Rebel Stylist

Caroline Baker - The Woman Who Invented Street Fashion

Published by ACC Art Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About The Book

"I have always been inspired by what was happening on the street – and anyway, I couldn't afford the high fashion price tags."Caroline Baker

"Featuring an array of – now – infamous covers and high fashion editorials crafted by Baker, readers are encouraged to bask in the success of her trail-blazing tale and indulge in the history of streetwear’s rise to the helm of the fashion industry." Wonderland

"A fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker"Navaz Batliwalla, disneyrollergirl

"What makes this book a must-read? Author Iain R. Webb is a friend of Baker’s, so this is the inside story of a woman whose work is a masterclass in the art of style and subversion."Yahoo
Caroline Baker is the antidote to high fashion. As the legendary fashion editor of Nova magazine in the 1960s and '70s, her style was quite literally cutting-edge (she famously chopped up clothes to achieve her desired looks). She is credited with challenging the status quo of the industry and society at large, and introducing street fashion to the mass market. Stylist-of-choice for the most dynamic female designers on the scene – Katharine Hamnett and Vivienne Westwood – Caroline has continued her trajectory as a fashion provocateur. Her work has appeared on the pages of Vogue, Tatler and Cosmopolitan as well as The Face and i-D – and unsurprisingly, a new generation of style-setters is now looking to Baker’s back catalogue for inspiration.

This book offers an in-depth overview of Baker’s work, expertly curated and considered by Iain R. Webb. It is divided into sections that highlight specific recurring themes and tropes – such as Punk Rock, DIY, Utility and Sportswear. These ideas have defined Baker’s evolving sartorial vocabulary over six decades, and set a template for street fashion that endures to this day. Accompanied with personal commentary from Baker herself and specially written contributions by Vivienne Westwood and Katharine Hamnett, this is the definitive guide to Caroline Baker and her influence on fashion.

About The Author

Iain R Webb is a writer, curator and Professor of Fashion & Design at Kingston School of Art. He studied Fashion Design at St Martin’s School of Art (1977-1980), going on to become fashion editor/director of BLITZLondon Evening Standard, Harpers & Queen, The Times and Elle. Webb is author of As Seen in BLITZ, Vogue Colouring Book and Rebel Stylist, among others. Curatorial projects include exhibitions at ICA, RCA, MoBA Biennale, Somerset House, Drawing Projects UK, The Bowes, Fashion Museum, Bath, and V&A Dundee.

Product Details

  • Publisher: ACC Art Books (November 1, 2021)
  • Length: 272 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781788841481

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Raves and Reviews

"Featuring an array of – now – infamous covers and high fashion editorials crafted by Baker, readers are encouraged to bask in the success of her trail-blazing tale and indulge in the history of streetwear’s rise to the helm of the fashion industry."

"A fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker"

– Navaz Batliwalla

Caroline Baker arrived in London with the necessary impetus and at the right time to become the creator of street style. [Translated from Spanish]

– Malu Pandolfo

"What makes this book a must-read? Author Iain R. Webb is a friend of Baker’s, so this is the inside story of a woman whose work is a masterclass in the art of style and subversion."

– Yahoo

"1976… It was the fashion editing at its most original, carried out by one of the most influential stylists of the era: Caroline Baker, the architect of "street fashion"."

– VOGUE

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