Fashion Book Favourites

Vivian Westwood: The Complete Collections

Unquestionably one of the most influential fashion designers of the latter quarter of the 20th century and continuing to ‘Wow’ the audience into the 21st, we have seen many creations and opinions evolve throughout her career. Taking on the role of a punk enthusiast in the 1970s, Vivian Westwood has always been ahead of the curve, influencing competing designers to catch up with her every move. ‘when fashion surged towards minimalism, Westwood designed collections of rich baroque excess: when fashion wanted women to look powerful, masculine and rich in the mid-1980s, Westwood championed the disenfranchised. Proposing clothes with soft curves and rounded shoulders. Once the world had finally followed in Westwood's path of deconstructing clothing and distressing fabrics she had already moved on to other exciting creations, exploring tailoring and formal clothing. The point is; she has always been a step ahead, using political, social and environmental direction to influencer her every decision.

It may not seem like you can learn a great deal from an image, but actually, catwalk images are much more educational than you may think. Although I'm a lover of a traditional book, with as much information as I can get, this book is one of my favourites. Celebrating 40 astonishing years of catwalk collections, it is a visual record of Westwoods most memorable moments starting from her first show in 1981. The book includes collaborations with designers like her husband, Andreas Kronthaler, an in-depth introduction by Alexander Fury and biographies written by the designers and even Vivienne Westwood herself.

Vogue on Coco Chanel

Titled one of the most influential female designers of the early 20th century and the creator of many iconic looks from the ‘little black dress' to feminine suits and quilted bags. Coco Chanel was known for opening new doors for women, including the rise of waistlines, showing women that it was okay to cut their hair and overall giving women the strength and a role model to prove to men as well as the world that women can be much more than just housewives.

The truth is, Coco Chanel has had many iconic moments, not just within fashion but also within her generation. This book dives into every one of those moments, with details of her life from a young age, showing the events that made her the woman she became. With illustrations from some of her best collections and the ins and outs of all her creations. Classic and elegant, this book will teach you everything about the strength and independence that is, Coco Chanel.

Supreme Look-book

Once a small business that transformed itself from a downtown New York Skate independent shop to a global, iconic skate brand and a culture of its own. Known for their controversial outlook and outspoken voice within the fashion industry, their presence can't go unnoticed. 'Supreme- The Book- Looks', uncovers more than 800 unique and interesting images from a range of photographers such as Ari Marcopoulos, David Sims and Larry Clark. Unseen and behind the scenes content, including highly limited and popular products, everything from t-shirts to bicycles and collaborations with all the best designers, Nike, Comme de Garçons to mention a few. This book features a creative insight into products, collections and collaborations released since spring/summer of 2010.

A unique brand committed to quality and creative design, Supreme is known for its notorious presence within the skate industry. Although I am personally not a huge fan of the brand, due to its high expense and the direction the brand has taken morally, the skate community is about diversity and expression, not money. Conversely, I can still appreciate the visual contents of this look-book. With inspirational skate-style photography presenting distinctive Supreme products, this book feels fast-paced, fun and upbeat creating not only a great coffee table book but also a perfect book for boosting one's imagination.

Vogue on Alexander McQueen

Intricate tailoring, ambitious designs, structured materials and deconstructed outfits, Alexander McQueen was known for pushing all the boundaries. With controversy and creative imagination shaping his early years, McQueen created iconic silhouettes and designs that were presented through a range of visually interesting concepts. This book dives deep into the ins and outs of Alexander McQueen's interesting but formidable career. It starts with an introduction into McQueen's upbringing and how fashion become the job he was destined for, delving into catwalks and collections, important moments that become to shape his carer and the dark side of being a fashion designer.

The ‘vogue on’ series is one of my favourites, for those interested in fashion, these books provide information on designers and brands with detail into all parts of their making, this is not just a coffee table book but an insight into the most famous names, especially useful for fashion students like myself. It's safe to say this book got me through my last project, with quotes flooding the pages, every aspect of Alexander McQueen's life was clear to the reader. Information on interesting collections and the thought process that Alexander McQueen followed when creating, helped push my project in the right direction, quotes were especially useful to use within essays and imagery for sketchbooks.