38 Fashion Designers on the Music, Film and Books That Have Inspired Them

Have you ever wondered what inspires Alessandro Michele’s storied fashion shows for Gucci? Or which music soundtracked Donatella Versace’s formative designs? From the Paul McCartney album that is closest to Stella McCartney’s heart, to the book Rick Owens curls up with on one of his alabaster daybeds — here, in the ultimate culture list, 38 of the world's top designers share the novels, albums and movies that fuel their output and power their original ideas. In other words, the creative totems that have shaped who they are today. Read, watch, listen. Interviews by Liam Freeman and Julia Hobbs.

Donatella Versace on the grunge references that changed pop culture forever

“I’ve been so lucky to have always been around artists, musicians, writers, photographers — people making history with their work — and it's opened my mind to different points of view. Through his lyrics, Kurt Cobain taught us how to look inside our souls, how to express our feelings in a new way — he showed us the power of being vulnerable.

With her album, Celebrity Skin, Courtney Love “basically told the world that perfection is an illusion.”

Photo of Courtney LOVE and HOLE

With her album, Celebrity Skin, Courtney Love “basically told the world that perfection is an illusion.”
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“When Courtney Love came out with Celebrity Skin [in 1998, four years after Cobain’s death], she basically told the world that perfection is an illusion. With her smeared makeup and her loose white dress, she looked wild, messy, disheveled. This for me, again, was another moment of disruption — not so much because of the aesthetics that went with it, but because what you saw was a synonym for a new way of thinking.”

Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele on Mamma Roma’s ode to life and love\

“It’s so hard for me to isolate just one book, song, poem, or film because my character, my language and my way of expressing myself is informed by so many different elements. There is, however, a film I saw for the first time with my mother when I was 10 years old on a summer’s afternoon. We watched Mamma Roma by Pier Paolo Pasolini [1962], and it became a milestone in the development of who I am today.

“Thanks to this film, I understand how opposites can blend into one and how powerful narration through simple but sharp and direct images can be. Mamma Roma is a great poem, an ode to life and love: the love of a mother for her son and of a son who cannot tell of his love for his mother. Pasolini tells the story of this love through poetry and very strong images. I remember one of the final scenes of the film really impressed me: the image of the son tied and stretched out on a table — it's extremely moving and reminds me of the painting Il Cristo Morto [The Lamentation of Christ] by Andrea Mantegna.”

Ettore Garofolo and Anna Magnani in the 1962 film Mamma Roma.

MAMMA ROMA, Ettore Garofolo, Anna Magnani, 1962

Ettore Garofolo and Anna Magnani in the 1962 film Mamma Roma.
Everett Collection

Christopher John Rogers on manifesting dreams with Trance Party, Volume One

“This is one of the albums that has shaped me most into who I am today. It was given to me by my uncle when I was in first grade along with a CD player and reminds me of my childhood bedroom in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I would imagine what life could be like outside of the familiar and how I could manifest my dreams. Until then, I had only really listened to R&B, soul, gospel and generic top-40 pop, and Trance Party, Volume One [2001] really proved to be a pathway to discovering intrinsically black and queer house music, lesser-known R&B artists and synthetic European pop — all sounds that make up my music library to this day.”

Tommy Hilfiger discovered “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as a teenager, soon after getting his first turntable.

Album Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Tommy Hilfiger discovered “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as a teenager, soon after getting his first turntable.
Rene van den Berg / Alamy Stock Photo

Tommy Hilfiger on first discovering Simon & Garfunkel

“I bought Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel [1970] as a teenager, just after I bought my first ever turntable. It brings back mixed memories of being young and the first tastes of independence, but also the social and economic upheaval in the US at the time. The title says it all — it’s calm and comforting music for the soul. I come back to this album whenever I need a moment of peace or reflection. I hope that others will find some comfort in it, too. The title track Bridge Over Troubled Water is all about being there for someone no matter what. I think that’s the most important message given what the world is facing at the moment — that we all need to do what we can to protect and support each other.”

