In The Eyes of Danielle Cillien Sabatier
“A fashion book is as much an object as it is a form of content, and it must appeal in the same way as the designers it represents.”
Danielle Cillien Sabatier, General Manager of Librairie Galignani, the historic bookshop that has been located at 224 rue de Rivoli since 1856, has played a key role in cementing its reputation as a cosmopolitan meeting place for lovers of fine books, and in particular fashion-related publications. Here we meet Sabatier, who shares her enthusiasm for fashion tomes.
What role do fashion books play in the Galignani bookshop?
Fashion has always been a major part of the bookshop's business, in both French and English, and comprises photography books, fashion shows, biographies of fashion designers, historical studies of the industry, textile publications, monographs on the various fashion houses, exhibition catalogues, etc. It's a central subject for us, and we hold around 5,000 references on the fashion field.
How do you display them?
We showcase them regularly, depending on current events, in particular during fashion weeks. We create themed showcases, and of course, we dedicate an entire space to them, which is at the heart of the Fine Art department. Next week, Diane von Fürstenberg will be honoured with the release of her book, Women before Fashion. Then we'll be showcasing the friendship between Christian Dior and Christian Bérard for the book to be published by Gallimard, Dior Bérard, la Mélancolie Joyeuse. We've done a lot of spectacular fashion showcases.
What has changed in recent years?
We're seeing more production on legacy or historical subjects, themed exhibitions or perspective studies, whereas previously, we were asked to produce more photo books on a designer and his or her catwalks or creations. As many great couturiers have passed away, exhibitions, biographies or simply books presenting the whole of their work have increased in number. I could mention books on Pierre Cardin (Flammarion), Yves Saint Laurent (Assouline or the YSL Foundation) or the series on Dior based on the house's different designers (by Assouline), or the many biographies on Karl Lagerfeld (Flammarion, La Martinière, Thames & Hudson) or the excellent Fashion Eye series by Editions Louis Vuitton, which often features the fashion archives of an extraordinary photographer, such as Jean-Loup Sieff, Slim Aarons, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh or Saul Leiter.
Has the audience changed?
Yes, we're definitely experiencing a shift in the younger generation, with a surge in young people's interest in fashion, thanks in particular to the Culture Pass that we often devote to the Défilés/Catwalks collection (La Martinière/Thames & Hudson) and the strong trend for young people to develop a real interest in fashion.
Which books have made the biggest impact in recent seasons?
The book on Pierre Cardin, Mythe, Mode et Modernité, by Jean-Pascal Hesse; the biography of Karl Lagerfeld by Marie Ottavi; the biography of Anna Wintour in French and English; the Défilés series, notably for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent; and the spectacular monographs by Assouline on Dior and its various couturiers (we're up to number six with Raf Simons).
Your A-list for the season?
I'm looking forward to reading the biography of Ralph Lauren by Jérôme Kagan, published by Séguier. In the fine books section, there will be the catalogue of the Chanel exhibition at the V&A in London, as well as the Défilés devoted to Givenchy. In the Fashion Eye collection, I would recommend Hong Kong by Frank Horvat and Deauville by Omar Victor Diop.
What advice would you give to publishers?
I would tell them to keep producing books that are innovative in form and unique in design, and not to be afraid to use unusual and spectacular materials. A fashion book is as much an object as it is content, and it must appeal in the same way as the designers it represents.
Karl Lagerfeld used to visit Galignani three times a week. What memories do you have of his visits?
It was an extraordinary opportunity to work for a man with a sharp mind, a man of haute culture above all. All the Galignani booksellers who sought out books for him on a daily basis, the exceptional collection that you can see in his studio, remain deeply marked by this zeitgeist and he remains very present to us. We truly adored him.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.