Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Best Fashion And Style Books

For the people in your life who are passionate about fashion, these fabulous books make perfect Christmas presents. Be entertained by the glamour of a bygone age and the women who made a significant impact, delve into the dazzling imagery of haute couture at a time when a photographers skill lay in his technical abilities with a Leica not a computer screen, and be uplifted by the witty advice of fashion’s Grande Dames who embraced their unique personal style, unafraid to champion individuality and stand out from the crowd. Nothing beats the pleasure of a holding a beautifully crafted book in your hands, flicking through the color infused pages for creative inspiration.

Marilyn Monroe Style

If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Marilyn Monroe think again. Terry Newman is a masterful writer with a forensically investigative style, revealing so much more about Monroe’s role as a fashion influencer than the bombshell sex goddess in shimmering sequins, that became shorthand for her image. In films like The Misfits, she showed us how to look chic in a man’s Lee Storm Rider denim jacket and jeans, off screen she championed designers like Pucci (silk jersey) Ferragamo (classic court shoes) and Chanel (perfume). Analysis of the star as a fashion muse extends seamlessly into luxury modern day collections, with Newman observing key creatives who have paid homage to Monroe’s style, including Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Max Mara and Prada. With hundreds of glossy images, examination of the actress’s sartorial choices reveal them to be as multifaceted as the woman behind them. accartbooks.com £35/$40

Colourful by Iris Apfel

The ‘accidental icon’ who was known as the World’s Oldest Living Teenager, Iris Apfel imparts her words of fashion wisdom and shares the creative philosophy behind her spectacularly colorful life. Bursting with hundreds of pictures of Apfel from childhood, through to her modelling the turquoise jacquard trouser suit she designed for H&M in 2021, this book chronicles her life, documenting inspirational travels, whilst offering the invaluable advice of a fashion visionary. “Wrinkles are a badge of courage. Why try to hide the years you’ve been lucky enough to live”. abrhamsbooks.com £40/$44.95

Fashion Faux Parr

A fabulous compendium of global fashion imagery that mixes authentic street style with candid front row pictures at the international runway shows. Martin Parr’s distinct view of the world has earned him many photographic awards and this his first fashion book showcases three decades of work, including inspired editorial spreads for Vogue Espana showing girls in shocking pink flamenco style outfits at the petrol pump, and surreal campaigns featuring the octogenarian sun worshipping citizens of Cannes for Gucci. Parr’s irreverent attitude to his subject, (he claims not to be a fashion photographer) is what makes all of these 300 pages of full colour images, totally compelling to look at. phaidon.com £39.95/$45

MOOD OF THE MOMENT Gaby Aghion & Chloe

Choosing the name Chloe simply because she liked the roundness of the letters, the stylish French Egyptian, Gaby Aghion launched her upmarket range of feminine womenswear in 1952, inventing the idea of well-crafted garments in beautiful fabrics at a time before ready to wear existed. With comprehensive texts detailing the history of the brand, starting with the founder’s initial philosophy of using a team of creative stylists (of whom Karl Lagerfeld was the most famous) to bring her vision to life, this beautiful book charts seven decades of Chloe. With stunning photographic images and contributions from many of the celebrated designers who have been associated with the house, Claire Waight Keller, Gabriela Hearst and Phoebe Philo to name just a few, it provides a fascinating view of how the industry itself has changed. yalebooks.yale.edu £50/$65

CBK:Carolyn Bessette Kennedy A Life In Fashion

With an understated style that became synonymous with fashion in the 1990s, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was the poster girl for elegant minimalism. With every public appearance she exuded a cool New York vibe that seemed effortlessly modern, yet somehow attainable. This commemorative book examines the impact she had on fashion, with introductions by Gabriela Hearst and Edward Enninful who provide personal endorsements of her timeless appeal, and original interviews with current creatives who analyse her pared back approach to luxury. Written by Sunita Kumar Nair, with many unseen photographs and numerous personal anecdotes from friends, photographers and fashion aficionados, CBK serves as a reminder that ‘fashion’ is always commerce, real style comes from within and can never be bought. abramsbooks.com £50/$65

Norman Parkinson Style Photographs for Vogue

Affectionately known as “Parks”, the eccentric English photographer built his career in the 1940s and ‘50s but was still working on location in 1990 when he died. Divided into five chapters from the 1930s through to the 1970s, Parkinson’s work for Vogue magazine captures the great beauties of the day chronicling the changing face of fashion in each era. From the aristocratic charm of Fiona Cambell Walter (later Baroness Thyssen) in the early 1950s, to the waiflike spontaneity of Twiggy in 1967, and later the full-on glamour of the 1980s with Jerry Hall and Iman together in Louis Feraud furs. Text by Terence Pepper details the significant social changes of each decade and provides insight into the leading designers and models of the day. welbeckpublishing.com £40/$44.95

Audrey Hepburn in Paris

Although never a resident of Paris, Hepburn had a long-time love affair with the City of Light, not least because of her astonishingly successful friendship with Hubert de Givenchy for whom she became a glamorous ambassador championing his clothes both on and off set. Compiled by longtime fan Meghan Friedlander with an introduction by Audrey’s son Luca Dotti, this book provides a comprehensive text documenting Hepburn’s first trip to the French capital in 1951 for couture fittings for Monte Carlo Baby, to her final au revoir in 1992. With hundreds of color and black and white photos including many candid family snapshots that have never been seen before (visiting Monet’s gardens in Giverny) as well as many stunning fashion images (modelling Courrèges white felt space helmet) this book captures both sides of the much loved movie star. harpercollins.com £30/$40

Diana Vreeland Bon Mots

The groundbreaking American fashion editor Diana Vreeland was renowned for her sharp wit and perceptive observations on life, ‘Pink is the navy blue of India’ was just one of her famous musings. Her bon mots (French for well-chosen words) have been compiled by her son Alexander Vreeland, from many disparate sources, including notes and journals she created during her long career, letters to friends and content found in the archive files of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Public Library. Vreeland was a visionary who was revered within the industry, and her personality shines through in all these funny, insightful aphorisms. “I mean a new dress doesn’t get you anywhere; it’s the life you’re living in the dress” With charming illustrations by Luke Edward Hall, this book is guaranteed to lift the spirits. rizzoliusa.com £14.90/$14.98