Fashion on Bookshelves is a personal archive of books collected and cherished by me—as a lifelong reader, fashion professional, and someone deeply engaged in supporting others’ careers in fashion through coaching and mentoring.

Reading is more than a passion; it’s part of how we shape our professional identity. The books we choose, the stories we carry, and the knowledge we absorb all contribute to how we grow, lead, and present ourselves in this industry.

I started this project in 2013 while living in Paris, born from the simple idea of putting my two biggest passions—fashion and reading—in conversation. Over the years, it has evolved into something quieter: a home for my growing bookshelf.

My first fashion books came into my life during my studies at Polimoda in Florence, opening a new world of discovery I hadn’t experienced in my native Istanbul. Since then, books have remained a steady companion through every phase of my professional life. I read them not only for inspiration, but as tools—for learning, understanding, and rethinking fashion and beyond.

Fashion on Bookshelves is built on the belief that fashion books are not decorative objects, but cultural tools—meant to be read, used, and conserved with a purpose.

This collection has been built slowly, across time and cities—Florence, Milan, Paris, London—and through visits to museums, bookstores, and fashion exhibitions. Some are rare finds; others are treasured for the stories they carry or the moment in which I found them.

Today, Fashion on Bookshelves is less of a blog and more of a living archive—a visual catalogue of the books I’ve collected over time. Some are directly about fashion, others intersect with it in meaningful ways. But all of them have a place on my shelves.

This is a space for curiosity, a passion for learning, and quiet attention.

If you're interested in my work as a coach and mentor for professionals in fashion, you can learn more here.

Hope you will enjoy the new fashion on bookshelves.

Asli Ozbek