BY: MAEGAN J ​

If you're interested in gaining insight on  André Leon Talley 's life story, The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir, has plenty to offer you. However, I thought this book was very dense and difficult to get through. There was a lot of name dropping, insider gossip, and some moments that didn't quite read as being truthful or transparent.

​Despite my problems with the book, Talley draws a very clear trajectory from his humble beginnings in segregated Durham, North Carolina to dancing the night away with the fashion elite at Studio 54, being welcomed to the hallowed halls of Conde Nast, and finally being unceremoniously ousted from the fashion's elite inner circle. As a pioneering and talented black man navigating the world of fashion, I found his moments of personal reflection the most enlightening.

BY: NENA IVON

If you want to know how the international, wealthy, famous, infamous artists, writers, etc. reigned by the glamourous Haute Couture designer Gabrielle Chanel lived between the two World Wars and during the German occupation of France, then this is THE book for you!  Be prepared that this isn't a fluff piece, nor is it totally about Chanel, but rather how she fit into the hedonistic lifestyle on the Riviera and in France at the time between the wars.
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Chanel's Riviera by Anne De Courcy

BY: MAEGAN J ​

​Women in Clothes is a survey-style fashion tome edited by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton. I came across this book three years ago and it immediately became a very pivotal book for me in my fashion journey. What I love about Women in Clothes is that there are no aspirational quotes from designers or tastemakers and no advice on how to achieve a timeless style. Instead, Women in Clothes leans into exploring clothing as self-hood, clothing as armor, and clothing as a means to both reveal and conceal. 
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Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton

BY: LOTTA YANONG

In 1873, at the end of the California Gold Rush, Levi Strauss & Co., named for a Bavarian Jewish dry goods merchant in San Francisco, obtained a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis on the process of putting metal rivets in men’s denim work pants to increase their durability. It was the birth of the blue jean.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum is pleased to present Levi Strauss: A History of American Style, an original exhibition showcasing the life of Levi Strauss, the invention of the blue jean, and their iconic place in the history of American style. ​Levi Strauss: A History of American Style is organized by The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco in collaboration with Levi Strauss & Co. Historian Tracey Panek and co-curated by The CJM’s Chief Preparator and Exhibition Designer, Justin Limoges and Senior Curator, Heidi Rabben.

BY: NENA IVON

KAISER KARL, The Life of Karl Lagerfeld, the first biography of the prolific and iconic influencer, was published in the United States on February 1st, the first anniversary of his death. Would I recommend you add it to your fashion book collection? Absolutely.​​

BY: MAEGAN J 

We have curated a list of some of our favorite fashion books that celebrate black fashion style, designers, models, entertainers, and history. Any of these books would make a welcome addition to a fashion lover's library.

BY: NENA IVON

Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, Jo Malone, the Kardashians, Pat McGrath....the list goes on...are all familiar, extremely successful, innovative women in the beauty business. Make-up, skincare, and well-being have been with us through the centuries and are multi-billion dollar contributors to the international economy. That being said, if we look back to the early twentieth century, we would find a mostly male-dominated industry until two women changed all that...Elizabeth Arden and today’s subject, Helena Rubinstein.
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AFFILIATE PARTNER

THE FASHION MAP TURNS ONE! We are so humbled to be celebrating our 1st year. We would not have made it this far without the tremendous support of our fashion travel community.

We are celebrating our anniversary with a GIVEAWAY CONTEST! We are giving away a copy of the PIERRE CARDIN: FUTURE FASHION Catalogue that accompanied the Brooklyn Museum exhibition. Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion was the first New York retrospective in forty years to focus on the legendary couturier. Drawn primarily from Pierre Cardin’s archive, the exhibition traversed the designer’s decades-long career at the forefront of fashion invention. The exhibition presented over 170 objects drawn from his atelier and archive, including historical and contemporary haute couture, prêt-à-porter, trademark accessories, “couture” furniture, lighting, fashion sketches, personal photographs, and excerpts from television, documentaries, and feature films. 

To be eligible to win, join our fashion and travel community and subscribe to our email newsletter. It's that simple! The winner will be announced on our IG Stories on January 19th at 12:00 pm CST. Good Luck!

BY: MAEGAN J

Are you looking for a gift for the fashion-lover in your life? Or maybe you're looking to up your style game and unleash your inner street style star? We've crafted a unique holiday gift guide of books that focus solely on street fashion and personal style.  So whether you want to marvel at street fashion photos, explore how our garments define and shape our lives, or read revealing tips on dressing with confidence and livening up your workwear, each of these books would make a welcome addition to any fashion-lovers library.
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