Routledge Europe's Rich Fabric - Routledge Luxury Textiles History Book

Explore the complex world of high-end cloth through Europe's Rich Fabric. Published by Routledge, this academic collection examines how luxury textiles served as symbols of power and social distinction during the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. The book provides a deep look into the production and commercialization of fine fabrics across Italy, the Low Countries, and surrounding regions. Rather than offering a simple history, these essays address the difficulties historians face when defining luxury. By studying the consumption and trade of these materials, the volume reveals how status was communicated through material culture in the late medieval and early modern periods. This work is an essential resource for students and researchers interested in the economic and social history of European textile industries.