Looking for ways to make your coffee table slightly more enticing? Or perhaps a means of lending some literary love to your under-stocked bookshelf? We present you our most highly commended fashion reads for the month. What better month than September for a splash of style reads? There’s a garnish of Chung, generous dollop of international street style, and shameless lashings of Lagerfeld and his cat.
10 Corso Como, Rizzoli USA
This monochrome gem offers readers an A-Z of life through the curious mind of 10 Corso Como founder, Carla Sozzani. Utilising her wealth of editorial experience, Sozzani’s words of wisdom give style worshippers an insightful glimpse into her view of the world: “I learned to study everything. My curiosity became my driving force. Working for the magazines increased the cross-pollination between all the arts: design, architecture, fashion, art, history, cuisine, music, and literature for me.”
Embellished with hand-drawn illustrations by American artist Kris Ruhs, (who also created 10 Corso Como’s iconic logo 20 years ago), this unconventional journey along the alphabet explores ideas on photography, fashion and design in a series of black and white visual delights. Since opening, the Galleria Carla Sozzani at Corso Como number 10 has gone on to become an internationally celebrated symbol of style and culture. And now with 20 years of legacy beautifully displayed in one book, it’s rightfully found itself on our list of must-reads.
10 Corso Como is available here.
Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat, Thames & Hudson
Choupette is arguably the most spoilt pet we know of. She has a combination of over 57,000 followers on Social Media alone. Not to mention a slew of high-brow attention from the best of Parisian chefs, invitations to dine with Vuitton, and the unconditional adoration of ‘Daddy’ Lagerfeld. In her latest venture, the pampered kitty welcomes us into the jet-setting life of fashion’s most prized feline; courtesy of housekeeper and maid Madame Françoise who keeps kitty’s daily diary.
Choupette’s guide to life covers chapters on diet, beauty, fashion and pet hates. Personal shots, taken by Lagerfeld himself, as well as portraits with supermodels Laetitia Casta and Linda Evangelista provide an insight into just how influential the muse and feline fashion mogul has been to artists and writers alike. If you’re into cats, Chanel, or both – this is definitely worth your read.
Released 22nd September 2014
It (paperback), Penguin Books
If there’s one thing Alexa Chung has mastered, besides a flawless cat-eye, it’s how to dress. She’s the walking poster girl for style gone right. It’s no surprise that she’s won the British Style Award 3 years straight, and the hard-back version of her first style Bible It is in the hands of more than 70, 000 fashion fans the world over.
It gives all of us the chance to rack the brains and style influences of “one of the world’s most copied style ambassadors.” Hoarding a collection of personal writings, drawings and photographs, Alexa tells of how the likes of Mick Jagger to Jane Birkin inspire her iconic look. But what is most refreshing is her relatable thoughts on love, music and the frustrating choice of what to throw on in the morning. If you loved It the first time, or you’re yet to have a read, you may just find this source of style inspiration a worthy addition to your book collection.
It is available here.
Men in this Town: London, Tokyo, Sydney, Milan, New York – Hardie Grant Books
Blogger, photographer and art director Giuseppe Santamaria shows us all the sartorial variety the world’s most fashionable cities have to offer. Santamaria has gained a strong following on his street style blogs Men of this Town and Women of this Town; now his eye for faultless style features on the glossy pages of a hardback photo journal.
During his visits, Giuseppe not only captures the man whose style speaks volumes about who he is, but selects a handful to interview on their approach to fashion. So whether you’re seeking fascinating shots of the menswear scene elsewhere in the world, or simply a tangible means of appreciating Giuseppe’s engaging photography, this fashion read gives a refreshing snapshot of the contemporary man.
Words / Shama Nasinde
Discover the brand new Schön! Issue 25 #Drama.
Now available in print, as an ebook, online and on any mobile device.