The Best Fashion Books I Read This Year
And why you should add them to your reading list.
Last year, I published a list of my favorite books on fashion. As a computer science major in college with a passion for Alexander McQueen, I sadly never learned about fashion in a classroom or through coursework. Instead, the best way I learned about fashion and the industry was through reading books.
Since there’s always something new to learn, the list of my favorite fashion books has, of course, expanded. So, here are 5 of my best fashion reads from 2022, and why you should add them to your reading list this year:
Dress Code
Veronique Hyland’s “Dress Code” chronicles some of fashion’s biggest moments of the past and present, and predicts what’s to come in the future. This book is a perfect introduction to the fashion industry for those interested in learning more, and a great outline of why it is the way it is today.
Anna: The Biography
Perhaps the most anticipated fashion book of 2022, “Anna: The Biography” chronicles the mysterious life of the most important woman in Fashion: Anna Wintour.
Biographer Amy Odell does a great job of discussing Wintour’s successes, failures, and everything in between. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a career in fashion or publishing, or who simply wants to learn more about the inspiration behind “The Devil Wears Prada”.
The Chiffon Trenches
André Leon Talley’s memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches”, approaches fashion more from a magazine and publishing angle, while highlighting how the industry has starkly shifted from its glory days (70s; 80s) to today.
Leon Talley’s honest, unfiltered recollection of his journey to become one of the most important people in fashion will inspire anyone eager to become a part of the industry. I cannot recommend this book enough.
The Widow Cliquot
While this isn’t explicitly a “fashion book”, Veuve Cliquot is owned by LVMH — the world’s largest fashion company — so, in my opinion, it qualifies.
In “The Widow Cliquot”, Author Tilar J. Mazzeo takes readers on a journey through 19th century France, following one woman’s tremendous leadership, perseverance, and entrepreneurship to build the Veuve Cliquot empire.
Dressed: A Philosophy of Clothes
It’s interesting to me to debunk the ways in which fashion—a seemingly vain and superfluous industry—is far from it. “Dressed” does a fantastic job of this, explaining how clothing is so much more than, well, clothing.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in fashion beyond the logos and price tags, or to anyone who questions the meaning and impact of one of the world’s largest industries.
I’m a NYC-based software engineer researching all the ways fashion intersects with technology. See more of my stuff here, and feel free to get in touch.