Stella McCartney on Ram, the album closest to her heart

“It would be crazy not to say my father and The Beatles have been massively influential to me. To listen to his creations my entire life, even before I was born, from the womb, has probably shaped me in more ways than I could ever know. Ram [1971], that he created with my mother in the 1970s, is probably my favorite album ever made. It’s held close to my heart. I was very, very young when it was created and we were living in Scotland in complete isolation, so we were very close, very protected, very much a household full of love, food and creativity. I love the rawness of this album. I love that my mum and dad just wrote it, and played all the instruments themselves, and produced it all themselves. I think it’s a great testament to their love affair.”

I love that my mum and dad just wrote it, and played all the instruments themselves, and produced it all themselves," says Stella McCartney. "I think it’s a great testament to their love affair.”

Paul McCartney Linda McCartney original vinyl album cover - Ram - 1971

I love that my mum and dad just wrote it, and played all the instruments themselves, and produced it all themselves," says Stella McCartney. "I think it’s a great testament to their love affair.”
@Alamy

Molly Goddard on the joy of Austin Powers

“Nothing is funnier, in my opinion, than Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). It reminds me of laughing out loud with my sister Alice. It’s a film I could watch over and over again (and have). It has amazing clothes in it. Heather Graham, aka Felicity Shagwell, wears a fantastic crochet pink-and-orange dress, there’s great action and good music thanks to Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. It is my go-to film whenever I feel a bit low. Reciting the few lines I know off by heart never fails to make me laugh. If you have not seen it, you have not lived!”

Kenneth Ize on the scintillating aesthetics of Wong Kar-wai

“At the moment, I’m particularly enjoying watching films by Wong Kar-wai. Some of my favourites include Days of Being Wild [1990], Happy Together [1997], In the Mood for Love [2000], 2046 [2004] and My Blueberry Nights [2007]. His films have helped me in understanding creativity, the passion in expressing every single detail and the idea of an aesthetic.”

“Before there were allies, there was only Madonna: she was gorgeous, talented, provocative.”

Madonna Performing on the 'Blonde Ambition' Tour, Tokyo, Japan - Apr 1990

“Before there were allies, there was only Madonna: she was gorgeous, talented, provocative.”
Eugene Adebari/Shutterstock

Jeremy Scott on Madonna: Truth or Dare and feeling seen

“Growing up in a small town where I was ostracized for loving fashion and being gay, seeing a global superstar be so unabashedly pro-gay made me feel seen; understood; like I mattered, and that all the bigotry I was experiencing was just a microcosm of the larger world that I had yet to discover. Before there were allies, there was only Madonna: she was gorgeous, talented, provocative. She wore the coolest clothes and loved the gays! The documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) was an opportunity to glimpse behind the curtain into her life and it gave me confidence. Beyond all the emotions I have about the film, it is a great work of art about an amazing artist at the top of her game in the eye of the storm called pop culture! Plus, there’s a lot of great cameo moments — from the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier himself and his wonderful costumes for her tour, and not to mention those iconic Fluevog platform heels — it’s a wonderful portrait of high fashion from the start of the 1990s.”

Rick Owens on Beverley Nichols’ “delicious” gardening tips

“Beverley Nichols is my go-to for comfort reading. He is to gardening what MFK Fisher was to cooking. In the 1930s, Nichols wrote a series of gardening books that use everyday ceremonies as departures on how to live life. There is a giddiness to Nichols’ books; as a closeted gay man in the 1920s, you can sense a suppressed grace-under-pressure tension. And despite his delicious quaint sentimentality, there is a wickedly sophisticated undertaste that perks you up sporadically. Mostly the mood is a gentle, self-aware charm and some surprising depth that always makes me feel soothed and centred.”

Beverley Nichols “is to gardening what MFK Fisher was to cooking.”

Beverley Nichols Author In Garden 1976.

Beverley Nichols “is to gardening what MFK Fisher was to cooking.”
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Isabel Marant on the escapism of Salman Rushdie

“The subtlety and intelligence that Salman Rushdie uses to report the flaws of our societies touch me very much. Like many people, I first heard about him at the time of The Satanic Verses [1988], but I was not particularly attracted by this book. During a trip to India, I discovered Midnight’s Children [1981], a family epic that retraces 30 years of Indian history in an allegorical, metaphorical and very humorous way. The subtlety, intelligence and empathy with which Rushdie describes and denounces major events in Indian history is extremely touching. This book also made me think a lot about Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude [1967] (which I loved) in his realistic and magical writing.”

