Bill Gibb: Fashion and Fantasy

Crowned ‘Designer of the Year’ by Vogue in 1970, Bill Gibb (1943–1988), barely out of college two years and yet to launch his eponymous line, was to become a major name in fashion history. Gibb’s career was prolific, and truly visionary at its finest, but sadly short-lived. His legacy, continued relevance and importance as a designer is apparent today in the work of designers from Giles Deacon to John Galliano. Famous for his love of romance, soaring flights of fancy and devil-may-care dynamic, Gibb’s wildly eccentric combinations of checks, tartans, stripes, floral prints and Fair Isle Knits had never been seen before.

This stunning book explores Gibb’s background, long-time fascination with historical imagery and the themes that inspired his designs. Award-winning fashion journalist Iain R Webb is a professor at Central Saint Martins; he writes for The Independent and New York Times magazine.