The Fashion Swatch Book, Thames & Hudson
Nothing satisfies us more than a good fashion read. With the summer holidays approaching, and the promise of more time off comes closer and closer, we’ve been thinking ahead to the books we’d like to take with us on this year’s escapes. These latest releases, hand-selected by our team, cover the full breadth of the fashion landscape, from the history of Italian fashion, to street style in Japan.
The Fashion Swatch Book, Thames & Hudson
This book will be a visual treat for all textile and fabrics fanatics, with a comprehensive coverage of the processes involved in fabric design. With a range of iconic designs, which span everything from vintage pieces by Liberty’s, to the more contemporary technical fabrics. Striking a delicate balance between being a glossary and a pictorial delight, The Fashion Swatch is the book to read for anyone with a curiosity in all things print, knit or embroidery.
A panoply of patterns, colours, materials and textures greets the eye, with key contemporary designs by the likes of Matthew Williamson, David Koma, Giles Deacon and Christopher Kane. An encyclopedic glossary, included in the work, will also put an end to any doubts you may have as to what cloth is called what, and why. Whether it be as a sourcebook for fashion students, or as a go-to for a perusal, The Fashion Swatch Book has us enthralled.
Gianfranco Ferré, Gian Paolo Barbieri, Fall/Winter 1991
© GIANPAOLOBARBIERI
The Glamour of Italian Fashion, V&A
Those with an interest in Italian fashion will be in for a delight with the V&A’s current exhibition The Glamour of Italian Fashion. Other than providing an exclusive chance to see archive pieces that shaped the history of Italian style, the exhibition provides a glimpse into the incredible craft and skill that shaped the Italian fashion system. The book which accompanies the exhibition offers a compilation of interviews, essays and portraits of key figures of the industry, constituting an in-depth history of the landscape of Italian fashion.
With brilliant features by academics and researchers, as well as journalists who witnessed the evolution of the industry, this publication is sure to satisfy the curiosity of fashion lovers and specialists alike. A particular highlight is Judith Clark’s tribute to the late Anna Piaggi, where she draws a touching portrait of one of the pillars of Italian style. To sum up, Schön! thinks this should be (and will become) a staple in your fashion books collection.
100 Ideas That Changed Street Style, Laurence King
100 Ideas that changed Street Style is a glimpse at different styles and sub-cultures from the middle of the 20th Century to the present day. Following on from the Cult of Streetwear, 100 Ideas That Changed Street Style is the latest go-to fashion book from writer Josh Sims. the latest offering chronicles the different styles and fashions that have influenced style into the present day.
From Goths to Boho, from Geek Chic to Vintage and including Northern Soul and Metrosexual, Sims has covered every era in depth. With stunning photography spread over 100 double page spreads the book offers an interesting and insightful read with a comprehensive look at the different styles over the decades.
There are few women who don’t have a fetish for footwear, especially beautiful designer shoes. It comes as no surprise then, that authors Sue Huey and Kathryn Kenny (both former shoe designers themselves) should dedicate a whole book to the accessory that makes our hearts ache with longing more than any other.
Shoetopia celebrates 40 top designers, from established brands like Jimmy Choo, Vivienne Westwood and Prada, to newer talents such as Sophia Webster and Atalanta Weller, offering an insight into their different approaches when creating a collection. Packed with stunning photography as well as original design sketches, this is a bible for all shoe lovers.
Following on previous The Selby releases, the photographer who lets you into the world’s most envied homes has released Fashionable Selby, which provides exclusive peeks into the lives of the fashion industry’s greatest figures. From designers, stylists and models, to haberdashers and artists, from Brooklyn to London, Todd Selby captures the homes, studios and workshops behind the creative minds of the industry. With brilliant photography, and intimate portraits in the form of illustrated Q&As, Fashionable Selby is a visual delight. Its eclecticism and variety is particularly pleasing, and makes this read a Schön! favourite for the summer.
Words / Huma Humayun, Tam Hashim & Patrick Clark
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