It seems like practically every photographer (except me) dreams of becoming or is a fashion photographer and every model wants to "do fashion."  I'm not sure why, that could be another thread....

But what are some books that you've read recently or not, that had to do or you think were worthwhile vis a vis fashion photography or fashion as it impacts with our cultural world.

Don't just list, that's a lame way out,  give us a reason why this $60 -$125 issue made an impression on you...


Mine off the top of my head:

Fashioning Fiction in Photography since 1990--There are periodic MM discussions about Richardson, Teller, occasionally Corinne Day gets mentioned about snapshot aesthethic and how it's valuable or not.  This book, featuring some essays and photos is a good dialogue about the changing voice/view of commercial/fashion photography as influenced by Nan goldin, Larry Sultan, Teller, diCorcia etc, their seemingly amateur styles which offer a sense of immediacy as well as a street level democratization to the viewer.  It's art photography meets commerce meets cinéma vérité to create a different vision/voice.


Woman in the Mirror-avedon----------I didn't really think of it as a purely fashion book, and he wasn't my favourite photographer, but looking at work spanning from 1945-2004, and the range of of people he photographed you get a great taste of a master photographer who although not shooting with the snapshot aesthetic of a Nan Goldin, nevertheless portrays the subjects in this book, whether celebrity or street artist, with an equal dignity.  You can't look at his work and not see how fashion and celebrity and movies and the music industry all influence each other and are in a constant state of flux.  Thankfully the works are shown by date and not by classification of subject, so the changing styles are not only obvious but glorious to watch as transformation occurs.



So what about the rest of you?

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i tend to gravitate more towards books of single artists. for looking at actual current fashion, i go to the magazines. 

i have the smile i-d compilation from i-d magazine, but i believe it is out of print (strand bookstore in ny may have more copies around).  it chronicles the highlights of the magazine year by year from 1980 - 2000.

i did just pick up the first book you suggested on amazon for $9.  it looks familiar - i may have read it before. good info, and good thread.  wish i had more to add. thanks!

Style and Motion by Martin Muncaski.  Probably long out of print but shot between the wars he managed to imaprt a sense of "potential energy" in a still 2 dimensional picture.  He worked for Harpers in the early 1930's and moved imagery away from the 10x8 fashion plate of the static and staid studio shoots that dominated the fashion magazines of the time.

Gary

Irving Penn collaborated with Issey Miyake on a book simply titled "Issey Miyake". Stunning images and fashions.

I have one I like that Arthur Elgort put out a few years ago.  It's called Model's Manual.  Wasn't pricey but has some nice fashion photography...plenty of the gals I love like Linda and Christy:-)

Ohhh, so many good ones (including some listed here, and one the OP chose, Fashioning Fiction). Many more that I would like to have than I actually have.

Here are a couple more, off the top of my head, that are on my bookshelf you might want to check out (mind you I don't have my bookshelf with me):

Front Row, Backstage - Mario Testino
Sofasexy - Rankin
Terryworld - Terry Richardson
Go-Sees - Juergen Teller

... come to think of it, any of the books ("Any Objections?" "Alive" "Portraits" "Kids") by Testino would be a great look-through.

Keep in mind that none of those are really "greatest hits" collections by any of the above-named photographers, they're all highly themed, and don't generally include any of their well-known ad or editorial work, but rather personal stuff they've shot for one reason or another.

I also have another book about i-D magazine by the same the i-D publishers that has a different title, not the "smile" book, I forget the name of it. It's also very strong. As well as a collection of random, "semi-greatest hits and outtakes" from the publishers of Dazed and Confused, I forget the title. Those are all good books. And a great number of others that are escaping me at the moment, someone will doubtless mention a few of them.

Peter Lindbergh put out a couple of more "greatest hits" style collections that I have on my shelf, that are all very handsome volumes.

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Ive always lked the work of NY potographer Howard schatz, in particular he has some interesting underwater photography and a great book called NudeBodyNude.
http://www.howardschatz.com/books/

Unseen Vogue

1. It's a great little back stage side trip through the history of the magazine;

2. If the photographer had a name, large or small, there's something in there with that stamp on it;

3. As with my library as a whole, now about 2,000 volumes, it says its little bit about class, design, fate, style, and freedom.

i just picked up a great book called "italian eyes" which explores italian fashion photography from 1951 to 2005.  it's really nice to see many of these photographers that i have never heard of, along with the more popular like roversi and sorrenti.  the work is all very top notch.   i'll have more to say about this after i read a bit more of it.