Author(s): Linda O'Keeffe

Fashion & Textiles

The simplest and most ancient of all decorative markings, stripes continue to fascinate. Natural inspirations in the forms of zebra stripes, rippled sand dunes, and intricately gnarled wood grain have led us to use stripes in every permutation: on human bodies from elaborate woven textiles to the iconic Breton T-shirt to sharp pin-striped suits, in art from the earliest cave paintings to vibrant op art canvases, and in industrial design from World War II-era dazzle battleships to the ubiquitous bar code. Their appeal endures. With over 250 full-colour images, "Stripes: Design Between the Lines" provides a wholly original look at one of the most recognizable patterns of all time. The illustrations create a rollicking visual ride while the accompanying text by turns witty and weighty shows how these potent, sometimes charged symbols have even changed the course of world history.