Required Reading | Salvatore Ferragamo - Evolving Legend (1928-2008)

Salvatore Ferragamo passed away in 1960, but his whimsical yet glamorous vision stays true in the designs of the house which has become "synonymous with shoes that embody wildly creative design, painstaking construction techniques, blissful comfort, and the finest materials" Known for designing shoes for the starlets of old Hollywood including Monroe and Hepburn Ferragamo dared to be dramatic. This fabulous memoir, Salvatore Ferragamo - Evolving Legend 1928-2008 (Skira), offers us beautiful illustrations and photographs which gives us a glimpse of Ferragamo's genius. From This is a book that will inspire you whenever you flip through the glossy pages and a must have in your fashion library. Purchase your copy here.

Required Reading: Simply Irresistible

A book I adore is, Simply Irresistible: Unleash Your Inner Siren and Mesmerize Any Man, with Help from the Most Famous--and Infamous--Women in History By Ellen T. White. There's a lot going on there in that title but it does sum up the book. The illustrations are gorgeous and it has some great tips for making a man melt. Read this before a date and you'll have the upper-hand with timeless tips and tricks from the most famous seductresses in history. Now wouldn't you like to know what made Bardot, Monroe and of course Cleo so irresistible? Click here to buy the book.

Required Reading: The One Hundred by Nina Garcia

The One Hundred : A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia is not a read you put away and forget about after the last page. It's an essential guide you keep and refer back to as you build and enhance your wardrobe. The alphabetically ordered contents make it easy to actually remember all the fashion essentials. As a Haute Mimi fan I'm pretty sure you readers own if not all at least 3/4 of the essentials from Ray Ban Aviators to the famed Tiffany wave cuff. Even then Garcia expands on the must haves to kick your wardrobe up a notch. One will really enjoy the small tidbits on fashion history. Who knew the eternal Chanel 2.55 quilted bag was named so because of its debut on February 1955. Readers will appreciate how Garcia is very specific about her picks down to the colors of the accessories. The illustrations by one of my favorite artists, Ruben Toledo are also fantastic. This book is great for those who are new to the fashion world and would like a crash course on the industry. It's also great for us who need a refresher. Get it here.

Required Reading: Cartier: Innovation Through The 20th Century

Cartier: Innovation Through The 20th Century is an amazing new title by Flammarion, distributedby Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. The book features highlights from the archives of one the most coveted jewelry houses.

With vivid pictures and insightful notations, Cartier: Innovation Through The 20th Century will take you into a world of Cartier, a place where everything dazzles with decadent glamour.

Required Reading: Valentino: Themes and Variations

The legacy of Valentino continues on. The new book, Valentino: Themes and Variations (Rizzoli) by Pamela Golbin with commentary from Valentino himself chronicles the history of the house as well as an in depth look of the inspirations behind the designs. The new book is a collector's item and a keepsake for every devoted fan of Valentino and the fashion industry. Find out more about the book here.
Valentino aka,Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, became interested in fashion while in middle school in his native Voghera, Lombardy, Italy, when he apprenticed under his uncle Rosa and local designer Ernestina Salvadeo, an aunt of noted artist Aldo Giorgini).

At 17 Valentino moved to Paris to pursue this interest with the help of his mother Teresa de Biaggi and his father Mauro Garavani. There he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.Valentino's international debut took place in 1962 in Florence, the Italian fashion capital of the time. His first show at the Pitti Palace was welcomed as a true revelation and the young couturier was submerged by orders from foreign buyers and enthusiastic comments on the press.

After the breakthrough show in Florence, Valentino started to dress the ladies of the international best-dressed crowd such as his acquaintance from the Paris years Countess Jacqueline de Ribes and New York socialites Babe Paley and Jayne Wrightsman.

In 1966, confident of his client base, he moved his shows from Florence to Rome and there, two years later, he had one of his greatest triumphs, an all-white collection, which became famous for the "V" logo he designed. Valentino's style can be seen as much more conservative and fixed. His concept of elegance and allure is basically an exercise in glamour for the sake of glamour itself. He will truly be missed. -Phillip R

Required Reading: YSL Style

YSL Style, is the latest book I've been flipping through. The book is a compilation of sketches, garments and the sparkling history of the label and man who shaped the fashion industry. Each page is filled with decadence and fantasy. Pre-order your copy today and live the dream every time. -M