Bill Gibb

"Crowned Designer of the Year by British Vogue in 1970, Bill Gibb [1943-1988) was set to become a major name in fashion history. Famous for his love of romance, Gibb's flamboyant flights of fancy appeared revolutionary in the 1970s and still have a resonance today. But his career came to an abrupt end in 1988, when the fashion industry lost one of its most adventurous and exciting designers. It seems a fitting time to review Gibb's contribution to fashion." "This stunning book explores the work of a prolific and, at his best, truly visionary designer: his background and the enduring themes that inspired his designs. Gibb's fashion philosophy is revealed through the words of the designer, its effect on the fashion world seen through the eyes of those who knew him: industry professionals, family and friends. Gibb was a free spirit, an intuitive designer who broke the rules, not only in terms of design but also concepts and attitudes. Ahead of his time, he was aware of the value of celebrity endorsement and dressed rock stars, actresses and film stars from Rod Stewart to Bianca Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor." "It sets up a dialogue between the fashion industry of the 1970s and the fashion world of today. Much of Gibb's output verged on couture. 'I strove for the top and achieved it within ten years', he once said. Illustrated with his detailed drawings, intimate reportage-style snapshots, previously unseen catwalk images and fashion plates by leading photographers, this book is testimony to an individualist, faithful to his own design principles, who believed consummately in his 'rare gift ... to design beautiful clothes'."--BOOK JACKET.