From the catwalk to the high-style boutique, the common perception of the fashion industry is glamour and indulgence. Yet there is more than meets the eye in the industry known as the rag trade.

In British Fashion Design, renowned cultural critic Anglea McRobbie explores the tensions between fashion as art form and the demand of a ruthlessly commercial industry. Using interviews and research conducted over numerous years, McRobbie follows the flow of art school fashion graduates into the industry and details their attempts to reconcile training with the practical demands of business. Examining the careers of British fashion designers, notably John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, McRobbie analyzes the impact of fashion media in promoting new talent and its potential for job creation.