Victoria and Albert Museum

The Glamour of Italian Fashion Since 1945 is an elegant, authoritative, and visually stunning exploration of Italy’s rise to global fashion dominance. Edited by Sonnet Stanfill, a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, this book accompanied the landmark 2014 V&A exhibition and remains a must-have for fashion lovers, historians, and design enthusiasts alike.

The volume traces the evolution of Italian fashion from the post–World War II years through the 21st century, beginning with the show more couture houses of Rome and Florence and culminating in the global brands of Milan—Versace, Armani, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and more. The story is one of craftsmanship, creativity, and reinvention, with Italian designers shaping not only how we dress, but how we define glamour.

What sets this book apart is its balance of rich visual content—including archival runway photos, sketches, and behind-the-scenes imagery—with insightful essays that delve into economics, craftsmanship, textiles, and branding. The narrative captures both the artistry and the industry behind Italian fashion’s rise, including the influence of textile manufacturing, artisan techniques, family dynasties, and Italy’s postwar identity reconstruction.

Contributors include fashion journalists, historians, and industry insiders, lending both academic rigor and cultural context to the narrative. Whether discussing the handmade legacy of Ferragamo or the bold revolution of 1990s streetwear, the book remains clear, cohesive, and thoroughly engaging. show less

This is an amazing book with excellent illustrations and a wealth of information about a selection of textiles from the V & A Museum.

I really like the way the colours have been itemised using a proportional grid with the background colours at the top - mostly I guess because those are the ones used in the largest amount.

Because everything in this volume is from the collections of the V & A, you can then use the Museum number and search on the website for more information. This information show more can be downloaded. The colour charts are not on the V & A website.

I would have liked to read more descriptions in terms of colour names - burnt siena, rose madder or vermilion. However the prescriptions for each of the colours using the CMYK system is meant to cover that.

A major disadvantage of this volume is that there is no index, so that it is impossible to locate the William Morris fabrics or those from Japan. A more minor quibble is that the cover spells colour as color whereas inside the volume it is spelled colour. Unbelievable in a book published by the V & A! show less

Published as the catalogue for a 1979 exhibition of film art direction at the V&A that accompanied a 13-episode Thames Television series, this comprises biographies and filmographies of nine art directors with a guide to the exhibition. It is illustrated extensively.

Precious