Fashion's love affair with literature has reached a new peak, where the book you carry is now as important as your handbag or coat. At Valentino's spring/summer 2027 show in Paris, creative director Alessandro Michele turned the 19th-century Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève into a party venue, complete with strobe lights and models weaving between tables and shelves. Guests were asked to bring a book, new or from home, to be donated to local libraries afterward.
Celebrity Choices Speak Volumes
The books chosen by attendees revealed more than just literary taste. Colman Domingo brought Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, while Naomi Watts opted for Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Joe Alwyn's choice of James and the Giant Peach drew immediate criticism, with some calling it 'unshakeable ex-boyfriend energy.'
While some dismiss this as judging a book by its cover, the trend is undeniable. From Miu Miu to Kaia Gerber, book clubs are everywhere, and performative reading is now common from Hammersmith to Hackney.
What Your Autumn/Winter Read Says About You
For those carrying Partita by Barbara Kingsolver, the new release from the Pulitzer Prize winner signals literary fiction savvy, much like Sarah Jessica Parker's taste. The cover's autumnal stripes suggest a keen eye for style, possibly extending to Fendi bags.
Readers of Life of M by Rachel Cusk might be slightly behind the times, as the book was everywhere at London Fashion Week in September. The autofiction, allegedly about Natalie Portman, is a quick 192-page read, perfect for moving on to more timely trophy texts.
Romantasy and Classics Make a Statement
Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Splintered Harmony, the sixth installment in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, may not win over critics, but the romantasy genre boosted UK fiction sales by £550 million last year. The ombré cover might even be retro enough to be almost cool.
Emma Cline's Switzy, an immersive literary exploration of dementia, pairs well with color-pop knits in royal purple and high-vamp pumps. For a classic choice, the new edition of Price & Prejudice with an introduction by Dolly Alderton appeals to millennial women, much like a pair of Loeffler Randall flats.
Liv Little's Bitter Melon, a father-daughter journey through Jamaica exploring identity and grief, is an immediate style shortcut. Bonnie Garmus's Peck & Peck, from the author of Lessons in Chemistry, pairs with Sézane's Clyde trench, though you might mix up your copy with a friend's identical one.
