Must read books by fashion icons………You know how some people collect stamps or sneakers? I collect fashion books. Well—“collect” is a strong word. More like, I hoard them until my coffee table looks like it’s about to collapse under the weight of Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel’s life stories.
This post isn’t some polished “I’m-an-expert” list. It’s me—Queens girl, tiny apartment, mismatched mugs—telling you about the must read books by fashion icons that actually stuck with me. The ones that smell a little like perfume samples from 2007 magazines. The ones that have food stains on the corners because I read them while eating cold pizza.
And maybe, just maybe, they’ll change the way you see style too.
Fashion Books Aren’t Just Books—they’re Kinda Like Diaries
Here’s the thing. Fashion books aren’t just glossy coffee table props. When you pick up a memoir or a style book written by someone like Grace Coddington or André Leon Talley, you’re basically eavesdropping on the lunch table where all the cool kids sit.
You ever sit in a diner at 2 a.m. with your best friend and swap stories you wouldn’t tell anyone else? That’s what these books feel like. It’s personal. Messy. Human.
The Must Read Books by Fashion Icons I Actually Recommend
I’ve read (or at least half-read, no judgment) a ton of fashion books. These are the ones that earned permanent residency on my shelf.
1. “Grace: A Memoir” by Grace Coddington
The first time I read Grace Coddington’s memoir, I was on the 7 train, balancing it on my knees while trying not to spill coffee on a stranger. Grace is the legendary Vogue creative director with that wild orange hair. Her book? It’s basically like sitting on the floor of her office while she tells you how she survived car accidents, heartbreak, and the chaos of high fashion shoots.
It’s honest, funny, a little bit heartbreaking. And it made me feel like maybe being weird is your superpower.
(Outbound link suggestion: link to Penguin Random House’s page for “Grace: A Memoir”)
2. “The Chiffon Trenches” by André Leon Talley
André was six-foot-six of pure storytelling magic. This memoir isn’t just about pretty clothes; it’s about resilience, power, and sometimes pain. He writes about growing up in the segregated South, finding his way into Vogue, and navigating an industry that wasn’t always kind.
When I read it, I found myself underlining sentences like I was back in college. Some of his observations? Brutal. But also necessary.
I still remember one night, 1 a.m., eating cereal, reading a passage where he described his loneliness despite being surrounded by glamour. It hit me hard. Fashion’s not all sparkle—it’s people.
(Image Placeholder: A moody shot of “The Chiffon Trenches” next to a half-empty cereal bowl and spoon. Dim kitchen lighting. Filename: chiffon-trenches-late-night-reading.jpg)
(Outbound link suggestion: “The Chiffon Trenches” HarperCollins page)
3. “D.V.” by Diana Vreeland
Okay, confession: I bought this book because the cover looked cute next to my couch. But then I cracked it open, and wow. Diana Vreeland—the OG fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar and later Vogue—writes the way she lived: dramatic, hilarious, completely unfiltered.
It’s more like a series of fabulous stories than a traditional memoir. There’s a part where she casually mentions Jackie Kennedy like she’s talking about her neighbor. I read it on a rainy Sunday and felt like I’d been invited to some glamorous cocktail party in 1965.
4. “Alexander McQueen: Blood Beneath the Skin” by Andrew Wilson
This one’s heavier. Alexander McQueen wasn’t just a designer—he was an artist, and sometimes a tortured one. This biography digs into his childhood, his creative process, and the darkness behind some of his most beautiful shows.
I cried. Not even kidding. But it also made me appreciate the wildness of creativity. Like, the next time you see a dress made of feathers or razor clam shells, you think, “Yeah, someone poured their soul into that.”
5. “Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life” by Justine Picardie
Coco Chanel’s life was a mess—brilliant, stylish, but messy. Orphaned young, self-invented, kind of ruthless. This biography is like peeling back the layers of a myth. And yes, you’ll side-eye some of her choices. But you’ll also see how she built an empire from basically nothing.
I read this one during a snowstorm. My windows were frosted, my radiator was clanking, and I was in sweatpants. But as I turned the pages, I felt like I was in Paris, 1913, smelling No. 5 in the air.
6. “Becoming by Cindy Crawford” (Photo Book + Stories)
Not every must read book by a fashion icon has to be text-heavy. Cindy Crawford’s book mixes photos with little essays. It’s like scrolling through Instagram but analog and cooler. She talks about aging, motherhood, modeling—all with this grounded Midwestern honesty.
I left mine on my coffee table for months, and every time someone came over, they’d pick it up. It’s that kind of book.
Why These Books Stick With Me
They’re not just about fashion or about survival, reinvention, art, and sometimes chaos. They’re about people who wore ridiculous shoes to change the world (literally).
And they’re kinda like mirrors. I’ll read something Grace says about feeling out of place in the fashion world and think, “Wow, me in high school lunchroom.” Or André talking about loneliness in glittering spaces—been there.
A Few Weird Reading Habits (Because This is Me)
- I dog-ear pages. Sorry, purists.
- I use random things as bookmarks—receipts, bodega flyers, a MetroCard once.
- I read in weird places: the laundromat, the fire escape, the back of a cab.
- I spill food on them. (There’s a marinara stain on “D.V.” I will never explain.)
Where to Find Must Read Books by Fashion Icons Without Going Broke
Books like these can be pricey, but I’ve scored most of mine secondhand:
- The Strand in Manhattan—floor-to-ceiling fashion books. Heaven. (The Strand Books link)
- Thrift stores in Queens (seriously underrated).
- Library sales (I once found a pristine McQueen book for $5).
- Friends moving apartments—people don’t want to lug heavy books.
How I Display Them (Because It Matters)
You’d think it’s just plopping books on a table. Nope. I stack them in threes. Mix big bold covers with softer ones. Top them with a candle or a weird rock I found in Rockaway Beach. It makes my living room feel like a mini gallery, even though the floor squeaks and the paint’s peeling.
(Internal link suggestion: link “mini gallery” to your own “DIY Home Renovation Tips” blog post)
Final Thoughts (Or, Why I’m a Messy Book Collector)
I don’t read these books to become stylish. I read them to feel connected to the weird, beautiful, complicated humans behind the glossy spreads. The must read books by fashion icons I’ve listed aren’t perfect—just like the people who wrote them. But they’re honest. And inspiring. And sometimes funny in ways you don’t expect.
Also, if you ever see me on the 7 train balancing a giant fashion book on my knees while eating a bagel—mind your business.
