Recommendations : Books About Fashion & Designers

[XavierRaphael]

Fashion Library

I need to get started collecting resources not only for future reference but also to just educate myself. If everyone could post a few books that should be in my library it would be greatly appreciated.

Books I Have:
Fairchild Dictionary Of Fashion
In Vogue
Stylist

 

[pinksatin]

bumping this since I'm placing an amazon order for school, and I wanted to add some fashion books to my cart too. I already added Fairchild's since I think it's just an invaluable reference.

BTW,

Grace: 30 years of Fashion at Vogue--Grace Coddington

is almost $700!!!!

Has anyone actually bought it? What's in it? Like the secret to immortality or something? I just don't get how they can charge so much for a book. Maybe they only printed like 2 copies.

 

[kasper!]

this sounds interesting...

Paris Vogue en Beauté {1920-2007}

By Georges Vigarello (Contributor)
Vogue Magazine, Sephora, and the BNF (Bibliothèque Nationale de France/French National Library) have partnered up to organize an exhibition called Vogue en Beauté on fashion photography. The exhibition and the catalogue includes a hundred works by the likes of Man Ray, Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino. It covers the period from 1920 to 2007.


Publisher: éditions Ramsay
Year: 2008
208 pages
Hardcover

 

[ShesElectric]

Hello Guys,

I don't know if there is yet a thread about so called fashion books...
But I would like to know if there are more books about the big fashions houses...
I already own some of them, like Gucci by Gucci, Tom Ford - Tom Ford or Louis Vuitton.
I hope you get what i mean...
Thanks for your help!

Dan

Front Row/Backstage by Mario Testino is a gorgeous book of photographs of what the title suggests. Just beautiful stuff! It's quite large with a hard cover of gorgeaous "fashion paparazzi" photographs from memorable shows over the years. I found it at an old book shop and it was highly discounted. I believe I purchased it for about $6.00 in perfect condition. I believe the retail is about $100 though it's on sale at most places as it was published in '99.

Here is a breakdown:

Format:Hardcover
Dimensions:132 Pages, 10 x 14 x 1 in
From Our Editors

Fashion photographer Mario Testino captures the fast-paced world of the international fashion scene in Front Row/Backstage. The sexy photographic expose gives readers an up-close view of who`s wearing what on the catwalk and then rushes them backstage for a look at the chaotic, bawdy goings-on in fashion houses such as Lacroix, Saint Laurent, Dior, Gucci and Chanel. This is truly an insider`s view of haute couture and all its sophistication, featuring 90 duotone photographs and 30 colour illustrations. </I></B>

From the Publisher

Have a seat in the highly coveted front row to share an up-close view of whos wearing what on the catwalk. Then be rushed backstage to glimpse the chaotic, bawdy world behind the scenes of such fashion houses as Lacroix, Dior, Givenchy, Chanel, and Versace, to name a few. This beautiful volume captures the jetset-paced rhythm of the international fashion scene.</I></B>

About the Author

Mario Testino was born in Lima, Peru & began his career as a (largely self-taught) fashion photographer in London in the 1970s. Today he is one of the most sought-after artists working for the major magazines, including the international editions of Vogue. His sensual, Latin style pervades the ad campaigns he has created for accounts such as Missoni, Versace, & Gucci.</I></B>

Source:
Image: Amazon
Text: Chapters.ca

 

[ehltee]

I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!
Thank you everyone who has posted recommendations. Im a bookworm, and love fashion. so im on cloud nine right now lol
I've read some of the books, and now with all these recommendations--- i think i'm gonna b busy for quite a while!