Jonathan Anderson on the Bret Easton Ellis novel he couldn’t put down

“Growing up, I was fascinated by the types of characters portrayed in Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis [1985]. It summed up an interesting moment in time. It feels like a time capsule from when I was younger; I bought it at the airport and it was the first book I ever read in a day. It reminds me of the moment when I was heading out into the world on my own for the first time.”

Creative Director of Dior Men Kim Jones on Kate Bush and the bravery of Paris is Burning

“I like too many things from different places to choose just one, but an album I have always loved is Hounds of Love by Kate Bush [1985]. A film that inspires me because of the bravery of everyone in it is the Jennie Livingston documentary Paris is Burning [1990]. And a book I always go back to and am currently re-reading is Orlando by Virginia Woolf [1928] — I discovered the Bloomsbury Group as a teenager and loved the way they were all multidisciplinary; the forward-thinking modern collaborative style of founding a group of like-minded people and pushing things forward.”

Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock “is like a beautiful and peculiar dream.”

Picnic At Hanging Rock - 1975

Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock “is like a beautiful and peculiar dream.”
David Kynoch/Picnic/Bef/Aust Film Commission/Kobal/Shutterstock

Erdem Moralıoğlu on the ethereal beauty of Peter Weir’s Picnic at Hanging Rock

“The film that has had the most lasting effect on me is Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), the cinematic adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s mystery novel. It has always had me enthralled… The starched white Victorian girls slowly coming undone — I love the dark underbelly of it. It is like a beautiful and peculiar dream. It totally stands the test of time, it is something I keep going back to and it never fails to spark inspiration in me. It is both curious and extraordinary.”

Dior Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri on nourishing your animal instincts with Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estés

“The message of Women who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés [1992] is that women should always follow their instinct when confronted with life decisions. In fact, women have been taught to disregard their animalistic instinct and to follow a logic that often worked against them. Reading this book was a comforting and eye-opening experience for me. I have always followed my instincts in life, without knowing that, for women, it can represent a political choice. I have sometimes felt guilty in the past for listening to my intuition, I thought it was wrong. But this book has taught me to always trust my gut feeling. I think it’s very important for women to hear this message because the ingrained focus on education can sometimes lead us away from our natural response when making decisions.”

Milliner Stephen Jones on the glamour of Roxy Music and the beauty of The Red Shoes

“The album that changed my life was Roxy Music’s For Your Pleasure [1973]. As a small boy in Liverpool, it opened a whole world of music, art, fashion and culture. I would say I come back to the album once a week and when I listen to it, it reminds me how glamorous spontaneity is — and how seductive! The film that really inspired me was The Red Shoes [1948] starring Moira Shearer and directed by Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell as it raised the question of life or art and how much you are prepared to sacrifice for your art. It was also a staggeringly beautiful film. I first discovered it at Central Saint Martins School of Art film club in 1976. As well as being about life and art, it is also about the battle between passion and reason. It had such an impact on me, I based my spring/summer 2007 collection, ‘Artifice’, on it.”

Jean Paul Gaultier on the Jacques Becker film that uncovered his true calling

“I owe my vocation to one film in particular, Falbalas [Paris Frills, 1945] by Jacques Becker. I was about 11 or 12 when I saw it on the telly at my grandmother’s place. It is a story of a couturier in wartime Paris who falls in love with his best friend’s fiancé. The story has a sad ending so both my grandma and I cried, but there was a fashion show in the film and it was a revelation. I suddenly knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a couturier and present fashion shows. I had already seen Folies Bergère on TV and was deeply enchanted with theatre, but this film gave me my true vocation — fashion. And funnily enough, when I started working in 1972 at Jean Patou, I found in the atelier all the characters from the film — the head of the atelier, the petites mains [‘little hands’], the fitting models, their quibbles and rivalries — it was as if we were transported onto the set of Falbalas.”

Michael Kors on Norman Jewison’s crime drama The Thomas Crown Affair

“When I was a little boy, one of the first grown-up movies that my parents let me see was The Thomas Crown Affair [1968] with Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen. I immediately fell in love with their chic clothes and style, their fast-paced life, and all of the gorgeous settings. It was my introduction to the jet set. As well as being a great influence, the film is very meaningful to me because when it was remade in 1999 with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, a majority of Rene’s wardrobe was Michael Kors Collection and Michael Kors for Céline. It’s rare that something from childhood comes full circle into adulthood.”

