Stylist Books You Must Read If You Want To Work in Fashion

The fashion industry may seem elusive and hard to break into but it has changed so much in the last few years and even more so in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. A world once dictated by the top editors at glossy publications has now embraced remote freelancers, influencers and even new social media platforms like TikTok as a result of a shift in the world.

This is not to say that you can just stroll into the offices of any fashion company. But luckily the fashion industry is becoming more transparent and the two best things you can do to work your way in are networking and arming yourself with knowledge about all things fashion with stylist books.

Every fashion editor, buyer, or designer appreciates someone who truly understands trends—not just that they exist but how they came to be—and fashion history. And the best part? There are tons of awesome stylist books out there where you can learn about these through stunning visuals and stories from some of fashion’s brightest minds. Here are some of my favorites to get you started:

“I spent a long time learning how to construct clothes, which is important to do before you can deconstruct them.”

— Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty

Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion

I’m actually going to start by recommending this book from 2007. Why? Because it’s still super relevant. Published by the editors of Style.com (RIP) with an introduction from Anna Wintour, this book highlights sixteen of the top fashion stylists of the 21st century. Vogue contributor Sarah Mower interviews these stylists to go beyond the concept of dressing a model and dig into how they were able to create entire worlds in the pages of a fashion magazine. Featuring stylists like Grace Coddington, Polly Mellon and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, you’ll love stepping into the world of some of fashion’s top tastemakers.

Grace by Grace Coddington

I became fascinated with Grace after getting introduced to her through The September Issue, a documentary which showed the making of Vogue’s biggest issue of the year. Grace served as the creative director of the magazine and this first-person account of her life and her journey from fashion model to second-in-command at the most important fashion glossy in America. If you love style, you’ll appreciate this behind-the-scenes peek into the mind of one of the most innovative fashion personalities.

Punk: From Chaos to Couture by Andrew Bolton

The book that accompanies The Costume Institute’s exhibition on punk fashion is one not to be missed. I remembered being very excited to see this presentation in 2013 at The Met. The book takes you throughout the themes shown in the exhibition like tracing back to New York and London where the punk movements began in the 1970’s and even getting into the DIY trends that popped up as a result of the punk movement like grommets, intentional rips, painted fabrics, and more.

The Little Black Jacket by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld

To see the true extent of the versatility of the little black jacket, this book shows the styling possibility of one of the most iconic Chanel pieces ever created through the eyes of Karl Lagerfeld, former creative director of Chanel and Carine Roitfeld, former EIC of French Vogue and founder of CR Fashion Book. This adventure in styling shows the various interpretations of the jacket worn on celebrities like Claudia Schiffer, Yoko Ono, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Rebel Threads by Robert Burton

Sharing the clothing of “the bad, the beautiful, and the misunderstood,” Rebel Threads by Robert Burton also plays on themes of punk shown through the lens of teenage subcultures that served as a separation from mainstream fashion at the time. Burton himself dressed bands from David Bowie to the Rolling Stones and tells the story of rebel fashion through cultural moments.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

If you’ve ever seen a piece created by Alexander McQueen and wanted to learn what was going through his mind as he created it, you must check out Savage Beauty. Organized by the various eras of McQueen’s sartorial world you’ll travel everywhere from the Scottish Highlands to the depths of Plato’s Atlantis. Learning the stories behind these garments gives them a whole new meaning—just like how when you view them from the front compared to the side view they look entirely different.

The Teen Vogue Fashion Handbook

I was thrilled out of my mind when this book first came out and even more ecstatic in 2014 when the publisher released another copy of this. If you’re new to the world of fashion and just starting out, the Teen Vogue Fashion Handbook shares interviews with some of the most successful designers, models, photographers, designers, stylists, and creative directors in fashion. This book really helped me understand potential careers in fashion and how to break into the industry and I’ll always recommend it to someone who is ready and eager to learn more about this world.