This book explores the trajectory of fashion from the first clothing worn by primitive humans to scientifically engineered fabrics. It examines the development of rawhide, blue jeans, sewing machines, and rayon in chronological order. These inventions have applications well beyond the runway, and the book explains these effects, the stories of their inventors, and the ways earlier inventions influenced those that came after. .

ch. 1. The roots of modern fashion design -- ch. 2. Rawhide -- ch. 3. Blue jeans -- ch. 4. The sewing machine -- ch. 5. Rayon -- ch. 6. The future of fashion.