From couture to cultural icons, this selection of fashion books explores identity, legacy and design through time.
To quote Vivienne Westwood, "Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.” These books offer insight into some of the most prominent names in the fashion industry, how it began and where it is going.
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
By Monica L Miller
Echoing the Met Gala 2025 theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, this volume of the same title by Monica L Miller examines the history of Black Dandyism across three centuries. The book is packed with vivid photos of garments, accessories and artworks from the 1700s to the present, accompanied by in-depth research on the subject. The style has changed and evolved, from being used as a uniform by Black servants to serving a political purpose and defining hip-hop fashion and popular streetwear. The author looks at how dandyism has shaped the current realities through works by celebrated contemporary designers and historical figures.
By Monica L Miller
Echoing the Met Gala 2025 theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, this volume of the same title by Monica L Miller examines the history of Black Dandyism across three centuries. The book is packed with vivid photos of garments, accessories and artworks from the 1700s to the present, accompanied by in-depth research on the subject. The style has changed and evolved, from being used as a uniform by Black servants to serving a political purpose and defining hip-hop fashion and popular streetwear. The author looks at how dandyism has shaped the current realities through works by celebrated contemporary designers and historical figures.
We Might Just Make It After All: My Best Friendship with Kate Spade
By Elyce Arons
At its core, We Might Just Make It After All is a love letter from American brand Kate Spade’s co-founder Elyce Arons to Katy Brosnahan, her college best friend who eventually became her partner in a bag business that would one day shake the accessories industry. Professional and personal lives converge in this book that explores the power of friendship and sisterhood, challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in the 1990s and the successful story of a generation-defining label. Inspiring as it is heart-wrenching, it follows the duo’s adventures and misadventures across four decades,
until Brosnahan’s tragic suicide in 2018.
Audrey Hepburn: A Life of Beautiful Uncertainty
By Tom Santopietro
The film and fashion industries were her playgrounds, and her popularity was put to good use. Academy Award-winning actress Audrey Hepburn left a lasting legacy marked by her extraordinary talent and activism work in advocating for children’s rights. Comprehensive and engaging, this biography by Tom Santopietro observes Hepburn’s on-screen presence and sophisticated approach to dressing up, and zooms in on her intimate moments with close friends as well as her public service activities. It is filled with photographs and vignettes of the celebrity at her most captivating, making it a visual treat for those who admire the star’s style sensibility.
By Tom Santopietro
The film and fashion industries were her playgrounds, and her popularity was put to good use. Academy Award-winning actress Audrey Hepburn left a lasting legacy marked by her extraordinary talent and activism work in advocating for children’s rights. Comprehensive and engaging, this biography by Tom Santopietro observes Hepburn’s on-screen presence and sophisticated approach to dressing up, and zooms in on her intimate moments with close friends as well as her public service activities. It is filled with photographs and vignettes of the celebrity at her most captivating, making it a visual treat for those who admire the star’s style sensibility.
Rick Owens: Temple of Love
By Rick Owens, Miren Arzalluz + Alexandre Samson
One of the avant-garde designers recently nominated for British Fashion Awards 2025, Rick Owens is recognised for his provocative and subversive approach to design, making him a daring, transformative force in the colourful industry. From an industrial pattern-cutter, Owens rose to prominence after launching his eponymous label in 1994, crafting experimental and eccentric garments inspired by underground culture and the glamour of the 1930s era. Temple of Love records the brand’s major retrospective of the same name (ongoing at Palais Galliera in Paris until next January), complete with curatorial essays describing the multidisciplinary’s distinctive vision and philosophy.
By Rick Owens, Miren Arzalluz + Alexandre Samson
One of the avant-garde designers recently nominated for British Fashion Awards 2025, Rick Owens is recognised for his provocative and subversive approach to design, making him a daring, transformative force in the colourful industry. From an industrial pattern-cutter, Owens rose to prominence after launching his eponymous label in 1994, crafting experimental and eccentric garments inspired by underground culture and the glamour of the 1930s era. Temple of Love records the brand’s major retrospective of the same name (ongoing at Palais Galliera in Paris until next January), complete with curatorial essays describing the multidisciplinary’s distinctive vision and philosophy.
