Fashion & Beauty

Be-Spoke: Revelations from the World's Most Important Fashion Designers

A collection of witty and sometimes wry quotes, inspiring edicts, and philosophies about fashion and style by celebrated fashion designers—from Coco Chanel to Tom Ford—as told to acclaimed fashion journalist Marylou Luther.

In her seventy-year career as a fashion journalist, newspaper columnist, and author, Marylou Luther has interviewed the most iconic figures in the fashion world who open up and spill the proverbial fashion “dirt” to Luther.

In her early days as a journalist, Luther met with the true legends of fashion—she interviewed Christian Dior in 1957 for the Chicago Tribune and visited Coco Chanel at her Rue Cambon atelier; Chanel proclaimed to Luther that “Only those with no memory insist on their originality. Yves Saint Laurent has excellent taste. The more he copies me, the better taste he displays.” Flash forward to present day, and designer Demna Gvasalia told Luther, “Fashion needs to shut up and look at itself—it needs a minute of silence to adjust after the pandemic.”

Featuring Karl Lagerfeld, Virgil Abloh, Marc Jacobs, Azzedine Alaïa, Rei Kawakubo, Miuccia Prada, Thom Browne, and more, the book celebrates the designers with drawings by fashion’s favorite illustrator, Ruben Toledo. His charming and vibrant renderings of these creative individuals, combined with inspiring and humorous text, makes this captivating book a must-have for fashion lovers everywhere.

About The Author

Marylou Luther is the editor and founder of the International Fashion Syndicate and award-winning “Clotheslines” column and is the fashion editor emeritus of newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. Cuban-born artist Ruben Toledo has had his work published in The New Yorker, Vogue, Town & Country, and The New York Times.

  • Publish Date: February 14, 2023
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Category: Design - Fashion & Accessories
  • Publisher: Rizzoli
  • Trim Size: 9 x 12
  • Pages: 144
  • US Price: $57.50
  • CDN Price: $75.00
  • ISBN: 978-0-8478-7202-2

Reviews

"This book is truly fabulous, and so is its author! A charming, stylish, delightful lady, celebrated fashion journalist Marylou Luther did not set out to be a writer." —MR. MAGAZINE 

"Toledo brings his usual wit, love of color, and understanding of fashion and its creators to the pages of Be-Spoke and the result is a tome that is sure to delight both fashion and art lovers." —FORBES.COM 

"A fashion journalist collects memorable quotes from her 70-year career interviewing notable designers, including Coco Chanel and Virgil Abloh, presented alongside Toledo’s vibrant illustrations." —THE NEW YORK TIMES

"This book is a unique, personal journey, through the years, using wonderful quotes from the best of the best of the intriguing creators of the world of fashion." —NENASNOTES

“'Be-Spoke' is an excellent read whether you are a fashion novice or a seasoned fashion insider." —LOOKINSIDE.COM

"...she has brought together the best quotes in her book, “BE-SPOKE: Revelations from the World’s Most Important Fashion Designers” (Rizzoli New York, 2023), with a foreword from Stan Herman, and afterword by Rick Owens, and fabulous illustrations from Luther’s close friend Ruben Toledo." —CFDA: COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA

Author Bookshelf: Ruben Toledo

Author Bookshelf: Rick Owens