Kris Van Assche on the life-affirming power of Madonna: Truth or Dare \

“In 1991, when the documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare came out, I was just 15 years old. I was struggling with my sexual identity and growing up an only child in my small hometown Londerzeel in Belgium didn’t help — homosexuality was a total taboo. Then, here was this huge pop star Madonna, at the height of her career, documenting her Blond Ambition World Tour surrounded by young, mostly gay dancers and musicians. This documentary is a celebration of self-confidence, a celebration of the individual, of being different. As cheeky as it might sound today, (these were pre-internet, pre-social media times) in my world, there was literally nobody saying loud and clear that it was great to be different, great to be gay.”

Husband-and-wife creative directors of Jil Sander, Luke and Lucie Meier, on Björk’s album Vespertine

“There is a soulfulness to Vespertine [2001] that cuts through some of the sparse soundscapes Björk creates. Björk is exceptionally talented at bringing emotion to electronic sound — modernity with feeling is what we strive for in our own work. We listened to Vespertine together when we first met as students in Florence. It's not even our favorite Björk album, but it has such a strong time and place recall for us. We used it as the soundtrack for our Jil Sander show at Pitti Immagine Uomo in January because it felt right in the atmosphere of Florence considering our connection to living there. It’s an eternal record that still sounds great — it’s absolutely worth a listen.”

The first time Christopher Kane heard Buffy Sainte-Marie's Illuminations, “my hair stood on end — I’d never heard anything like it, before or since.”

Vogue 1969

The first time Christopher Kane heard Buffy Sainte-Marie's Illuminations, “my hair stood on end — I’d never heard anything like it, before or since.”
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Christopher Kane on finding joy with Buffy Sainte-Marie’s album Illuminations

Illuminations by Buffy Sainte-Marie [1969] is an album that has had a profound impact on my personal and working life. The first time I heard it, my hair stood on end — I’d never heard anything like it, before or since. Buffy is a pioneer. She was the first to experiment with technology, synthesizers and computers to make music decades ahead of its time. It’s the kind of music people should turn to in moments like this, when life seems uncertain — there’s certainty in nature and there’s magic. She once said, ‘We have to sniff out joy. Keep your nose to the joy trail.’ Nothing could be more relevant or closer to the truth.”

Tory Burch’s notes on kindness from the novella The Little Prince\

“I have always loved the message of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry [1943]. It is about the power of kindness — something that feels particularly relevant right now in these challenging times. One of my favorite quotes is: ‘And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.’”

Matty Bovan on Ridley Scott's “immersive artwork” Blade Runner

“I’ve always found Blade Runner [1982] to be one of the most immersive pieces of art. The idea of an imperfect future, as well as a fully realized world, has inspired me since I first watched it. Each character is very much their own, both in image and personality. I could obsess over (and have!) the whole scope of the design of the film and every tiny detail. I could never be bored with this universe and the vision. Every year it still feels relevant, and the whole idea of what AI means — of how we interact with technology, even today — makes you think and question everything. Every visual and idea in this film is so layered, and the soundtrack so perfect.”

Haider Ackermann on poetry recitals and the visual feasts of Luchino Visconti

“I’ve been taking the time to learn by heart the poems of Dorothy Parker and Maya Angelou, and Leonard Cohen’s song A Thousand Kisses Deep (2001). [Novelist] James Baldwin’s Harlem Quartet is at my side every moment right now. [Musicians] Shirley Horn, Paco De Lucia, Nick Cave, Lou Doillon, Léo Ferré, Eminem, Lili Boniche, the French singer Barbara and Prince are playing on repeat, as well as Born Slippy by Underworld to keep the spirits up. I’m in need of beauty these days so I’m watching all of Luchino Visconti’s films."

The music of Rufus Wainwright “got me through some of the scariest times of my adolescence” says Michael Halpern.

