This Fall we’re organizing YLF Book Club a little differently. Instead of selecting the books and movies for an entire season all in one go, we will pick two titles at a time. This leaves more room for improvisation, and makes it easier to add new, yet to be published titles that could prove to be a great fit.

Some YLF readers have chimed in with brilliant suggestions, and I too have discovered quite a few style-related treasures over the Summer months. I can’t wait to get chatting again, and I hope you’ll join us later this month when we continue our Book Club discussions with an insightful documentary about a legendary hairstyling pioneer and a thought-provoking book that explores the world of the luxury goods industry:

28 September: Vidal Sassoon The Movie

Vidal Sassoon pioneered in the 1960s with his geometric, Bauhaus-inspired hairstyle (the wedge bob) and the famous five point cut, creating distinctive styles for stars like Mia Farrow, Nancy Kwan and Peggy Moffitt. He was a self-made man who turned his Bond Street shop into a worldwide franchise and built a hugely successful business empire around haircare products. Sassoon revolutionized the art of hairstyling with his “wash and wear” philosophy that liberated women from the tyranny of the salon, and left an indelible mark on popular culture. This documentary offers a look into the public and private life of the legendary hairdresser who is said to have changed the world with a pair of scissors.

2 November: Deluxe – How Luxury Lost Its Luster

Once upon a time luxury goods were only available to the very rich. They offered a history of tradition, superior quality, and an exclusive buying experience. Today, luxury is simply just another product sold by multibillion-dollar global corporations focussed on growth, visibility, brand awareness, advertising, and, above all, profits. In this book fashion journalist Dana Thomas puts luxury in a historical context and explores the dark side of the industry to answer questions such as: What is the new definition of luxury when advertising for this lifestyle is targeted mainly toward the mass market? What are we paying for when quality has given way to quantity? Can integrity survive in a corporate culture driven by growth and profit? And is luxury still the best that money can buy?

Quick reminder: On the Book Club page you can find the schedule of previous, current and future Book Club titles.