The Routledge Companion to Fashion Studies

Book excerpt: This collection of original essays interrogates disciplinary boundaries in fashion, gathering fashion studies research across disciplines and from around the globe. Fashion and clothing are part of material and visual culture, cultural memory and heritage; they contribute to shaping the way people see themselves, interact and consume. For each of the volume's eight sections, scholars from across the world and a variety of disciplines offer analytical tools for further research. Never neglecting the interconnectedness of disciplines and domains, these original contributions survey specific topics and critically discuss the leading views in their areas. They include discursive and reflective pieces, as well as discussions of original empirical work, and contributors include established leaders in the field, rising stars and new voices, including practioner and industry voices. This is a comprehensive overview of the field, ideal not only for undergraduate and post graduate fashion studies students, but also for researchers and students in communication studies, the humanities, gender and critical race studies, social sciences, fashion design and business.