Daphne Guinness

“Daphne Guinness is a book for those who believe in free spirits and for those who can see past celebrity. The book may not present itself as a huge, expensive, glossy tome to display to your fashion savvy friends, but it is a visual feast filled with tasty insights that you’ll want to share nonetheless.”

One of the first things that needs to be said here is simply that this is a book that can be judged by its cover. Daphne Guinness is a celebration. Yes the publication of the book coincides with the exhibit of some of her wardrobe at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City—but there is so much more that is told about the person and not just about her possessions.

If you believe that Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, or Sarah Jessica Parker are style or fashion icons, then now would be a good time to move on to the next review or the next possible book purchase. Ms. Guinness is an original: a self-effacing, wildly tasteful, expressive woman who is well bred, intelligent, and well informed—she is the real deal.

The book offers a rare opening into the person behind the “looks” in her own words as well as those of some of the most revered figures in the world of fashion. We are given a brief synopsis of her childhood, her parents, her siblings, her marriage, and her evolution of style. Ms. Guinness comes off as so down to earth and genuine as to dispel any preconceived notions you might have had about her as an effete snob. She is every bit as real as you or me—and possibly even more self-aware than most.

There are some rather startling images in the book that show Daphne Guinness smiling and looking as if she is having a good time as opposed to the very serious and usually staged photos we all see of her in magazines and editorials.

She is the first to tell you that, above all, she is not eccentric; as was best put by John Richardson, art critic, Daphne Guinness is an artist. Others have referred to her as a performance artist and her wardrobe as her tool chest; regardless, Daphne Guinness has style and daring and understands unequivocally that fashion is an art form. She considers every day an occasion to look her best and present herself as she wishes with absolutely no constraints.

Daphne Guinness is a book for those who believe in free spirits and for those who can see past celebrity. The book may not present itself as a huge, expensive, glossy tome to display to your fashion savvy friends, but it is a visual feast filled with tasty insights that you’ll want to share nonetheless.