Essential Reads

THE DRESS With the summer quickly settling in, there’s no doubt that the most talked about show come September will be Raf Simons’ inauguration at the House of Christian Dior. Up your fashion credentials for the inevitable discussions by taking a swirl through the House’s overflowing couture archives.

From 1947 when the designer himself first embarked on his journey to change the fundamentals of style, to the dramatic pieces mastered by John Galliano and the most recently debated show under Bill Gaytten; everything you could possibly want in a dress can be found on the pages of this book.

So whether its artistic elegance or flamboyant originality, this book makes for the perfect summer escapade and a great conversation starter for when the autumn shows kick in.

THE SHOES ‘Shoes have a magical, almost mythical hold on our imaginations’ – the blissfully true sentence with which this book’s foreword begins tells the fairy tale story of how Tamara Mellon and Jimmy Choo came to be. The gold-gilded edges of this book promise an incredible story, and unlike some of those summer chick-lits you will not be left disappointed.

The thick pages inside are to a shoe obsessive what money is to a banker. The simple satin crossover of Macy, the tough-zipped elegance of Gleny’s, and of course the thinly-strapped fame of Lance; this book epitomises the best of Jimmy Choo, creating a shrine for its 15 most revered styles. From red-carpet glamour to lustful campaigns, this book is quite literally shoe heaven. In fact, when the holidays have left your statements in the red, this book will be almost as good as going shoe shopping itself.

THE MAN Regardless of whether or not you’ve had your fill of well-dressed perfectly toned gentlemen from the Imperial Library over the exam period, the truth is there can never be too much eye-candy. In fact, for those of us still praying that the next time we walk through those (still confusing) double doors that we shall find our prince, its time to admit defeat and turn trustingly to our friends Dolce & Gabbana.

Should you dare to take a few moments away from reality over the summer for this jewel, you will find nothing less than 270 pages of swoon. David Gandy, aka THAT gorgeously chiselled guy who advertises the label’s fragrances by casually being half-naked on a boat (see below), now has an entire book in which he poses (somewhat provocatively) in what can only be described as generally not much clothing. Tearing yourself away from those abs may be your biggest challenge yet.