C’est chic! 14 of the best fashion books in audio

Edward Enninful is one of the most impressive creative forces of the 21st century. The Ghanaian-born editor and stylist became the first Black person to head up any of the Vogue titles when he was named editor-in-chief of British Vogue in 2017. But he was always destined for great things — at just 18, he became the fashion editor of the influential i-D Magazine in London. Along the way, he created major campaigns for fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana. In his memoir, which he reads himself, he generously gives credit to those who have helped him, as he in turn does for others.

Style muse, actress, and social media master Julia Fox reliably serves some of the best looks of Fashion Week, whether from the runway or the front row. And just like her subversive fits, her 2023 memoir defies expectations. Exquisitely vulnerable and eloquent, Down the Drain traces her journey from a turbulent childhood split between Italy and New York, to working as a dominatrix, to navigating mental illness and toxic relationships, to supporting her son as a single mom. Narrated by the Uncut Gems star herself, it’s a powerful reminder that behind the glamour, Fox’s provocative presentation has deep roots.

As Phil Knight’s legendary biography attests, the path to building an internationally renowned business is far from linear. The Nike founder started his empire with neither massive capital nor a star-studded board of directors — instead, he took a $50 loan from his father and sold sneakers from his car. But this is not the typical rags-to-riches story of one man’s meteoric rise to success. Shoe Dog is a grounded portrayal of the realities of entrepreneurship that brings the listener through the failures, missteps, and heartache involved in starting a business. It’s brought to life by the performance of Norbert Leo Butz, described by one listener as “one of the best narrators I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.”

André Leon Talley looms large in fashion as its first major Black editor, in a career that started at Andy Warhol’s Factory and crested with his legendary run as Anna Wintour’s righthand man at Vogue. (Speaking of Anna, journalist Amy Odell’s biography is the definitive look at the brains behind the bob.) Billed as a scandalous tell-all, dripping with boldface names and fabulous clothes, his memoir is that and more. But it’s also the story of a Black man from the American South whose entry into fashion was tainted by racism, ageism, and sexual abuse. Talley’s commanding narration will transport you to Paris runways and sweaty nightclubs, even if you listen while doing dishes or cleaning out a less-than-glamorous closet.

Multihyphenate tastemaker Emily Ratajkowski may be the ultimate style icon, but My Body shows she is also a writer, thinker, and feminist force to be reckoned with. A key advocate for changing the conversation around fame and boundaries, EmRata harnesses an exceptionally candid and provocative voice in essays that explore the fetishisation and commodification of women and girls, building on her own experience as an object of beauty, scrutiny, desire, and abuse. Listener Jance notes, “She narrates the books beautifully — her tone and emotion are just right. She’s so vulnerable in this book.”

In Pat in the City, Patricia Field describes her journey from scrappy Queens kid peddling men’s pants to becoming fashion’s most notorious renegade. The daughter of immigrant parents, Field learned the principles of glamour from her entrepreneurial mother, and applied her NYU lessons on democracy to inform a style ethos that would reach millions. From her Studio 54 disco-glam looks to her award-winning work in The Devil Wears Prada, Sex and the City, and Emily in Paris, Field’s inimitable styling pushed the envelope and created trends that became the cultural standard. Now in her 70s, Field is ready to tell her story — not to take a final bow, but to spread her credo of challenging convention and filling the world with joy and dancing.

To tuck or not to tuck? For most of history that was the question, and it took Tan France to finally give the definitive answer. If the French tuck, a half-in/half-out feat of chic nonchalance, was France’s only contribution to fashion, his legacy would still be assured. But the Queer Eye style maven and South Asian gay icon has plenty more charm up his perfectly tailored sleeve, and his memoir is chock-full of proof. Guided by the author’s endearing narration, Naturally Tan chronicles his rise to fame from a religious household in South Yorkshire to Next in Fashion household name with humour, heart, and style to spare.

As ambitious as it is engaging, Sofi Thanhauser’s sweeping history of clothing is a must-listen for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of fashion. For all our modern marvels, most of today’s most fetching garments are still made the old-fashioned way: with needles, thread, and fabric. And yet for the first time in history, it is now more expensive to make your clothes than to buy them. Through the lens of five textiles — linen, cotton, silk, synthetics, and wool — Thanhuaser guides listeners through 500 years of fashion history, from couture-worthy opulence to industrial fast fashion, in this brilliant synthesis of what we wear and who we are.

Seasoned journalist Dana Thomas, a former style writer for The Washington Post and a correspondent for Newsweek in Paris, never intended to devote her career to fashion. But she soon realized how influential the industry is in global culture, business, and politics, and luckily for us, she kept her eye on the ball. In Fashionopolis, Thomas counters her meticulous accounting of the garment industry’s legendary waste and planned obsolescence with an inspiring exploration of the grassroots movement fighting to reform it. From visionary designers to cutting-edge tech, Fashionopolis points to a sustainable, global model for fashion’s future. It’s all very demure, very mindful, as the kids say.

Clothing doesn’t just separate us from animals; it’s a key force behind civilisation itself. Powering technology, business, politics, and culture through the ages, textile history and trade funded the Renaissance and Mughal Empire, inspired banks and accounting, and inspired some of the world’s greatest masterpieces of art. Deftly narrated by Caroline Cole, Virginia Postrel’s synthesis of archaeology, economics, and science reveals the engaging and surprising history of fabric.

It's hard to believe that Bobby Kim and Ben Shenassafar's pioneering streetwear empire, The Hundreds, is 20 years old, especially when the multimedia brand's influence and DIY ethos — from sold-out block parties and food festivals to limited-edition collaborations — continues to reverberate. In his sui generis memoir, This Is Not a T-Shirt, Bobby Hundreds tells the story of the brand his way — in his own charismatic voice and with the spirit of Southern California culture pulsing through his visionary testament to the history and future of streetwear.

In fashion, sooner or later, everything old is new again. This season that means capri pants, kitten heels, and, in sociology circles, René Girard. The late French critic and social theorist has become eerily relevant of late, with tremendous interest in his ideas on trends and human longing. In Wanting, Luke Burgis builds on Girard’s theory of mimetic desire, which posits that, rather than desiring anything independently, we simply want what other people want. Understanding the mechanisms behind the powerful yet hidden influence of imitation will benefit both fashion professionals and anyone seeking to better understand the psychology of shopping and consumption, with many tactical insights and aha moments within.