three fashion books to discover it differently

The publishing industry has never exploited the fashion industry so much. The proof with the recently published books of our sisters Sophie Abriat (M, the magazine of the World), Adèle Bréau (Gala) and Caroline Hamelle.

“Dancing on the volcano”, by Sophie Abriat

For ten years, Sophie Abriat has been witness to « the rise of fashion in the collective imagination », yet largely underestimated in France, the country where it was born. A paradox that she deciphers in the same way as the major developments in the sector, from the luxury boom to the control of houses (LVMH, Kering, Chanel and Hermès, among others) on contemporary art, cultural life or even the sphere sporty. Soft power driven by social networks, this ultra-capitalist creative industry is taught at Harvard and brandished with feminist slogans on t-shirts. According to Loïc Prigent’s formula quoted by the journalist, « the frivolity of fashion is beneficial. We have the right to dance on the volcano. »

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“Les Influentes”, by Adèle Bréau

There is Anne, a housewife with a passion for sewing who learns during a parent-teacher meeting that Beyoncé has just worn one of her playsuits… and sees her life turned upside down. Blanche de Rochefort, the tyrannical (and vulnerable) boss of the women’s magazine Attitude, under pressure from its Chinese shareholders to reinvent itself in the face of its strange new neighbors in front row fashion shows: influencers. A threat for her, but not for Myrtille, a young and brilliant stylist, for whom the future of the industry is, obviously, in the hands of social networks. To be or to appear? Adèle Bréau’s eighth novel asks the question. And for good reason, the fashion director of Gala a « (almost) experienced everything and above all heard everything ! »

“Rihanna.” Woman & icon”, by Caroline Hamelle

Rihanna has become, since her first album, Music of the Sunin 2005, one of the best-selling artists of all time with more than 280 million records sold. And although she hasn’t released anything for almost ten years, she remains at the forefront… in fashion. Caroline Hamelle, contributor to the pages of Madame Figaro, Gala et Capitallooked into this pop culture myth, at the head of a cosmetics and sexy lingerie empire. Thanks to its audacity, the term “badass” (“badass” in French) is even laudatory: « What is more joyful than a woman, fashion icon, superstar and entrepreneur who makes no apologies for being who she is, who fully embraces herself in all her complexity? »