Bookvica

[SOVIET KIDS FASHION] Odezhda detey doshkol’nogo vozrasta [i.e. Clothes for Children of Preschool Age]

Item #2031

Moscow: Uchpedgiz, 1956. 64 pp.: ill. 20x26.1 cm. In original publisher’s illustrated wrappers. Spine rubbed with tears, front wrapper slightly loose, pencil marking on the front wrapper, several illustrations hand-colored, otherwise in a very good condition.

Scarce. First edition. Edited by E. Rusakova and E. Danilova.
Front wrapper by the Russian painter and graphic artist Vasily Orlov (1910-2010). In the early 1930s, Orlov completed his studies at the Kharkiv Fine Art High School before relocating with his family to Taganrog. During the city’s occupation, he was conscripted for forced labor in Germany, where he worked as an Ostarbeiter until the war’s end. Upon his return to the USSR in the mid-1940s, Orlov joined the Union of Artists but was later expelled due to his time in German captivity. Despite these challenges, Vasily actively participated in numerous regional art exhibitions and showcased his works at various international auctions. Black-and-white illustrations throughout by the Soviet fashion designer and Chief Artistic Director of the All-Union House of Fashion Models L. Turchanovskaya.
A fascinating fashion guide for the clothing of Soviet preschoolers in the 1950s. The book was issued by the state educational and pedagogical publishing house with the aim “to familiarize kindergarten workers and parents with the pedagogical and hygienic requirements for children’s clothing.” The edition commences with recommendations on preschoolers’ attire, openly warning, “Children’s clothing should steer clear of resembling anything found in adult fashion.” The main body of the book consists of eight sections: “Pattern Making,” “Dresses for Girls,” “Linen,” “Suits for Boys,” “Aprons,” “Summer Hats,” “Coats,” “Shoes for Preschool Children.” Each section features numerous beloved designs of Soviet preschooler clothing of the time, including staple, robe, and sandpiper dresses, as well as sailor suits, sundresses, etc. Most of the designs are accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, sewing patterns, and detailed instructions on the correct dressmaking. The publication concludes with a chapter devoted to children’s footwear, providing detailed information on the specifications for preschooler shoes: sizes, heights, etc.

No copies found in Worldcat.

Status: On Hold