The Men's Fashion Book

Spanning two centuries, Jacob Gallagher and the Phaidon editors reveal their collective take on the most influential designers, brands, photographers, models, stylists, art directors, editors, media, and influencers from the world of men’s fashion. The reader gets an almost encyclopedic and comprehensive chronicle of the men’s fashion business seen through the eyes of these authors who have chosen who is to be held in such high esteem.

This is an epic and monumental undertaking that unfolds with subjects ranging from Beau Brummel to dandyism to more and more conforming types of dressing (think Mad Men), and then we are taken into the more current topics and trends that include gender fluidity, street fashion, and the rise of so many new “rule breaking” brands that have emerged. All of these trends/concepts/ breakthroughs are mostly proffered in the form of text. Keep in mind that depending on the breadth of your knowledge when it comes to men’s fashion, there might be more than just few names that are unrecognizable in all of the classifications. It is only then that you can decide whether or not these creatives deserve the gravitas ascribed to them.

To be more specific, here is a laundry list of which types of creatives are involved in The Men’s Fashion Book: 126 designers, 96 brands, 20 footwear designers, 18 accessory designers, 21 tailors, 15 publications, 13 models, 13 stylists, 7 illustrators—and even more when you consider that each of these creatives gets their own page in this 500-page tome.

Each reader will come away with a difference of opinion as to whether or not the featured brand or creative person has been influential enough to be included. The prospective reader will need more than just a passing fascination with the topic of menswear to gain the most benefit from this book.