glamour: fashion, industrial design and architecture by joseph rosa and virginia postrel
"… sex appeal plus luxury plus elegance plus romance…" — margaret farrand thorp’s definition of "glamour," from america at the movies, 1939

as one of the most alluring yet elusive concepts in contemporary style, glamour is an ideal that permeates our visual culture. this lavishly illustrated book radically revises our understanding of glamour in fashion, industrial design, and architecture. the volume traces glamour’s trajectory from its historical middle-class origins to its present-day connotations of affluence and elegance. in doing so, "glamour" is established as a new critical category for design that embraces richly decorative patterns, complex layering, sumptuous materials, and sculptural forms. following a general introduction on the culture and consumption of glamour, three essays explore the concept as it has evolved in the fields of fashion, design, and architecture.

glamour won second place in the 2004 new york book show.

english. hardcover. 192 pages. 9.9”w x 11.7”l.