Best books Paris Fashion Week

By CW Contributor on 23/9/2019

The global 'Big Four' fashion weeks, comprised of New York, London, Milan and Paris, always fabulously culminates in the City of Lights.
Paris has had a long and illustrious history as a fashion capital as the home of some of the most storied and celebrated houses in the industry. Whilst it was by no means the first city to have an official fashion week, the concept of the catwalk was born out of the shows held in Parisian couture salons.
Whether you've got front-row seats or are enjoying Paris Fashion Week via your browser, there's nothing like a fabulous fashion tome to bring some of that catwalk magic to your coffee table. Revisit timeless style by flicking through monographs of some of the world's most famous fashion designers and photographers.

100 Contemporary Fashion Designers

This Taschen tome offers a compendium of the biggest names in contemporary fashion design from industry luminaries to rising talents. Edited by Terry Jones, co-creator of street-style fashion magazine i-D, this bold book is packed with a punchy panorama of fashion editorials and career-defining catwalk shows.

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Chanel Catwalk: The Complete Karl Lagerfeld Collections

During his tenure at Chanel, Karl Lagerfield not only shaped the brand's legacy but also revolutionised the catwalk into the outlandish, theatrical entertainment it is today. Chanel Catwalk: The Complete Karl Lagerfeld Collections offers page after page of razor-sharp looks, world-famous supermodels and jaw-dropping sets which all provide a stunning insight into the mind of the late fashion genius.

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The Fashion Set: The Art of the Fashion Show

Walls made of hundreds of fresh blooms, a sandy beach, a supermarket or a giant cruise ship – for some creative directors there are no limits to what can be staged on the runway. The power of Instagram has inflated this art form to no end with each designer attempting to outdo themselves (and others) fashion week after fashion week. This book is a celebration of the catwalk in all its ostentation.

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Christian Dior

If you weren't lucky enough to catch the V&A's sell-out Dior exhibition, then why not pore over the haute couture brand's seminal dresses recorded in this gorgeous coffee table book. Christian Dior showcases the highlights of the House of Dior from its foundation in 1947 to the present day as well as exploring the creative minds which have helmed the brand such as Yves Saint Laurent, Gianfranco Ferré, and Raf Simons.

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Peter Lindbergh. A Different Vision on Fashion Photography

Preparing for fashion week can also mean schooling yourself on some of the most famous fashion photographers of all time. Peter Lindbergh, who recently died aged 74, is often credited as the photographer who documented the rise of the supermodel in the 90s. Peter Lindbergh. A Different Vision on Fashion Photograph boasts 400 pictures, many never published, as well as personal commentaries from fashion personalities such as Cindy Crawford and Anna Wintour.

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Fashion Designers A–Z

See the fashion greats alongside photographs of designs in the permanent collection of New York's Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. From exquisite evening gowns to minimalist suits, each piece has been selected because it encapsulates the ethos of each designer.

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The New French Couture: Icons of Paris Fashion

The New French Couture brings together designs of all the famed Parisian fashion houses for an epic narration of the evolution of French style. Take a peak into the magical worlds of these exclusive ateliers with more than 175 photographs of editorials, runways and behind-the-scenes moments. Read while eating croissants and sipping chocolat chaud.

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