Photography via Instagram.com/abelone_holte
20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books to Gift This Holiday Season
By
Lauren Hazlewood
Date November 16, 2018
Shopping for a fashion-lover can be a little nerve-wracking. Will the sweater you’ve selected go with their carefully curated closet? Do they like scarves? How about bold patterns? Style can be such a personal thing and–even if it is the thought that counts–it can be overwhelming to try and get it right.
We suggest you ditch the clothing stores and explore a bookstore instead. Coffee table books are the kind of luxurious objects people rarely think to buy for themselves, and as such, they tend to make amazing gifts. Fashion-related coffee table books are some of the most beautiful out there, and whether you go with a book of editorial shoots taken straight from the glossy pages of magazines, or an in-depth look at an iconic designers of the past, your fashion-loving friend is sure to be thrilled.
Browse through our top 20 picks below, and while you’re at it, grab one for yourself.
20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Women of Singular Beauty: Chanel Haute Couture
($104, Barnes & Noble )
Photographer Cathleen Naundorf gives readers a rare glimpse into Chanel’s elaborate haute couture collections.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Bill Cunningham's On The Street: 60 Iconic Years of Fashion
($70, Indigo)
When it comes to capturing street style, Bill Cunningham was one of the best. The photographer worked for the New York Times from 1978 up until his death in 2016. Just as the cover depicts, he was often spotted riding around New York on his bicycle, camera in-hand.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
($60, Indigo)
Alexander McQueen’s reputation proceeds him and this book is the perfect tribute to the late designer’s career. It was published in accordance with the designer’s exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Vogue 100: A Century of Style
($70, Indigo)
Vogue has released many a coffee table book at this point, but this one explores the iconic magazine decade by decade.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Aptly named Drop, this book explores streetwear culture and the unrelenting hype of brands like Supreme, Anti Social Social Club and Off-White.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Tom Ford: Ten Years
($141, Indigo)
This book catalogues the decade Ford spent working with Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci from 1994 to 2004.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Where’s Waldo is fun but Where’s Karl is on a whole other level. Try to spot the iconic Chanel director in a series of illustrations that include everything from the annual Met Gala to the beaches of Tulum.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Handbags: A Love Story
($69, Indigo)
Award-winning handbag designer Monica Botkier creates an ode to her favourite accessory in this beautiful book which features the creations of designers like Hérmes and Celine.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue
($200, Phaidon)
This hardback features stunning imagery that spans creative director Grace Coddington’s first 30 years at Vogue. Coddington’s impeccable styling transformed her into something of a legend, making this book a must-have.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Harper's Bazaar: 150 Years: The Greatest Moments
($55, Indigo)
Released last year, this book was put together in celebration of the magazine’s 150th anniversary. Ordered chronologically, Harper’s dives deep into their archives to take you through the history of the publication.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
The Complete Costume History
($93, Taschen)
This book makes a beautiful gift for someone obsessed with the history of fashion. From togas to top hats, it’s pretty much a fashion encyclopedia.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
100 Contemporary Fashion Designers
($80, Taschen)
If the previous book looked to fashion’s past, this book looks to fashion’s future. Edited by i-D creator, Terry Jones, the two-volume compilation is full of colourful imagery and up-and-coming brands.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
With interviews from the likes of Virgil Abloh and Serena Williams, this is the perfect gift for the sneakerhead in your life.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
This tome on Alaïa celebrates the brand’s history, featuring images of its best haute-couture gowns and excerpts from the designer’s closest friends.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Roger Vivier is known for his incredible bags and shoes and this book showcases the best of his work. Fashion bloggers and tastemakers provide refreshing commentary on his classic designs.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Coco Chanel: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon
($22, Indigo)
This book features the beautiful illustrations of Megan Hess as she takes the reader through 100 of the most quintessential moments in Chanel’s history.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Italiana: Italy Through the Lens of Fashion 1971-2001
($58, Barnes & Noble)
This book focuses on Italy’s impact on the fashion industry and beyond at the end of the 20th century.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
The Little Book of Audrey Hepburn
($21, Indigo)
Audrey Hepburn needs no introduction as one of fashion’s greatest icons. This book, which takes you through the star’s life and career, makes the perfect gift.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
The Little Dictionary of Fashion: A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman
($15, Indigo)
In this handbook, Dior teaches every reader the three fundamentals of fashion: simplicity, grooming and good taste.
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20 Fashionable Coffee Table Books
Christian Dior: History and Modernity, 1947-1957
($50, ROM Boutique)
This book presents the Royal Ontario Museum’s collection of Christian Dior couture from 1947 to 1957.
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