{"id":4810,"date":"2024-05-16T09:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T07:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/?p=4810"},"modified":"2024-05-22T17:42:19","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T15:42:19","slug":"and-then-the-brands-discovered-how-cool-it-is-to-read","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/en\/trend-en\/and-then-the-brands-discovered-how-cool-it-is-to-read\/","title":{"rendered":"And then the brands discovered how cool it is to read"},"content":{"rendered":"

“This tendency to read novels is a way of stopping time. Everything goes so fast (…) To show that you support reading is to show that you appreciate the moment. It is something we can all do; you don’t have to be a millionaire, we can all read the same book. We can all be part of a reading club’. The (almost) new luxury trend is served<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

by Massimiliano Viti<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was 1999 <\/strong>when Karl Lagerfeld <\/strong>opened the 7L <\/strong>bookshop at seven Rue de Lille in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. A 700 square metre space that today brings together three activities: the bookshop<\/strong>, the library studio <\/strong>(in the former photographic studio of the Kaiser, reserved for the ‘friends’ of 7L), and the publishing house <\/strong>\u00c9ditions 7L. As of 2021<\/strong>, 7L is owned by Chanel <\/strong>and, today, has new services provided to those who take out an annual subscription <\/strong>(\u20ac7,164).<\/p>\n

For example, a nominative entrance ticket of \u20ac3,480 <\/strong>offers exclusive access to ‘intimate monthly readings<\/strong>‘, dance performances, and live music. ‘The bookstore is a living projection of Karl Lagerfeld’s mind,’ Laurence Delamare, global head of 7L, explains to the Financial Times. This bookshop is – also – a metaphor for a new (to a certain extent) passion in fashion and luxury: literary culture. The brands, in short, have discovered how cool it is to read <\/strong>and build exclusive opportunities to do so.<\/p>\n

Saint Laurent Babylone<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Twenty-five years after Lagerfeld, in the same Parisian arrondissement, Saint Laurent <\/strong>opened a bookstore called Saint Laurent Babylone<\/strong>. The name celebrates Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berg\u00e9’s historical connection with the S\u00e8vres-Babylone district. More than a normal, traditional bookshop, Saint Laurent Babylone aims to be a destination <\/strong>dedicated to art<\/strong>, culture, <\/strong>and new modes of expression<\/strong>. A cultural meeting place <\/strong>where the book itself is considered an artistic object <\/strong>worthy of its content.<\/p>\n

How cool is the luxury of reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Saint Laurent’s initiative testifies to the growing interest of fashion brands<\/a> in reading and books<\/strong>. This trend was reinforced by the pandemic <\/strong>when brands were looking for new connections <\/strong>with their communities. Supermarkets, caf\u00e9s, and designer libraries represented a new way of interacting with the public, who were immediately fascinated by a renewed sense of inclusiveness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Something that often goes hand in hand with that feeling somewhere between vintage and nostalgic <\/strong>exemplified – for example – by certain recovery and restyling projects of historic newsstands in large metropolises. Thus, in recent years, brands have started to give life to initiatives similar to the establishment of small, super-exclusive cultural centres <\/strong>in which, far from ostentation, they offer sensory and intellectual experiences <\/strong>to their customers.<\/p>\n

Literary fashion: sharing an experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This literary fashion boom <\/strong>is less about flaunting a passion for books and more about celebrating reading as an act that, in turn, allows people to share an experience<\/strong>, in this case, a cultural one. As with art, fashion’s interaction with literature and books is long-standing. The love between fashion and books, <\/strong>in fact, has always been quite visible, especially from a commercial point of view.<\/p>\n

Among the most popular bookshops <\/strong>are – in addition to those mentioned – Marc Jacobs<\/strong>‘ open bookshops in London and Paris (2012), Gucci’s <\/strong>in New York (2018) and Louis Vuitton’s <\/strong>in Shanghai (2023). Or Comme des Gar\u00e7ons, <\/strong>which has confirmed that the next Dover Street Market<\/strong>, also in Paris, will include a space dedicated to books called Librairie 1909<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In search of multifaceted experiences<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“Fashion loves a good story, so it is no wonder that so many designers and fashion houses look to books for inspiration and as a way to share their ideas,” says Ad\u00e9lia Sabatini<\/strong>, fashion editor-in-chief for publisher Thames & Hudson<\/strong>. “The association between fashion and literature,” says Arieta Mujay<\/strong>, creative marketing communications consultant, “not only enhances the brand narrative but also appeals to an increasingly discerning audience looking for multifaceted experiences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Appreciating the moment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“This tendency to read novels is a way of stopping time<\/strong>. Everything goes so fast. We are producing more collections and more fashion shows, and the idea of showing that you support reading is to show that you appreciate the moment<\/strong>. It’s very inspiring. It’s something we can all do; <\/strong>you don’t have to be a millionaire; we can all read the same book. We can all be part of a reading club,<\/strong>‘ says Sarah Andelman<\/strong>, who ran the influential Parisian boutique Colette <\/strong>for two decades from 1997 to 2017, selling books alongside fashion accessories.<\/p>\n

The Miu Miu Literary Club<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dior has learned its lesson<\/a>. In homage to its beloved Book Tote, the fashion house has launched a new series celebrating reading. The Dior Book Tote Club <\/strong>sees ‘friends’ of the brand talk about the books that have had the greatest impact on their lives. But there’s more. On 17 and 18 April, Miu Miu pulled <\/strong>off a cultural masterstroke. It organised its first Literary Club<\/strong>. It called it Writing Life<\/strong>, transforming Milan’s Circolo Filologico into a high-fashion literary salon where, for two days, the work of Sibilla Aleramo <\/strong>and Alba De C\u00e9spedes <\/strong>(pictured) was read and discussed.<\/p>\n

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