Delve into the private worlds of Old Hollywood stars, the house of Chanel, trailblazing black supermodels and other style legends
Words by MARIE LOOK, ANUSH J. BENLIYAN and ELIZABETH VARNELL
Adrian: A Lifetime of Movie Glamour, Art and High Fashion
Written by Leonard Stanley, a preeminent collector of costume design sketches, and Mark A. Vieira, with a foreword by Adrian’s son, Robin Adrian, these pages celebrate the life and iconic work of the mononymous designer and costumer, who concepted ensembles for more than 150 productions during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Enjoy reviewing sketches and photographs of incredible gowns worn by Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Katharine Hepburn and others. Rizzoli New York, $65.
Avedon: Behind the Scenes 1964-1980
Master printer Gideon Lewin muses on working with photographer Richard Avedon for 16 years, revealing never-before-told stories and other insights into his collaborative relationship with the late lensman. See more than 200 remarkable photographs, featuring famous personalities like Sophia Loren, Jean Shrimpton, Lauren Hutton, Rene Russo, Patti Hanson, Anjelica Huston and Veruschka, plus learn more about the preparations that went into Avedon’s major exhibitions and shoots for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. PowerHouse Books, $75.
Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion
Filled with essays, interviews and gorgeous photography, L.A. stylist Marcellas Reynolds’ new title honors the trailblazing black women who revolutionized the industry. Encompassing the sirens of the ’90s (Iman, Beverly Johnson, Donyale Luna, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell) to the new guard (Adwoa Aboah, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls), the book celebrates those who have been unafraid of speaking up and speaking out. Abrams Books, $50.
Chanel: The Impossible Collection
Alexander Fury refers to this achievement as “a literary museum exhibition,” a curated selection of 100 signature styles of the house of Chanel, extending from the reign of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel herself to the time of Karl Lagerfeld and his unexpected updates to her original looks. Observe the timeless little black dress, the trademark tweed suit, the two-tone pumps and others in the context of photos from editorial archives, museums and private collections. Assouline, $895.
Bejeweled: The World of Ethical Jewelry
Expert Kyle Roderick has profiled 15 designers — among them, Southern California brand Loren Nicole — who are proponents of fairly mined gold and ethically sourced gemstones. With a foreword by Hutton Wilkinson (the longtime business partner of the late designer Tony Duquette) the book explores the ways in which jewelry has evolved beyond being symbolic of indulgence, into an environmentally responsible luxury business and sustainable, purpose-driven art form. Rizzoli New York, $65.
Prabal Gurung
In the first book on, and written by, the designer, Prabal Gurung shares mood boards, sketches, runway shots and other never-before-seen photographs to shed light on his creative process. Inside you will find friend Sarah Jessica Parker’s foreword; a conversation between Gurung and T: The New York Times Style Magazine editor-in-chief Hanya Yanagihara; and behind-the-scenes stories from the designer himself on dressing fashion heavyweights like former first lady Michelle Obama, Oprah, Diane Kruger, Hailee Steinfeld and others. Abrams Books, $75.
Rick Owens Photographed by Danielle Levitt
Youth culture documentarian Danielle Levitt trains her lens on the vibrant and curvilinear proportions, monastic layers and postapocalyptic glamour dreamed up by Rick Owens in the past decade for a dynamic new volume. From the first image of a step dancer in the San Joaquin Valley-raised designer’s 2014 Vicious women’s collection to the towering headpieces of his fiery 2019 Babel presentation, Levitt captures a range of looks — fierce, contemplative, even ecstatic — all wildly original. Rizzoli New York, $55.
Feature image: An extravagant 1920s showgirl costume sketch by ADRIAN, as seen in the new book Adrian: A Lifetime of Movie Glamour, Art and High Fashion. Image courtesy of the Leonard Stanley Collection.
Nov. 12, 2019
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