Some of our favourite Vogue editor titles. Image writer’s own.
Thanks to the likes of The Devil Wears Prada and Ugly Betty, the allure of what happens behind the doors of an illustrious fashion magazine is increasingly fascinating. Lucky for us, some current and former editors, as well as individuals with insights into that world, have put pen to paper and given us the exclusive. Today we have four, must-reads from Vogue editors and fashion insiders. If you are an audiobook fan, we recommend you look these up on iTunes or Audible as well.
Inside Vogue by Alexandra Shulman, $45 published by Penguin
The most recent of these books featured is Shulman’s diary of the centenary year at British Vogue. It is candid, authentic and really gives a perspective like no other into the world of magazine editing. Alexandra is often credited for her seamless blend of Vogue’s fashion with equally as brilliant lifestyle stories. She tends to get overlooked when Anna Wintour exists as the lifeblood of the fashion industry but in our opinion she is equally as admirable. We’re sad to see her leave British Vogue in June but cannot wait to see what she does next.
Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington, $50 published by Random House
The creative director at large of Vogue came to the world’s attention in 2009 after she emerged as the breakthrough star of The September Issue. Coddington herself notes that Anna let the cameras in to put some of the misconceptions around Vogue to rest. Grace’s writing and stories about her days growing up in the Welsh countryside are beautifully written. They are vivid and dreamlike, much like her editorials for Vogue. She also shares many a tale about her years at British Vogue, as a model, Anna Wintour and of course a chapter dedicated to her cats. We’ve heard the rights to Grace’s memoir have been sold to a film studio so it is only a matter of time before we see her story play out cinematically.
Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow and Tom Sykes, $22 published by Harper Collins
2007 was a devastating year for the fashion industry with Isabella Blow’s passing. While it would have been brilliant to hear her extraordinary life from her perspective, this book, co-written by her husband and Tom Sykes is surely the next best thing. Our favourite anecdote was hearing she once cleaned her desk at American Vogue with a bottle of Chanel Number 5, much to Wintour’s amusement. She is also responsible for bringing Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy to the world’s attention. While Blow by Blow may be more hard hitting than the other books we have featured here, it still makes for compelling reading.
The Vogue Factor by Kirstie Clements, $8 published by Guardian Faber Publishing
We remember being shocked upon hearing of Clements’s unceremonious dismissal from Vogue Australia. She has since gone on to pen a number of books, regularly contributes to news publications and is currently an editorial consultant for Bauer Media Australia. While Vogue Australia operates on a much smaller scale than the international variations, it still has some really fascinating details behind its closed doors. For one, in the earlier days, the magazine relied on pieces from the shop’s floors. If they wrecked a garment, it would be a disaster for Vogue and the store involved. She divulges details about fashion weeks, securing the Crown Princess Mary for a cover story and more.
Sophie Putze also writes at Nana Wintour.