"Steele, director of the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum, has crafted, with the help of 325 contributors, an authoritative introduction to fashion, the industry, and the issues that hve defined the field. Some 640 articles describe the colorful facets of couture and textiles, from fabrics of chintz, corduroy, and feathers to such garb as aprons, bikinis, and prison dress. There are color plates and nearly 600 black-and-white illustrations. Back matter includes a comprehensive index, a timeline, and a topical outline."--"Reference that rocks," American Libraries, May 2005.