Rufus Wainwright Portrait Session

The music of Rufus Wainwright “got me through some of the scariest times of my adolescence” says Michael Halpern.
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Michael Halpern on the transformative power of Rufus Wainwright\

“When the album Poses by Rufus Wainwright was released in 2001, I was just starting to think about who I am as a person — changing from a boy to a young adult. It was a really formative time, I was figuring out the feelings I had, how to express them, how to recognize and process them. Poses led me to understand that I was creative, sensitive, gay and hopeful; it opened me up to new things like caring for someone outside my family, exploring relationships, new films, music and artists, and moulded me into who I am today as an adult, designer, friend, and lover. I owe a lot to Rufus for his power and vulnerability as well as his words and values. It got me through some of the scariest times of my adolescence and simultaneously helped me celebrate and appreciate all the tiny triumphs along the way. I get quite emotional thinking about it now.”

Rejina Pyo on the moment she learned not all books have a happy ending

“The first time I read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank [1947] I was 13 years old, the same age as Anne when she received the blank notebook that would later become her diary. It was the Korean translation of the book and I remember being completely consumed by it as if I knew her. The way she wrote and her outlook really resonated with me, even though her world was so utterly foreign to mine. I hadn't travelled outside Korea at that point or even met a person my age from another country, so it changed my perspective on life in Seoul. I remember feeling very upset when I learned of her fate and had lengthy conversations with my parents about it. Up until that point, all the books I’d read had had a happy ending. To this day, I keep returning to The Diary of a Young Girl. I find Anne’s resilience, determination and positivity very heartening.”

Kenzo creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista on the book that has seen him through the best and worst of times

The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa [1982] has been on and off my bedside table for the last 30 years. It is a 500-page collection of thoughts and reflections published after the poet's death. It has no beginning or end. One can open it randomly and find the whole universe in a few lines. Over the years, it has always been there in the best and worst of times. It always amazed and inspired me how Pessoa can say so much in so few words — always so blunt, vivid and truly timeless. A couple of favorite quotes from the book (although it’s impossible to choose) are: ‘There are no norms. All people are exceptions to a rule that doesn’t exist.’ and ‘Life is what we make of it. Travel is the traveller. What we see isn't what we see, but what we are.’”

Marine Serre on her lifelong affinity with Björk

“I love everything Björk does, the way she evolves in her career while staying true to herself, not being afraid of anything. It’s impossible to put her into a box. When I was a child, I had a postcard of her album Debut [1993] on the window in my room, even before hearing her for the first time. I don’t even remember where I got the album or the postcard. The image stayed in my head for a really long time and became even stronger when I discovered her sound. Years later, I used her song All is Full of Love [1997] for my master’s collection, Radical Call For Love. I still listen to Björk a lot today. She is the most unique singer I know.”

Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez on the creative pursuits of Robert Mapplethorpe

“Robert Mapplethorpe’s biography by Patricia Morrisroe [1995] is one of those rare books I keep coming back to. I read the book in high school, and that’s when I knew New York was the place for me. The story is a cautionary tale, of course, but also incredibly romantic in that Mapplethorpe was ready to follow his obsessions and his creative pursuit to the outer limits of what was deemed culturally acceptable at the time, forging an iconic personal history in the process. At home, because of the coronavirus quarantine, I’ve picked up this book for the third time. During these difficult moments, when one is questioning everything, it's been nice to be reminded of the power of creativity, of drive, of pushing creative thought to its full extent. It takes me back to the roots of my creative journey and the drive to make things that will hopefully outlive us all. This book reminds me of life before Proenza Schouler, and of the power of thinking big and making huge leaps of faith.”

Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough on the unlikely friendship between Harold and Maude

“I first watched Harold and Maude [1971] during my formative teenage years and it’s a film that still holds a special place in my heart. It’s a coming-of-age, dark comedy about an unexpected relationship between two incongruous characters: Harold, a death-obsessed young man from an affluent family, and Maude, a life-loving widow in her early eighties. I remember feeling a connection to both characters: Harold’s dark cynicism, and Maude’s carefree optimism. Re-watching this film brought me back to that time of awkward adolescence when one is figuring out their place in this world, and reminded me that this feeling of inner conflict and questioning never really goes away, no matter our age or experience. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all. Perhaps, it’s all part of the great human experience that connects us.”

