By Naima Karp
From a classic Carine Roitfeld collection to an iconic Kate Moss photography book, there’s never enough room for our favorite coffee table books. We’ve decided to sift through our fashion books and pick out some of the staple copies you need for your collection. Click through to see all of the must-have fashion books.
RICK OWENS
For glamour queens and 90’s grunge goddesses alike, the prints in this book are haunting and beautiful. The prints are huge and all part of i-D’s past archives tracking Owens’ career. The photos are complex, encompassing unique furniture and interior design, as well as impeccable jewelry styling, extending past the demographic of sole fashionistas. Interviews are a must-read, including ones with Jo-Ann Furniss, Terry Jones, and Holly Shackleton. Photographers include Hans Feurer and Corinne Day. For fur-lovers: there’s total coverage on the designer’s own fur collection, Palais Royale.
RAF SIMONS
One of the most interesting menswear designers, Raf Simons, has released a book featuring his fantastic work for Jill Sander, his own menswear, and his exciting new ventures working as artistic director at Dior. The best part? The in-depth interview with the designer himself.
C.Z GUEST: AN AMERICAN FASHION ICON
Back when style icons carried an unmatchable elegance and a je ne sais quoi quality, C.Z Guest was the classically understated American aesthetic. This rare collection of photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson carries the reader through her life as a young bride to a prestigious socialite.
OPENING CEREMONY
The colorful cover on this book is a great addition to any coffee table. An emblem of recent New York fashion, Opening Ceremony has helped bring attention to young designers all over, helping them propel their careers. The book is a celebration of the brand’s ten year anniversary, chock full of collaborators and the brand’s inspiration, ranging from Alexander Wang to Rodarte. The book itself is visually gorgeous, but is also an inspiring moodboard of sorts for anyone looking for some new creativity.
VOGUE: THE EDITOR’S EYE
With such a riveting cover photo, it’s hard to not open this masterpiece. This book focuses on the role of the editors at Vogue. The editors featured in the book include Grace Coddington, Babs Simpson, Polly Mellen, and Anna Wintour, to name a few. The muses get equal attention, with glamour shots of Miss Monroe, Miss Evangelista, and Verushka. Pop in a DVD of The September Issue, flip through these pages, and make your next girls night in a Vogue-themed one.
TOM FORD
An amazing director and designer, Ford has brought us stunning films. This book chronicles his design work with both Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, from 1994 to 2004. It features more than 200 photographs by masters including Stephen Meisel, Helmut Newton, and the more modern Terry Richardson. It illustrates Ford’s vision for transforming Gucci via marketing changes, store design, and architecture. A tribute of sorts, this piece chronicles the life of a man who transformed a classic brand and broke down boundaries in the fashion industry.
KATE MOSS BY MARIO TESTINO
This collection of Mario Testino’s photographs chronicles the wild child’s career, tying in the model and photographer’s close relationship and memorable fashion collaboration. The collection is unique because it includes Testino’s private photos of Kate Moss that have not been previously released before.
CARINE ROITFELD: IREVERENT
This book is coveted amongst fashionistas and was sold out everywhere upon its release. Chronicling Roitfield’s immense and bold career moves, the book let’s us into her world and unfolds her creative process. This piece will inspire you to take more risks in your own day to day garb. Referred to by Karl Lagerfeld as the ‘ideal French woman,’ Roitfield’s daring and breathtaking collection of work is not to be missed.
