The Fashion System
Barthes, Roland. Hill and Wang, 1983 (1st American Ed.). Hardbound. First published as Système de la Mode in Paris in 1967 by Editions de Seuil. Translated by Matthew Ward and Richard Howard. 'If clothing's producers and consumers had the same consciousness,' writes Barthes in this critique of the 'calculating' fashion industry, 'clothing would be bought (and produced) only at the very slow rate of its dilapidation.' Handsome calligraphic jacket by Charles Skaggs, who worked at Alfred A. Knopf with W. A. Dwiggins, often completing designs drafted by the ailing typographer, and who observed, 'Dwiggins worked at every job with a drollery that spared even the most strenuous projects any stuffiness.'
Tight, square spine. Clean, unmarked interior. Gilt to spine remains bright. Some bumped corners, but no other notable wear to the book. Mylar-protected jacket is not price-clipped and has a few small areas of very subtle soiling. 303 pp. Featured Rare & Collectible.
