Fashioning the Beatles - by Deirdre Kelly (Hardcover)

About the Book

"John, Paul, George, and Ringo were more than great musicians: they were the quintessential fashion icons of one of the most exciting and memorable fashion eras of all time. From their starts in black leather through Sergeant Pepper to Nehru collars and psychedelia, the Beatles used clothing to express their individual and group identities and, especially, to grow their following. They did it without benefit of stylists or consultants, making their own rules and changing their looks as many as five times a year to keep a few steps ahead of the crowd in the tumultuous, fashion-obsessed sixties. More than fifty years after their break-up, their style continues to animate the collections of some of the world's leading designers, including Thom Browne, John Varvatos, Anna Sui, Tom Ford, Gucci's Alessandro Michele and, yes, Stella McCartney. Fashioning the Beatles, the first in-depth look at their sartorial legacy, demonstrates that their inimitable style was not an incidental by-product of their fame but an integral part of their act and a key to their globe-spanning success."--

Book Synopsis

John, Paul, George, and Ringo were more than great musicians: they were the quintessential fashion icons of one of the most exciting and memorable fashion eras of all time. From their starts in black leather through Sgt. Pepper to Nehru collars and psychedelia, the Beatles used clothing to express their individual and group identities and, especially, to grow their following.

They did it without benefit of stylists or consultants, making their own rules and changing their looks as many as five times a year to keep a few steps ahead of the crowd in the tumultuous, fashion-obsessed sixties. More than fifty years after their break-up, their style continues to animate the collections of some of the world's leading designers, including Thom Browne, John Varvatos, Anna Sui, Tom Ford, Gucci's Alessandro Michele and, yes, Stella McCartney. Fashioning the Beatles, the first in-depth look at their sartorial legacy, demonstrates that their inimitable style was not an incidental by-product of their fame but an integral part of their act and a key to their globe-spanning success.

Review Quotes

"VERDICT Rich with detail, this book will immerse rock and fashion history buffs alike in a satisfying intersection of subjects. A must for collections with a particular focus on popular music or historical dress." -Library Journal

"For the first time, the sensational clothes and costumes flaunted by the Fab Four are seen through the lens of a cultural critic who is a noted expert on the art of performance, author Deirdre Kelly." -Bronwyn Cosgrave, editor British Vogue, author The Complete History of Custom Fashion

"It seems crazy when you look at all the books and all the documentaries covering every facet of the Beatles' career, but there's been one gigantic omission: their fashion. This book closes the gap and opens a unique aspect of their appeal." -Peter Feely, fashion collector, Psychedelic Clothing for Men: Then and Now web group

"You'd think, at this point, there was nothing more to say about the Beatles. You'd be wrong. Deirdre Kelly's book on the Fab Four as fashion icons and OG influencers tracks their evolving taste as it interacted with the volcanic shifts in aesthetics of the 1960s and 1970s." -Nelson George, Post-Soul Nation, The Michael Jackson Story, Hip Hop America

"Deirdre Kelly has written the ultimate Beatles' style book. With almost every album, John, Paul, George and Ringo transformed their look from rockers to mods then peacocks and hippies, a progression that future pop stars, like Madonna, would adopt. The ultimate reference for Beatlemania fashionistas." -Jonathan Walford, Sixties Fashion and The Seductive Shoe