Jewelry by Chanel

Postmodernism and costume jewelry are linked in this book: both create worth from materials of limited value. As Patrick Mauriés shows in his text on Gabrielle Chanel, the job requires carefully manipulating desire and social status, focusing on ideas, de-emphasizing the mechanics of production, and if you cultivate powerful friends with large budgets the results can look smashing. They do. The book is expensively produced, and skillfully focuses most of its attention on lavish full- and double-page photographs of jewelry, historic photographs of Chanel modeling it, and contemporary fashion photographs of models. A few images of Roman palaces, Byzantine icons, and staged photos suggesting hand crafting in traditional workshops are also skillfully deployed in the high-status advertising tradition. Mauriés argues the enterprise is a way of creating human freedom, turning cultural assumptions on their heads and opening the corridors of wealth and power to those formerly excluded. His text will strongly appeal to readers who share his vision of couture designer Chanel and her clients as oppressed revolutionary outsiders. The contemporary model photographs place pieces with strong 1920s-40s aesthetics on fashion models mostly styled to recent magazine trends. Some pieces will not fit on the bodies or with the stylings of the models. These are held or placed nearby. When necklines and dress styles have changed, nudity and feather boas are carefully arranged. Some of the pieces here are original works designed by Chanel, and include recreations of precious metal and diamond jewelry. Some are production recreations or ＂inspired by＂ designs; the book serves to showcase high-end costume jewelry created for sale by the House of Chanel fashion business. Oversize: 10x13＂. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)