A magnificent work of original research, unwinding history through cloth - how we make it, use it and what it means to us
Victoria Finlay is the critically acclaimed author of Colour - Travels Through the Paintbox and the former arts editor of the South China Morning Post. She studied social anthropology and has travelled around the world in search of stories about her subjects, from colour to jewels and fabric. As well as writing, she has worked in international development.
'Subtle, compendious and rich ... an emotive and serious work of
what you might call history on the distaff side' - Sunday Times
'Enthralling and sumptuously spun narrative history of how and why
people around the world have made, used and worn different kinds of
fabric. Beginning her research shortly after the death of her
parents, Finlay finds her own story of love and grief entwined in
the threads too, making for a fine blend indeed' - Caroline
Sanderson, Non-Fiction Editor's Choice for November
'Equally an inspiration and an education' - Daily Mail
'At a moment when alarming statistics regarding textile waste have
triggered calls for sustainability within the fashion industry,
Finlay takes the reader on a journey of personal discovery that
spans the breadth of the globe over the course of centuries ...
with deft cultural consciousness. Part historical survey, part
memoir and part travelogue, "Fabric" follows Finlay as she
discovers the secrets behind each material's history with such
wonderment - such reverence - that one cannot help believing in the
"hidden magic" she insists is spun into each fibre. Like a skilled
weaver, she takes many disparate threads and constructs a
compelling narrative as informative as it is emotionally engaging.
These moments - where fabric is given life through worn experience
are ... fascinating [and] Victoria Finlay gives them their due' -
Raissa Bretana, Fashion Historian
'Poetically profound' - Sheila Hicks
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