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Let’s Read The End of Fashion!

The next book in the Colette Book Club is The End of Fashion by Teri Agins.

I’m really excited to share this book with you. It’s one of my favourites. Agins was a seasoned journalist at the Wall Street Journal when she wrote this “strictly business” look at the American fashion industry. It’s a rare source of insight in an industry that typically relies on hype. Agins spent years researching this book, but her writing flows so smoothly you’ll barely notice how much you’re learning.

The-End-of-Fashion

Agins asks: how did the designer-driven, elitist fashion of the 20th century become the consumer-driven, accessible “fashion” of today? She dives into the megatrends that killed fashion as we knew it, illustrating her points with well-researched chapters on individual designers, like Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, and Emanuel Ungara.

Like Overdressed, this book it really explains how the fashion industry got to where it is today. It was originally published in 1999, but if anything, the last 17 years have only proved Agins’ point.

You can find The End of Fashion at bookstores or at your local library. It’s also available for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and as a Overdrive library ebook (in some regions).

We’ll discuss the book on this blog, six weeks from now, on August 4. Let people know you’re reading along with the hashtag #ColetteBookClub. Send any comments or recommendations to kat@prettyscavenger.com
Upcoming books

August 4: The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit by JJ Lee. When journalist and amateur tailor JJ Lee decides to re-makes his late father’s suit, he starts a journey into his family’s past, the history of suits, and the meaning of masculinity.

Kat Siddle

Kat Siddle is a librarian and fashion school dropout from Vancouver, B.C. She blogs about beauty and sewing at www.prettyscavenger.com.

Comments

Mira

June 24, 2016 #

I’ll admit I have read this book before, multiple times. It’s a fascinating look into the industry and the business side of things. While it focuses on the fashion industry, you can see how the concepts apply to all industries, and how businesses and products (and our perceptions of them) have changed over time. It’s eye-opening to get a glimpse into the businesses being run behind the labels. I look forward to discussing it with everyone!

Mary Earle-Sigler

June 24, 2016 #

I’ve been wanting to read your next selection for awhile now. So happy you selected it. Now I have the motivation, and a reason, to move it to the top of my list.

Susan

June 24, 2016 #

Another book that you might want to consider reading is The $50,000 Coat, which is about a bespoke coat made by a tailor for a man in Canada. It traces the history of the fabrics, how they are made, how the coat is made, and much of the tailor’s story. A really good read.

Kat

June 24, 2016 #

Someone else recommended this one too! Definitely going to check it out.

Corina

June 29, 2016 #

Hi. This book sounds great. Where do I get it? By the way, the designer listed in the early part of this article is Emaniel Ungaro. Thank you for your great website. Keep hottie great work. Corina

Katherine Siddle

June 29, 2016 #

Hi Corina! It’s an older book but it was a bestseller at the time, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find. Amazon will have it, and your local library might have it too. It’s also available on most ebook platforms.

Corina

June 29, 2016 #

I meant to say, keep up the great work. Darn autocorrect. Corina