Fashion Christmas gift ideas: 10 books on Met Gala, Chanel, Kenzo and YSL to give as Christmas presents

Chanel invites itself onto the gift shelves, with books that link catwalks, archives and red carpets. The success of fine fashion books is returning, as the desire for powerful images grows. This makes the holiday season a key time to choose titles that count.

Books that shape fashion memory

According to a recently published cultural selection, the bookshop highlights 10 major fashion books. The books include a focus on Yves Saint Laurent, chapters on Kenzo, and freeze-frames on Chanel. What’s more, these books place the fashion shows in their own time, with precise iconography. Readers benefit from a reliable, lively framework.

These collections are based on images that have become landmarks, taken from shows and galas. The Met Gala feeds this imagination, as its silhouettes circulate quickly. Chanel often appears as a style reference, in dialogue with other fashion houses. As a result, books enrich the reading of these moments.

Saint Laurent – Black suit worn by Rosé at the Met Gala 2025.
Saint Laurent suit by Anthony Vaccarello, silk taffeta cape, Lila sandals.

“A beautiful fashion book serves to slow down the gaze, then understand the cut, the material and the idea.”

Iconic shows and enduring images

The great fashion houses write a visual history that can be reread. Chanel has set clear codes, which the photographs recount season after season. In this way, every detail of the jacket, camellia or chain takes on meaning over time. The Met Gala 2025 continues this conversation between studio and stage.

The cultural press often reminds us of this, as these images guide the eye. Books bring together references, dates and credits. Chanel occupies a central place, as a true hinge between heritage and modernity. However, other signatures, such as Kenzo, add rhythm and color.

• Check photo credits and sources cited
• Durable binding for long life
• Find a clear angle: cross-section, archives, or backstage
• Look at print quality and paper
• Compare the chapters devoted to Chanel to locate landmarks

Fashion gifts: useful tips before giving

A good choice is based first and foremost on content. Catalogs raisonnés help by providing a reliable framework. Chanel often benefits from a meticulous critical apparatus, with precise reference points. In this way, the reader keeps track of a style and a gesture.

Tiffany & Co. – Necklace with cushion-cut sapphire and round sapphires worn by Rosé at the Met Gala 2025.
Graphic setting, deep blue sparkle, accent designed for black wear.

Jewelry also tells the story of an era and its desires. What’s more, the books detail gem sizes and settings. Chanel dialogues with these pieces, as couture often inspires jewelry. On the other hand, each house imposes its own rhythm and vocabulary.

Saint Laurent – Double-breasted black blazer minidress by Hailey Bieber at Met Gala 2025.
Saint Laurent suit by Anthony Vaccarello, with satin collar.

The Met Gala, a cultural sounding board

On the first Monday in May, fashion likes to tell a powerful story. Books take up these silhouettes, then place them in their lineage. Chanel benefits from this echo, as its codes are quickly read on the red carpet. In this way, collective memory is reinforced.

Tiffany & Co. – Matching sapphire and diamond ring worn by Rosé at the Met Gala 2025.
Dialogue between center stone and pavé, a balance of light and contrast.

The reader gains concrete keys to decoding the images. However, contextualization remains crucial to avoid clichés. In addition, a clear chronology helps to link catwalks, museums and red carpets. As a result, reading becomes smoother and more useful.

What the books say about our times

The best titles show how a garment lives in the city. Chanel often serves as a compass, thanks to a stable grammar of shapes. What’s more, the iconography gives a sense of the tailor’s gesture and the workshop’s hand. Finally, the texts short-circuit the noise of the networks, with sourced facts.

Tiffany & Co. – Diamond jewelry worn by Hailey Bieber at the Met Gala 2025.
White light, clean lines, accent framing black minidress.

Saint Laurent – Kika platforms worn by Hailey Bieber at the Met Gala 2025.
Slender platforms, elongated look, graphic rhythm of black.

The fashion book market is doing well, as demand remains steady. Chanel remains a benchmark, and a subject of comparison for other fashion houses. So, to offer a beautiful book is to share evidence and gestures. In short, the eye progresses with every page.

• Chanel