Valerie Steele ist Direktorin und Chefkuratorin des Museums im Fashion Institute of Technology (MFIT) in New York und hat in den vergangenen Jahren mehr als 20 Ausstellungen kuratiert und zahlreiche Bücher veröffentlicht. Sie ist Chefredakteurin der von ihr gegründeten Zeitschrift ¿Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture¿.

This ambitious and fascinating book traces the history of fashion in every part of the world, from Greco-Roman woven-cloth clothing and the silk court dress of the Chinese Tang dynasty to contemporary sportswear designers and Japanese street culture. Organized chronologically, the book traces the evolution of fashion period by period and trend by trend, while detailed timelines provide historical and cultural context. Fashion: The Whole Story is indispensable for everyone who loves the line of a superb suit or knows the joy of wearing a great pair of shoes.

The second volume in Prestel's Whole story series is a lavish, nicely priced, and authoritative book tracing the complete evolution of fashion, from togas to Tory Burch.This enthralling book takes readers through every major era of fashion history: classical Greece and Rome; the court dress of the Tang Dynasty; the emergence of the Japanese kimono; early Native American and Pre-Colombian textiles; the Ottoman and Mughal Empires; Renaissance, Restoration, and Romantic costume; the Belle Epoque and Art Deco; sportswear, ready-to-wear, and haute couture; the British menswear revolution; Tokyo street fashion--and much, much more. Filled with indispensable information about every aspect of fashion from 500 BCE to now, this encyclopedic reference highlights in detail key pieces that epitomize certain styles. It profiles fashion icons to show how one designer or style influences another, explains the impact of cultural and historical events on daily wear, and demonstrates how technical innovation can take fashion in new directions. Engaging, all-encompassing, and overflowing with illustrations, this is an indispensable resource for anyone who loves fashion.