Roksanda Ilinčić on being transported to another world by Andrei Tarkovsky

“I absolutely love films and find myself rewatching old movies whenever I have a quiet moment to myself. I particularly love the works of [Luchino] Visconti, [Rainer Werner] Fassbinder, [Marcello] Mastroianni, [Ingmar] Bergman. If I had to choose though, it would have to be anything by Andrei Tarkovsky — The Mirror [1975], Ivan’s Childhood [1962], Solaris [1972] to name a few. Tarkovsky is the ultimate master of cinematography. His films are filled with the most beautiful, evocative, haunting images conveyed in such a delicate way. It’s impossible to watch them without experiencing a powerful emotional connection that stays with you for a very long time. If you are looking to be transported to another magical world for a few hours, I couldn’t recommend his films enough. They are mesmerizing works of art.”

Thom Browne on the trailblazing filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché

“The film Falling Leaves by Alice Guy-Blaché [1912] is important because she was a female director from the early part of the 20th century unknown by most people, even most people working in film. She was a true pioneer in the field and a truly inspirational person. She was always true to herself and never let anyone tell her ‘No’. Her subjects were simple, poetic, and prescient. And this film is just that. A charming story of true love and the innocence of youth… This is something that I play with so often through stories I tell in my collections and shows.”

Gabriela Hearst on why reading Jorge Luis Borges is like returning home

“So many books have shaped me into who I am today — everything by Jorge Luis Borges, a friend recommended The Overstory by Richard Powers [2018] and it changed the way I see trees forever. Reading relaxes me, but I was surprised to be so profoundly changed by a book. In the case of Borges, I always return to him because it is like returning home. The world should check him out because — like Miguel de Cervantes, Diego de Saavedra Fajardo and William Shakespeare — he has influenced literature on a great scale.”

Angela Missoni on the writer, band and designs that have added color to her world \

“The book One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez [1967]; Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon [1973]; posters from the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City; movies by Federico Fellini; and architect Alessandro Mendini’s designs have all arisen curiosity in what the brain can produce and made me realiae how important it is giving space to fantasy in order to achieve your dreams.”

Vetements’ Guram Gvasalia on finding purpose with Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth

“I first came across this book in 2005 and every time I re-read it, it reveals something new to me. Most people have such intense schedules, that they rarely find time to think about themselves, about their purpose in life. Now we all are given an opportunity to have time to think more and to think deeper. A New Earth [2005] is an expression that comes from the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Revelation. The term is used to describe the final state of redeemed humanity. This book reminds you to enjoy life in the present moment, it teaches you how to let go of the ego and how to find meaning beyond material possessions. It’s a powerful and life-changing instrument, especially when we are about to witness the evolutionary transformation of human consciousness. Remember, every end is a new beginning!”

Ambush cofounder and Dior Men’s director of jewelry Yoon Ahn on the zen philosophy of Alan Watts

“I first came across the work of Alan Watts through researching Beat culture. The Essence of Alan Watts [1974] really stuck with me. The book is a superb collection of his thoughts on big questions surrounding ego, god, meditation, death, time, human nature and cosmic drama. In uncertain times such as now, when we are trying to make sense of the world, may Alan’s writing help you find positive energy and peace, and bring a whole new level of enlightenment to your life as it did mine.”

Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler on the monumental characters imagined by author John Williams

“John Williams’ novel Stoner [1965] has all the power of a Greek tragedy. The first paragraph is astonishing: Williams bluntly sets out the unremarkable impression that William Stoner leaves behind and then subverts that judgment by carefully bringing Stoner back to life: he discovers himself, he is born honest and brought up honest.

“His parents know only how to survive with hard work on their farm. Stoner’s father, though incredibly poor, sends him to study agriculture at university and his course includes literature, something he’s never confronted and he struggles. It must have a meaning, but he can’t grasp it. He sits desperately gripping the edge of his desk. The day Stoner falls in love with literature is the most memorable event in the novel. He has just had what in an earlier age would be considered a religious experience. He saw everything as one — God. Stoner becomes a teacher. I found myself supporting him in everything he does, rooting for him because he is true to himself. In contrast, we see the harm done by people who are self-deceiving. The characters are lit like monuments, revealed according to the events of the daily drama. At the end. I marveled at the integrity of Stoner — of a life fully realized. Only truth is left.”

Originally Appeared on Vogue