 

[Mathewthew]

la cambre mode.......
They show their students works from 1986-2006
for their 20th anniversery.......
I love those students work...lots of inspiration.......
and the works is wonderful

photos from Amazon

 

[xhommex]

Valentino: Themes and Variations by Pamela Golbin

[URL=http://img3.imageshack.us/my.php?image=val6.jpg][/URL]

thepeakofchic

 

[BerlinRocks]

Beautiful people by Alicia Drake (about YSL and KL debuts ... their friendship etc.)
Talking Fashion Sarajane Hoare (never read it ... is it any good ?)
Paris, 1962 : YSL and CD early collections by Jerry Schatzberg
La science du shopping by Paco Underhill (sorry I don't know the english title - it's sincerely a must-read)
Art and Fashion by Florence Muller
Fashion by Christopher Breward (must-read)
A dash of daring : Carmel Snow and her life in fashion [...] by Penelope Rowlands

for french-readers :
Les écrivains français et la mode by Rose Fortassier
every IFM publications (I have no idea if those publications have been translated in english ...)
Le système de la mode by Roland Barthes (must-read)
L'empire de l'ephémère by Gilles Lipovetsky
I'm sure those last two books have their english version ...

I forgot ... regarding some recent thoughts and talks ...
Showtime : Le défilé de mode (catalogue published for an exhibition at Musée Galliera)

 

[MUXU]

madeleine vionnet by betty kirke

im not sure if this is the book im talking about, the one with a lot of her patterns inside. amazing to see

 

[gius]

yes that's the one, muxu

guys we also have this thread for more technical side of fashion
Textbooks for Fashion Design, Sewing

 

[BetteT]

I just moved dju dju's post to the other thread that you linked, gius ... it was mostly techincal stuff so it's better in there.

 

[Makinfluence]

VINTAGE FASHION COLLECTIONS books ( exclusive pic !!! )

Chanel Croisière 1996-97

Versace 1993-1994

Versace 98-99 by Steven Meisel

Yohji Yamamoto 86-87 , by Nick Knight

Issey Miyake

SOURCE : Rare Fashion books.com

 

[gius]

la cambre mode.......
They show their students works from 1986-2006
for their 20th anniversery.......
I love those students work...lots of inspiration.......
and the works is wonderful
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41S-smZqivL._SS500_.jpg
photos from Amazon

Just want to point out La Cambre is a school in Brussels, Belgium.. French-speaking part

Nice to see they have a book of work.. I haven't heard of this school before. Very curious

 

[Enigma89]

Books Regarding the Fashion Industry

Disclaimer-I tried a search on the forum for a subject and I could not really find anything.

There are a lot of people on this forum who are actually engaged in the fashion industry so they can benefit from first hand experience from their jobs. However, there are other people who are not part of the industry but rely on forums to understand it better. I am hoping there are books that can give a better light on the industry so people on the outside can understand it better.

Any help would be great.

 

[gius]

enigma89, What side of fashion are you interested in?

 

[Enigma89]

I'd really like to know the economics behind it and how fashion houses work as an institution. Why they do things.

I have always thought about this. Look at Chanel, they make clothes the center piece of their fashion house, but how often do they really sell their clothes? It must pale in comparison to the ammount of watches/perfume/makeup that they sale.

It seems that they structure themselves to show off their clothes to attract attention so they can sell their other products. The same way automobile companies make really flashy cars but really only sell their lesser models to the general people.

 

[Nikblaine]

Chanel is such a classic name.... It stand in a category of its own...

 

[ad111714]

The most comprehensive online bibliography to fashion theory that I know can be found at http://modetheorie.de/ - it's a German site but with lots of English titles.

Many fashion related publications can be found at http://www.bergpublishers.com/ - view their catalogue here: http://www.bergpublishers.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6zAy16j/l+U=&tabid=36&mid=30326

 

[sidewalks]

Are there any books about styling that you guys recommend? I'd love to read about other stylists, becoming a stylist, and learn more about what looks good on a person and how to dress different body types.

 

[Sav_]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I've been looking for information on the actual construction of clothing...like the process designers or manufacturers go through to actually cut and sew the pieces. I don't know if this belongs in here, if not, please steer me in the right direction!