The most recommended avant garde books

Who picked these books? Meet our 24 experts.

24 authors created a book list connected to avant garde, and here are their favorite avant garde books.
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Book cover of Fashion Criticism: An Anthology

Laura T. Di Summa Author Of A Philosophy of Fashion Through Film: On the Body, Style, and Identity

From my list on people who overthink their look.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I spent hours marveling at my father’s collection of ties. In love with tailoring, he taught me the meaning of “sprezzatura” and the joys that come from thinking of clothes as a part of yourself. Fashion returned to me as I studied philosophy, art history, and film. It took a few years, but then it just became clear to me that I had to talk about it. So I started writing, curating, and experimenting a bit more. I always say that fashion is a verb: my work is to explore what It can do, whether by curating a show, writing articles, or perusing local boutiques in my travels.

Laura's book list on people who overthink their look

Laura T. Di Summa Why did Laura love this book?

Before Instagram, we read about fashion. Well, we still do. At least, I do.

Francesca Granata has selected a series of fashion articles that are not only fun to read but are lynchpins to an understanding of the history of fashion, its quirks, and why we care so much about it.

You’ll find articles on military fashions, minis for men, and all the designers you should be curious about. 

By Francesca Granata (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fashion Criticism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is the first anthology of fashion criticism, a growing field that has been too long overlooked. Fashion Criticism aims to redress the balance, claiming a place for writing on fashion alongside other more well-established areas of criticism. Exploring the history of fashion criticism in the English language, this essential work takes readers from the writing published in avant-garde modernist magazines at the beginning of the twentieth century to the fashion criticism of Robin Givhan-the first fashion critic to win a Pulitzer Prize-and of Judith Thurman, a National Book Award winner. It covers the shift in newspapers from the so-called…


Book cover of Fashion Criticism: An Anthology

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