Designer books - a curious new fashion trend

We haven’t heard much from Mr McDowell lately – perhaps he’s away on holiday, or working on a new book. Colin McDowell’s thought provoking posts are a far cry from your average fashion blogger’s fantasy affairs, which I suppose is what comes from being one of the most knowlegeable and eloquent fashion journalists in the world.

Here’s a snippet from one of his more recent posts:



“It seemed natural after all that to set off up Fauborg Saint-Honoré and hit the shops. My two male companions were in crazed must-have-it buying mood and egged each other on to buy … anything as long as it had a scary price tag, which meant everything, in fact. Respectively they bought a denim shirt and a pair of trainers (at a cost of over €700) and a pair of trainers and drop-crotch pants (close to €1000), all of which will be totally out of fashion in a very short time. Which is what being a fashion person is all about.”

Colin, I agree. It does seem that for many of us, ‘fashion’ has become a byword for overpriced designer label goods. What’s more, the strong pull factor of branded fashion in popular culture has got everyone trying to cash in on the latest faddish trends...Is brown the new black? Is short the new long? Are books the new trainers?

Come to think of it, astonishingly expensive designer books, a sudden demand for built-in libraries, ‘bibliotherapy’, book inspired artworks and home furnishings are just a few of the curious trends spotted by ShopCurious lately. I know we can't wear books, but expect to see book print fabrics, book inspired accessories and all manner of bibliomaniacal creations on the catwalk.



Oh, and over at The Dabbler, you can find out what us retro-progressive types make of stylized new additions to the book world.

Anyway, I guess it's all good news as it means we’ll be reading more... so I hope you’re feeling suitably bookish?

Are you?