The Quintessential Guide to Fashion Books

Old or new, books about fashion are not only an essential read, but also a fabulous addition to your coffee table. The most successful fashion books are thick, glossy, beautiful and (most importantly!) impossible to put down. Fashion books tell stories through enchanting images – from autobiographical experiences to informative reads.

Autobiographies

Autobiographical books draw upon the personal experiences of the author themselves. Frequently, within fashion, the story examines the author’s journey from intern to CEO. That is exactly what happened to Australian VOGUE editor, Kristie Clements. In her book, entitled “The VOGUE Factor”, Kristie traces her journey from coffee runs to worldwide photo-shoots, documenting her rise to the top. Similarly, #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso, who went from rookie to boss, recounts how she travelled her way up the career ladder. Amoruso is now the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal, one of the most popular American E-commerce brands. 

On the other hand, Grace Coddington, author of ‘Grace’, began her fashion career as a model, entering VOGUE competitions in the post. She is now the Creative Director at American VOGUE. Her book records her long and somewhat unusual journey through fashion. Other fabulous women’s stories include: ‘The Woman I Wanted To Be’ by Diane Von Furstenburg and ‘Front Roe’ by Louise Roe.

Coffee Table Tomes

For me, receiving a huge hardback fashion book is the ultimate gift. Showcasing the best photography the fashion world has to offer, some of the best coffee table fashion books include: ‘VOGUE Covers’, edited by Robin Muir and Robin Derrick, ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage, Beauty’ by Andrew Bolton and ‘Women In This Town’ by Giuseppe Santamaria.

A personal favourite of mine is ‘The Sartorialist’ by Scott Schulman. Schulman’s book documents his global travels from Milan Fashion Week to the infamous New York tents. As he globe trots, he records the best outfits on the streets, taking candid images of anyone and everyone who inspires him. Comparatively, a slightly smaller, less time consuming coffee table edition, includes ‘IT’ by Alexa Chung, featuring hand-drawn images from the IT-Girl herself, and ‘Advanced Style’ by blogger Ari Seth Cohen.

Informative Books

In comparison to the self-told stories of autobiographical novels or the highly image-based books bound for the coffee table, lie the informative fashion books based on pure fact. A wonderful example is ‘The Design Museum’s Fifty Dresses That Changed The World’, which takes you on a journey through time, noting the most important fashion trends as they occurred.

And finally, if you have arrived at the end of this article, yet are still wondering what the point of all these books are, well, perhaps you ought to start with, ‘Why Fashion Matters’ by Frances Corner. It will, without a shadow of a doubt, inspire you to read every book I’ve previously mentioned, and will most probably leave your coffee table stacked high with these beautiful, VOGUE-inspired, glossy hardbacks- just like mine!

Images:

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Image 2: https://dandizettecharm.wordpress.com/tag/grace-coddington/

Image 3: https://dandizettecharm.wordpress.com/tag/grace-coddington/

• autobiography