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- The coronavirus pandemic has had devastating consequences for numerous industries, including fashion.
- Thankfully, fashion publishers have kept the ball rolling with new and updated editions of fashion books.
- Whether for your bookshelf or coffee table, here are the top fashion books recently published.
This year has not been a good year for fashion due to the prevailing global pandemic. Much like other industries, fashion professionals and enthusiasts had to spend months at home thinking about and planning for the future "normal".
Luckily, fashion publications have carried some of the load, with several standout coffee table books published during this turbulant time in history.
READ | 6 books written by LGBTQ+ authors you should add to your reading list this Pride Month and beyond
Perhaps you're looking to spend a Saturday morning on your living room rug with the sun streaming in from the windows as you page through a glossy fashion book, morning beverage in hand. What's also great during spring and summertime is the opportunity to spend some time outdoors, masked and social distanced.
You could also take your luxury reading to your balcony or for a picnic.
Either way, if you are in a position to invest in these collectables, we've got you covered with a selection of must-have fashion books.
The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir
Upon its announcement, André Leon Talley's latest memoir had the fashion community's tongues wagging with speculations, theories and debates due to its pulling teasers. The industry veteran reportedly mentions former colleague Anna Wintour and the late Karl Lagerfeld in the book.
In an interview with The New York Times, he says this book is an honest look at his time in fashion, "at the top of my career at Vogue, and sitting in the front row in Paris, experiencing racism, sexism, ageism, all of that".
Available for purchase here.
Naomi
Naomi Campbell's Collector's Edition book comes in two volumes, with the first featuring photographs from her modelling portfolio and packaged in a larger-than-life sculptural box. The second volume has never-before-seen autobiographical material.
About her collector's edition, Naomi says: "This Collector's Edition is a timeline of my career, and has allowed me to remember and give credit to all the wonderful people I've had the pleasure of working with over the years."
Available via the Taschen website.
READ MORE: Naomi Campbell hates the word 'retire' and plans to be active for as long as she can
Influencer De Luxe: From Soweto to Milan
This book by celebrated fashion influencer Kefilwe Mabote and co-author Lebo Grand is part autobiography, part "how-to" for the aspiring influencer. In her own words, Kefilwe says: "Here is the thing: I won't be who you want me to be. Instead, let me show you who I am. Let me share with you the lessons that have shaped me into the woman I have become."
Available for purchase here.
Rihanna
While she started her career in music, Rihanna is a known fashion icon and this book offers visual proof of that – if you needed any. As grand as coffee table books go, The Rihanna Book comes in three editions – one signed by Rihanna, another by Rihanna and The Haas Brothers and the final edition featuring a tattooed handstand. What is fashion if not extravagant? This book, in its magnificent size, features many of Rihanna's behind-the-scenes fashion moments, including her celebrated Met Gala looks.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Rihanna
This is available for purchase here or via the official website.
READ MORE: The would-be 2020 Met Gala - from a retrospective marvel at past gowns to the virtual present
Love Diaries
The Business of Fashion's Tim Blanks called these books by Love Magazine "a remarkable time capsule of this remarkable time". With more than 600 pages across the two volumes, not quite a magazine and not quite a book but certainly collectors' items.
Available for purchase on the magazine's website.
The Fashion Design Directory
Some of the leading designers and fashion companies of our time are profiled in the latest edition of The Fashion Directory. Take it from W24's editor, Nthabi Nhlapo, "it's a really great starter – in fact, not even a starter, it's a must-have if you have any interest in the history of some of the most iconic luxury fashion brands of the moment".
Available for purchase here.
Images
Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus is set to release his second book in September. The Instagram-savvy designer shared on his official page that the book features all his favourite iPhone images.
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