Books Are The New Fashion Accessory (Credits: Instagram) The icon fashion and literary club diva, Dua Lipa, might have birthed a new trend and this one is full of reading. She is known to be the ultimate reader of the fashion world so much so that she has her own book club called Service 95. Recently, she also opened The Manifesto Library, a permanent collection of 100 banned, censored, and challenged books. And like everything celebs do, her habit of reading has paved the way for the latest fashion trend. The fashion houses were not very far off as well. They are organising book readings, hosting literary clubs and turning celebrity reading lists into full-on style moments. Literature is increasingly finding its way (pretty smoothly) into the worlds of brands, audience and influencers. There’s also another side to this fashion moment coming about. In the age of Gen Z, when everyone is ridden with endless scrolling, 2x watching speed, AI-generated brainrot content, and almost broken attention spans, books are becoming a statement through which people signal their taste, curiosity and most importantly, their intentionality. Reading Books The New Fashion Symbol (Credits: Instagram) Quiet luxury was nice while it lasted but now it’s time for intellectual luxury to take over. Intellectualism is taking the driver’s seat and bringing about change in every segment, so naturally fashion had to catch up as well. The value of a book as an accessory on person has more to do than just being limited to their physical appearance. It communicates where their curiosity lies, the ideas they engage with and the cultural references that matter to them, because the audience is not just buying the product a celeb is wearing, they are tapped into their worldview. This helps create a status signal that is far away from what constitutes ‘luxury.’ Books then become smart status symbols. Koo Sok Hoon, director of marketing at Shangri-La Singapore mentions, “While a logo says ‘I can afford this’, a book (and the knowledge you gain from it) says something much harder to fake” Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Dracula Bag (Credits: Instagram) Kendall Jenner led the charge of the trend with a viral holiday look featuring a red sequined Chanel midi dress, feathered black coat, cap-toe pumps and a silver quilted bag, accessorised with Sabahattin Ali’s Madonna in a Fur Coat. Similarly, Jennifer Lawrence carried Dior’s Dracula book tote with red trousers that matched its lettering, while FKA twigs carried an antique-looking green book throughout the 2026 Grammys as part of her Eusexua aesthetic.Everything points towards how celebrities are making reading visible again. As books move from bedside tables to paparazzi shots and front-row fashion moments, literature is emerging as an unexpected new marker of taste, curiosity and cultural capital. Miu Miu recently launched its Literary Club that positions reading as an intellectual and experiential community, bringing about female authors and audiences for discussions and readings. Coach has also launched its Explore Your Story initiative that involves publishing partnerships and collaborations with authors and publishers across markets including Japan, China and Korea. Dior’s creative direction under Jonathan Anderson has also taken literary references meanwhile including first-edition book covers and a curated reading list around its Spring/Summer 2026 collection. Meanwhile, Bvlgari has brought literature into product design with its Icons Minaudières collection, pairing miniature hardcase clutches with specially commissioned miniature books by women authors. From celebrities carrying their latest reads to luxury houses reimagining literature as collectible objects, books are stepping beyond the bookshelf and into fashion’s visual language. What began as a personal expression of taste is becoming something bigger: a meeting point between celebrity culture, luxury, design and intellectualism, with the book at its centre. Books were once something you carried because you planned to read them. Now, they are increasingly part of the look itself. Whether tucked under an arm or styled alongside couture, a novel can signal curiosity, taste and cultural capital. Suddenly, the smartest accessory might be the one with pages. Simran covers books that start conversations, beauty insights, fashion moods, and stories that make people feel something. Off duty? You’ll find her c... View More