One reader's niche reading interest: fashion memoirs and nonfiction.
With the Met Gala around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share one of my niche reading interests: fashion memoirs and nonfiction. I will read anything when it comes to the fashion greats. The world of couture is out of my budget, unless I happen to find something at a thrift shop, but I can experience it vicariously through the pages of a book or a notable fashion magazine. In many ways, fashion is more accessible now, even if not always conducive to my budget. But my interest isn’t limited to couture or fashion designers.
I love going behind the scenes of fashion, whether it’s the creation of a company or how clothes get made. It takes me back to my childhood when my grandma taught me how to sew and my best friend’s mom oversaw a couple of projects. Can you believe I made a pair of shorts when I was only in third grade? They were blue with neon shapes, very 80s. Even if you’re not proficient in sewing, good books about fashion make it easy to understand why fabric choices matter and what our clothes say about us. Yes, you can also watch Project Runway to learn about these things—and I do recommend it—but reading a book helps me remember what I’ve learned.
My interest in fashion has led to interesting connections across media. When I lived in San Francisco, I visited the incredible Oscar de la Renta exhibit at the de Young Museum. When I read André Leon Talley’s memoir a few years later, I realized he was behind the exhibit, which I had completely forgotten. Plus, Talley included many photos in his memoir that were taken by Bill Cunningham, whom I’ve loved ever since watching his documentary. It’s fun to see how often certain names come up in different memoirs and whether people’s accounts affirm one person’s recollection or call it into question.
Now given all I’ve shared, you might suspect I’m dressed to the nines every day. Well, I work from home and most days that means I’m wearing joggers or, once it’s warm enough, casual dresses. However, I do like to dress up from time to time and I have a strong sense of my own style outside of those joggers. We all contain multitudes.
Reading fashion memoirs and nonfiction fits in with my appreciation for art. It refills my creative well and lets me envision the wardrobe I have in new ways, as well as appreciate other styles. There are so many great books along these lines. I hope you’ll share your favorites in the comments.
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Halbreich started the personal shopping department at Bergdorf Goodman. At eight-six years old, she’s a fascinating woman and I loved learning more about her life steeped in fashion. This memoir had a good deal more sad moments than I was expecting, which made for some interesting contradictions and juxtapositions. Still, this is worth reading for her take on fashion alone. More info →
I love a good fashion memoir; one that addresses racism and classism within the industry is even better! Enninful, the first Black editor-in-chief of British Vogue, details his childhood in Ghana, emigrating to London, and how his start as a model evolved into a career behind the scenes. I’m not as familiar with the 1980/1990s British fashion scene so it was especially fun to hear about that time, as well as learn about his friendships with various notables. Again and again he used his position to elevate other Black designers and models and to push back against the racist, classist systems in place. He has unique insights as a Black immigrant and I loved hearing about how this translated to his work. This isn’t a dishy memoir, nor is it particularly in-depth, but it was super enjoyable nonetheless. More info →
ALT was a force to be reckoned with, an irrepressible personality and a font of fashion history. The first half was a dishy delight, going into the who’s who of the fashion world and displaying the fullness of his wit and knowledge of the industry. He moved through a lavish world that I can only imagine and I enjoyed living vicariously through him. The second half was more somber and searching as he experienced loss and delved into the rifts with Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld. With each story, he seeks acknowledgment and affirmation that his contributions mattered, that he mattered. He gave his all to his career but the fashion industry never fully loved him in return. While he wasn’t perfect, my heart ached over the way he was treated by some of the most important figures in his life. And that’s not even getting into the racism and microaggressions he experienced as a gay Black man within the largely white halls of the fashion industry. I would have loved a companion coffee table book with all of the clothes ALT mentioned but there were enough photographs to keep me satisfied. More info →
A comprehensive look at Coco Chanel's life with an intriguing focus on how she shaped and was shaped by certain historical events, including her involvement with the Nazis during WWII. Chanel was mysterious and multifaceted and I'd hazard a guess this history is the closest we'll get to understanding what drove her and why she made some of the decisions she did. More info →
Cline takes us through the history of the fashion world, from the garment districts to the factories, the eternal prevalence of sales to independent boutiques. I was most interested in learning how prices are set, the rise of ethical fashion, and the tyranny of trends when it comes to creating our own personal style. It’s made a material difference in the way I shop over a decade later. More info →
The Hermès Birkin bag, created in 1984, is synonymous with wealth and luxury. It’s also swathed in mystery and exclusivity, with a rumored wait list and steps one must take in order to buy at the store (mainly: have a purchase history). Enter Michael Tonello, the Birkin whisperer. This delves into his adventures around the world pursuing Birkin bags on behalf of clients. A fun read, even if you’re like me and have no interest in owning a Birkin yourself. More info →
This coffee table book is a visual feast. Iris Apfel was a creative force, a true sartorial inspiration. Her story about Duke Ellington is not to be missed! Pair with the documentary Irisand thank me later. More info →
I’ve had a soft place in my heart for Cunningham ever since watching the 2011 documentary Bill Cunningham: New York. This coffee table book is a phenomenal retrospective of his photography and the way fashion (and New York) evolved over the course of his career. If you’re curious about his earlier years, you might want to try his posthumous autobiography Fashion Climbing. Cunningham was notoriously private and there’s much we still don’t know about him but at least his work lives on. More info →
This history brought me right back to the days of poring over the J.Crew catalog. My style would never be described as preppy but I've always admired the J.Crew look—the very point of those catalogs! I'll never forget the thrill of receiving a cream cardigan one Christmas when I was 13 or 14. J.Crew was not in my family's budget so I have no idea how my parents managed it but I adored it to literal pieces. Back then, the quality was on point so it lasted me almost 20 years. The same cannot be said about J.Crew today. It's been years since I shopped there as a result. This book goes into the company's rise and fall: the origin story of J.Crew and other retailers like Gap, the Jenna Lyons years, and the private equity takeover. More info →
A comprehensive examination of the history and context that made a fashion designer like Virgil Abloh possible. It follows every possible rabbit trail, zooming in on almost everyone and anything mentioned before zooming back out to show how it fits into Abloh's career and ascent. We delve into the history of Rockford, IL (his hometown), hip-hop, luxury fashion, IIT, Nike/Adidas, and so much more. While I would still love to read the biography of Abloh I thought I was going to get, this proved to be a fascinating account. More info →
This forthright account of designer Claire McCardell is really the story of U.S. fashion breaking free from Paris and developing its own style and point of view. She played a huge role in this. WWII led to interest and opportunity for U.S. designers who no longer had access to France (e.g., could no longer copy Parisian clothes). McCardell was often ahead of her time but society eventually caught up to her. We have McCardell to thank for pockets in women's clothes, and she paved the way for swimsuits as we now know them, along with inventing sportswear. Many of today's designers cite her as an influence, including Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. I can only imagine how she would have continued to impact fashion had she not died at 52. More info →
What are your favorite fashion memoirs and nonfiction? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 12 histories and biographies for every nonfiction lover, Nerdy nonfiction for readers who love to learn, and My go-to products for my current minimalist summer makeup routine.
Leigh Kramer is the Editor, Event Project Manager, and Social Media Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are romance and fantasy. You can follow Leigh on Goodreads.
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