By Claudina Hannon
Every season it is essential to renew our bookshelf for a constant update on our fashion industry knowledge and to keep a fresh outlook on what’s happening in its world. The five book picks below represent a wide scope of the current industry focus and interests; they include two fashion icons, Oscar de la Renta and Manolo Blahnik; a photographer who sees beyond his subjects, Scott Schumann; a makeup artist master, Lisa Eldridge; and an editor with an approachable and cool attitude, Amy Odell of Cosmopolitan.com.
Ever since Schuman started The Sartorialist, he started a revolution in the way fashion and humans come together in a single photograph. There is a simple beauty to his work, and “The Sartorialist: X” is just that: a collection of organically captured beauty in the faces of strangers. The book expands its search for capturing people in places like Peru, Dubai and South Africa, among others, and if you are already a fan of his work, then you certainly don’t want to miss out on this edition.
When Oscar de la Renta passed away in 2014, he left a noticeable gap in the fashion world. But what he left behind will last forever, and that essence is what “Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style” captures. Written by André Leon Talley and with a foreword by Anna Wintour, the book lets readers learn more about the man behind the legacy, his design aesthetic and how his perseverance and talent helped him rise to the top.
Lisa Eldridge, Lancôme Makeup creative director, has been at the front lines of the beauty industry for more than 20 years, and through her work she is always teaching us valuable yet practical lessons about looking our best through the art of makeup. In “Face Paint,” Eldridge continues to educate us about beauty by giving an in-depth look into how and why people started using makeup as well as how makeup use has evolved all throughout history.
Amy Odell’s “Tales from the Back Row” is a lively recounting of personal fashion tales in a very laid back, at times comical and overall refreshing tone. The book shares honest tips about the fashion industry itself and entertaining stories about the behind-the-scenes world of the real and glamorous day-to-day life of a smart and witty editor like Odell.
Manolo Blahnik is a master shoe craftsman and design visionary—all women know this fact. But “Manolo Blahník: Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions” gives us more than just a glance into his impressive shoe collections through the years, which features more than 250 designs. The book also shows us how the man behind the iconic luxury brand works and how his work and inspirations evolved through the years.