Beyond Adornment: Jewelry and Identity in Art
By Yvonne J Markowitz and Susanne Gänsicke
What is it about jewels that make them such a treasure from prehistoric times? From serving as an expression of wealth, status and power to providing spiritual protection, the ornaments have been documented throughout history in paintings, sculptures and other media across civilisations, cementing their undeniable importance to humanity. Beyond Adornment: Jewelry and Identity in Art answers the question by presenting a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on studying jewellery. It showcases an assemblage of remarkable artworks featuring figures wearing these dazzling precious adornments, which are seen as crucial indicators of their identity in their respective social contexts.
By Yvonne J Markowitz and Susanne Gänsicke
What is it about jewels that make them such a treasure from prehistoric times? From serving as an expression of wealth, status and power to providing spiritual protection, the ornaments have been documented throughout history in paintings, sculptures and other media across civilisations, cementing their undeniable importance to humanity. Beyond Adornment: Jewelry and Identity in Art answers the question by presenting a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on studying jewellery. It showcases an assemblage of remarkable artworks featuring figures wearing these dazzling precious adornments, which are seen as crucial indicators of their identity in their respective social contexts.
Valentino: A Grand Italian Epic
By Taschen
First published in 2007, Valentino: A Grand Italian Epic is a voluminous tome (it comprises close to 600 pages and weighs almost 5kg) that traces the tale of a revered couturier born in 1932. It details Valentino Garavani’s journey in fashion, his illustrious career at Valentino as well as his achievement as one of the influential figures who gave significant weight to the “Made in Italy” mark. The highly collectible book has been reissued recently, boasting images from the designer’s archives, including drawings, editorial shoots, portraits and documentary photographs to provide an in-depth look
at the man, his lifestyle and his brilliance.
By Taschen
First published in 2007, Valentino: A Grand Italian Epic is a voluminous tome (it comprises close to 600 pages and weighs almost 5kg) that traces the tale of a revered couturier born in 1932. It details Valentino Garavani’s journey in fashion, his illustrious career at Valentino as well as his achievement as one of the influential figures who gave significant weight to the “Made in Italy” mark. The highly collectible book has been reissued recently, boasting images from the designer’s archives, including drawings, editorial shoots, portraits and documentary photographs to provide an in-depth look
at the man, his lifestyle and his brilliance.
It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin
By Marisa Meltzer
She was described as the epitome of French style: effortlessly chic and elegant. English-French star Jane Birkin enshrined her artistic legacy through films and music. But she was also a powerful personality that shook the fashion industry after becoming the inspiration behind one of the world’s most coveted bags, the Hermès Birkin. Drawing on interviews and extensive archival research, author Marisa Meltzer offers a closer look into the icon’s life and lifestyle, from her early years in 1960s London to her rise as a beloved celebrity in France, revealing moments of personal challenges, her relationships with luxury powerhouses and the duality of her public and private selves.
By Marisa Meltzer
She was described as the epitome of French style: effortlessly chic and elegant. English-French star Jane Birkin enshrined her artistic legacy through films and music. But she was also a powerful personality that shook the fashion industry after becoming the inspiration behind one of the world’s most coveted bags, the Hermès Birkin. Drawing on interviews and extensive archival research, author Marisa Meltzer offers a closer look into the icon’s life and lifestyle, from her early years in 1960s London to her rise as a beloved celebrity in France, revealing moments of personal challenges, her relationships with luxury powerhouses and the duality of her public and private selves.
Paul Poiret: Inventing Modern Luxury
By Mary Davis
Before Chanel, Dior or Saint Laurent and the like, there was Paul Poiret. Born in Paris in 1879, he was considered the boldest designer of the pre-war period and dubbed the first modernist couturier. His extravagant creations might have attracted renowned figures in Europe and America, but it was his vision in redefining styles and culture as well as establishing business networks beyond fashion that solidified his presence at the time. Mary Davis gathers insightful information that unveils the luminary’s innovative outlook in driving his brand forward and how it became the guiding principle for the modern luxury model that we know today.
By Mary Davis
Before Chanel, Dior or Saint Laurent and the like, there was Paul Poiret. Born in Paris in 1879, he was considered the boldest designer of the pre-war period and dubbed the first modernist couturier. His extravagant creations might have attracted renowned figures in Europe and America, but it was his vision in redefining styles and culture as well as establishing business networks beyond fashion that solidified his presence at the time. Mary Davis gathers insightful information that unveils the luminary’s innovative outlook in driving his brand forward and how it became the guiding principle for the modern luxury model that we know today.
This article first appeared on Sept 15, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
