Fetish Style

Fetish Styletraces the history, forms and tendencies of sub-cultural fashions that are popular in both mainstream and fashion cultures. Presenting the world of subcultural fetish clothing design for its richness and beauty, the book also explores notions of fetish as subversive or repressive through an examination of the ways in which fashion, itself based on the fetishization of clothing and clothing attitudes, in fact calls forth fetishistic behavior in all people of all ages and cultures. Linking the fetishistic aspects of contemporary culture with everyday clothing dictated by fashion and merchandizing, this fascinating study includes explorations of historical as well as 21st century subcultures such as the Japanese-influenced "tribes" of the various Lolita formations, the Shotaru (male Lolita), the club scene, the Goths, the hip-hop fashions and other locally-formed fetishized practices.Highly engaging and wide ranging, Fetish Stylewill be key reading for anyone interested in fetish fashion both past and present.

Frenchy Lunning is Professor of Design History and Liberal Arts at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, USA.