Soie Pirate. The History of Abraham Ltd

Textiles are one of Switzerland's oldest industries, and one of the biggest names in Switzerland's silk trade has been Abraham Ltd. *Pirate Silk: The History and Design Archive of Abraham Ltd.* draws from the vast archives that are now kept at the Swiss National Museum in Zürich to document the fascinating history of this influential enterprise. The first volume tells the firm's story, from 1878, when Jakob Abraham became a partner in the Zürich-based business Königsberger, Rüdenberg & Co., to 1943, when Gustav Zumsteg became a partner, and finally to 2002, the year Abraham Ltd. ceased operations. The second volume presents illustrations of the designs, patterns, and samples of the fabrics produced by Abraham Ltd. but also images of the elegant dresses created from their fabrics-dresses from such couturiers as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. Together these stunning volumes will bring to life a chapter in the history of fashion worldwide.