TFG Exclusive: Book of the Month

We're going for a bit of edge in our November pick for book of the month. Mainstream may associate Pharrell Williams with music more than fashion, but Pharrell's creative force has manifested itself into various design collaborations. In his new book Pharell: Places and Spaces I've Been, the musician not only accounts his extensive musical career and projects, but he also details his other creative endeavors that include all of the following: clothing lines, jewelry, and accessories designs for Louis Vuitton, furniture and other product design, limited-edition toys, graphic designs, skate graphics, and collaborations with Moncler, Marc Jacobs, the artist KAWS, and with architects Zaha Hadid and Masamichi Katayama/Wonderwall. 

Through his book, Pharrell strays from the classic chronological autobiographical model and provides an account of his unique career through a more graphic design approach. At the crossroads of art, design, popular culture, and street, this visionary can talk to you about Chanel's black jacket exhibit, then turn around and create a pop hit for Madonna and Miley Cyrus, all while forwarding along his passion for education and natural design sensibility through The Pharrell Williams Resource Center. Say what you will, in a world where "jack of all trades, master of none" has become commonplace, Pharrell has managed to master them all. His book is worth your time if you're ever curious to see how the mind of a Renaissance man works. Produced in different colors, you can pick up a copy here.

TFG Exclusive: Book of the Month

Okay, okay, so we're really late for October's book of the month. Work, family, and wedding planning have been keeping me pretty busy, but that won't stop me from sharing with our readers October's book of the month, Tom Ford. The coffee-table book is a complete catalogue of Ford's design work for both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent from 1994 to 2004 and captures the brilliance of one of the masters in brand development.

It chronicles not only Ford's clothing and accessories designs for both houses, but also explores Ford's grand vision for the complete design of a brand, including architecture, store design, and advertising. Tom Fordfeatures more than 200 photographs by Richard Avedon, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Terry Richardson, Craig McDean, Todd Eberle, and numerous other photographers. Many of the images were previously unpublished. The book was created in collaboration with Tom Ford himself and every page reflects his exceptional taste. I just purchased a copy last week and am truly obsessed with the visuals. If you are in the habit of collecting coffee-table books like me, Tom Ford is a must. To add this gem to your personal library, click here.

TFG Exclusive: Book of the Month

With all the flurry of fashion season, you didn't think we would forget our September pick for book of the month, did you? Courtesy of my gem of a fiancé who got a copy for me as a spontaneous gift, Karen Karbo's The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman was a light, funny, yet engaging read that not only provides insights into the complex life of the famous designer herself, but also offers life lessons for the complex life of any woman. Karbo took Chanel's personal philosophies and history and weaved them into 12 important themes organized into individual chapters in which all women can find pearls of wisdom, be it style and self-invention or money and femininity.

If you're like me and have already read one too many biographies on Coco Chanel, you'll still find Karbo's wit and unique perspective both refreshing and insightful. And if you haven't read any, you'll not only learn a lot about the iconic designer herself, but maybe even a thing or two about yourself. To get a copy of the book, click here. 

TFG Exclusive: Book of the Month

It's the beginning of August, and given that a number of loved ones, including my fiancé and I, have our birthdays only a few days apart, TFG's book of the month celebrates the theme of the Leo and fashion. Coco Chanel was a proud Leo, who not only revolutionized womenswear with her little black dress and her general infusion of menswear details, but also named her iconic perfume Chanel No. 5 because Leo is the fifth astrological sign. Yves Saint Laurent was another Leo that took the fashion world by storm as the first couture house to launch the modern concept of luxury ready-to-wear clothing. TFG has already covered Coco Chanel's biography in a previous book of the month post. And since Yves Saint Laurent and I share the same birthday and the French fashion house has been a hot topic this summer, TFG would like to encourage its readers to pick up a copy of Saint Laurent Rive Gauche: Fashion Revolution.

The book explores Laurent’s progressive approach to fashion, highlighting the cultural impact of the brand, especially its influence on women during the late ’60s and ’70s. In a time when women were beginning to take over the work force, Yves Saint Laurent filled a gap in the market, creating a fashion line with ready-to-wear, male-inspired pieces- think tuxedo jackets and trouser suits. 

Saint Laurent Rive Gauche: Fashion Revolution gives readers an insight into the French fashion house and how it defined an era and grew to be a global brand. The book contains three insightful essays and a wide array of visual material. With all the hoopla over the Slimane re-branding, perhaps a look back will give us a deeper understanding of YSL's roots. To purchase a copy of the book, click here. 

TFG Exclusive: Book of the Month

As mentioned before, the summer days have been keeping us pretty busy here at TFG and as a result, we are a bit late in announcing our fashion book of the month for July. So we're going to keep the reading light this month and encourage our readers to pick up a copy of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.

Memorializing one of the most successful and moving fashion exhibits, the book's photographs will keep you in awe and remind you of the genius that was Alexander McQueen. Last summer, I was lucky enough to attend the exhibit at the Metropolitan Musuem of Art after meeting with the general counsel to discuss the planning of the exhibit, and bought a copy of the book to add to my collection. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty is single-handedly one of my favorite fashion finds. The book covers the full breadth of the beloved designer's career, contains memorable quotes, and includes narratives behind each of his collections. The images are stellar in detail, proving that Alexander McQueen was not just a fashion designer- he was a master sartorial story-teller. Even my pragmatic fiancé got it when I had him glance through the book. To purchase a copy, click here.