Cool Fashion Books?

[Shucks]

we seem to be talking around each other. it's cool that you critiqued the book and offered a better alternative. i was just objecting to the assertion that the book shouldn't have been mentioned here at all. if nothing else, negative reviews are as useful as positive ones when it comes to sifting through the variety of what's available.

sz does indeed provide many good recommendations, but the opinions offered here are hardly the last word. Faust hated Jun Takahashi's issue of A Mag and thought it was a waste of money, but I thought it was awesome and would have regretted missing out had I gone by his "curation." This is a forum, not a museum exhibition.

i feel that certain content-related hygene and weeding is warranted even in a forum, and that the long and proud sz tradition of harsh criticism makes people reflect a bit more on what they are doing and saying, which is usually not a bad thing. if it makes some people nervous, maybe they should just wait a while until they are confident and informed enough to fight for their opinions so that we may have a good and vigorous discussion. again, lowest common denominators are a slippery slope, imho.

we will never reach a solid state where everyone is in agreement on things, but we need to criticize content as much as contribute it. and i stand by my assessment of these books (that were first recommended, not negatively reviewed...) as a complete waste of paper and money. a book like this is either for people who just want a biiig fucking book - with a biiig fucking brand on it - on their coffee table to show everyone that they are down with fashion, or marketed to take advantage of people who have a genuine interest but not yet enough experience to see a product like this for what it is, i.e. junk.

there are less obviously bad and more interesting things we could be debating (such as A Magazine or whatever); just because something says comme des garcons on the cover doesn't mean it's worth mentioning here. at least i don't think so.

but ok, i DO tend towards hyperbole at times, i admit to that. i find it clarifies one's position - like you clarify yours by saying that sz is "not a museum", for instance...

[Faust]

^you were memorably harsh, even for you.

http://stylezeitgeist.com/forums/sho...hlight=curated

Damn, I killed it.

[Atom]

and i stand by my assessment of these books (that were first recommended, not negatively reviewed...) as a complete waste of paper and money. a book like this is either for people who just want a biiig fucking book - with a biiig fucking brand on it - on their coffee table to show everyone that they are down with fashion, or marketed to take advantage of people who have a genuine interest but not yet enough experience to see a product like this for what it is, i.e. junk.

The thing being those Taschen books are not as bad as your trying to make them to sound like. They're not great, but have their moments, are relatively cheap, and widely available. They will introduce the work of Kawakubo and Yamamoto to some new audience. Nothing wrong with that.

Back to subject. I'm finally reading Japan Fashion Now. Seems really interesting, and if you can get past the horrible cover it fits the thread title well.

Oh, if anybody has a spare copy of A Magazine w/ Jun Takahashi, been looking for it for ages.

[Shucks]

sigh...

[Faust]

Back to subject. I'm finally reading Japan Fashion Now. Seems really interesting, and if you can get past the horrible cover it fits the thread title well.

Depending on the subject, you can bet that whatever Valerie Steele does will be good.

[Venus in Furs]

the sz i know is all about good curation - not catering to the lowest common denominator. so yes, it is necessary, but it has nothing to do with elitism per se. isn't everyone - noobs included - better off if we keep a modicum of discernment, regardless of whether we are talking clothes, books or music? by doing that, everyone saves time and effort sifting through garbage. or should we start posting on levi's jeans and rihanna now too?

this thread is "cool fashion books" - not "random crap"

don't drag levi's into this.

[Aska]

I don't think any one have mentioned the Chalayan book from Rizzoli? Its really good, well written texts about his background and fashion philosophy and nice images. Its also fun that the book isn't completely square
http://www.rizzoliusa.com/book.php?isbn=9780847833863

[Faust]

/\ see that ""search this thread" button on top? put it to use when in doubt.

For those of you in graphic design as related to fashion,

I just reviewed M to M of M/M.

[Faust]

My Review of Pattern, 10 curators, 100 designers, from Phaidon

[Faust]

I hear she's actually a very smart cookie, though I have not perused her writing myself.

[Fuuma]

I hear she's actually a very smart cookie, though I have not perused her writing myself.

Most of the cookies I went NYPD on have been pretty dumb. I wonder where that expression comes from.

I recommend the Montana book cause sometimes I think Yohji and CdG are the only things from the 80s that get discussed.

http://www.amazon.com/Claude-Montana...claude+montana

There's a MoMU-Branquinho book on ebay right now, for those interested:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Veronique-Br...item4d08061ed5

[underdog]

Taschen is expanding their large format fashion portfolio books with another pair hitting the streets in June -

Rick Ownes:

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/fashion/all/02849/facts.rick_owens.htm

Raf Simons:

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/fashion/all/02850/facts.raf_simons.htm

I've only purchased the CdG one thus far but its a great survey and quite substantial in dimension.

[Faust]

Unfortunately, Taschen is the John Varvatos of book publishing. These will be decent primers, but there are much better books out there on both designers.

[sam_tem]

true that, but these can be picked up for about the same cost as 2 issues of i-D so not a bad price for a glorified collection of spreads.

i take it everyone has that new Viviane Sassen book collecting a lot of her fashion work by now? i certainly can't get enough of her work and there's a lot of wonderful spreads in here.

http://www.randomhouse.de/book/Viviane-Sassen-In-and-Out-of-Fashion/Viviane-Sassen/e423040.rhd?pub=58500

also, Steidl's finally re-released that Guy Bourdin collection Message for You:

http://www.steidlville.com/books/1351-A-Message-For-You-Second-Edition.html

their whole stores 25% off for amspring sale for a short while right now too.

[Faust]

I am pretty sure the Bourdin is delayed (check Amazon). I am supposed to get a review copy and those usually go out well in advance.