'must' for the legions of Gary Cooper fans, "Gary Cooper: Enduring Style" is especially and unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections.

Editorial Note: G. Bruce Boyer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._Bruce_Boyer) has been a noted fashion writer and editor for more than 35 years. He was associated with Town & Country magazine as men's fashion editor for 15 years. His articles have also appeared in Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and many other publications. He is the author of multiple books on the subject of men's fashion and has also worked in advertising, PR, and media consulting for companies such as Nordstrom, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Southwick, Bergdorf Goodman, and Gant among others.

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