Some people always have a book in their bag — you might even be one of them (I, too, proudly count myself as part of the community) — but what about taking it one step further: what about a bag that IS a book? This is the vision that Jonathan Anderson has brought to life at Dior with the new (quite literal) Book Tote inspired by world-renowned classic covers, such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Not only has Jonathan Anderson paid homage to beloved titles from the 18th to the 20th century through the iconic Book Tote, but these covers also appear across Dior staples such as the Saddle Bag, card holders, T-shirts, and more. What sets the designs apart is that Anderson did not simply choose any cover, but instead decorated the bags with original first-edition artworks from the books’ initial releases. The titles featured range from French to international literature, including Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Françoise Sagan’s Bonjour Tristesse, James Joyce’s Ulysses, Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, and more. The collection also features a clever self-reference in the form of an eponymous Book Tote titled ‘Dior by Dior’. The Book Totes came in different sizes, with the larger versions featuring a magnetic closure and the smaller ones offering a detachable, adjustable shoulder strap.
The campaign dedicated to the Book Cover Collection, under the caption ‘An homage to the joy of reading’, turned Paris into a living library, with rapper and songwriter 070 Shake, as well as writers and book lovers, sporting the bags through the famous bouquinistes stands along the Seine, shot by Angèle Châtenet. The campaign also spotlighted book content creators such as Travawyn Taylor (@trayreadthat), attracting significant attention from Gen Z reading communities. The Book Tote for Bonjour Tristesse was modelled by Françoise Sagan’s son, Denis Westhoff — a sentimental tribute to his mother’s legacy and a reflection of Dior’s commitment to celebrating literature. The totes have since gained traction globally, with widespread discussion on social media and celebrities such as Rihanna and Jennifer Lawrence being spotted carrying the bags.
Since his appointment as creative director, Jonathan Anderson has faced the challenge of maintaining Dior’s deeply ingrained house codes while simultaneously introducing new forms of cultural expression. As luxury maisons attempt to appeal to Gen Z (a generation increasing in both spending power and cultural influence), it has become clear that their consumption differs from that of previous generations. Beyond brand heritage, they are drawn to pieces with strong cultural roots that allow them to express identity, passions, and values through what they wear. Engaging with the literary world allows fashion to build references that extend beyond rapidly changing trends, grounding brand legacies in texts that have stood the test of time and creating identities that go beyond house codes alone.
And yet, Dior’s Book Tote is far from an isolated case. Other fashion houses have similarly blurred the lines between fashion and literature, with Prada hiring Ottessa Moshfegh to write a book of short stories for its SS25 campaign, Miu Miu hosting literary clubs and distributing books at its pop-ups, and Saint Laurent opening a bookshop in Paris. With celebrities hosting book clubs, the ‘performative man’ reading Sylvia Plath trend going viral, and fashion houses mixing books into their marketing one might wonder, has reading become sexy again in the age of doomscrolling? Or has it never stopped being so? In a world that is increasingly becoming faster and faster, with its deliveries, services, content, and even its fashion, books have become a way to slow down. As Josiah Gogarty discusses in his article for GQ, ‘How Fashion Embraced the Book Nerds,’ the slowness of literature is the exact opposite of fast fashion, which is why allusions to the medium are particularly fitting for luxury brands who wanted to distance themselves from the notion and sell as much of a lifestyle as a piece of clothing.
This love affair between fashion and literature is far from new, evident in the countless literary references woven into collections and the extensive body of writing dedicated to fashion itself. Yet the relationship remains an intricate one, raising the question of how much of this engagement is genuine and how much functions as a marketing strategy. There is a fine line between authenticity and performativity, and selecting literary references carelessly risks appearing misaligned with a brand’s identity. It is akin to hearing someone enthusiastically discuss a book they have never actually read at a dinner party — an image that recalls the internet’s ‘performative man’ trend. Literature is a powerful cultural medium, and its use in fashion requires careful consideration of the messages and values being communicated. Without genuine understanding and intent, references can quickly shift from tasteful to tacky.
While literary references in fashion may initially appear elitist, they can have the opposite effect. A novel is far more accessible than a luxury garment, and references to well-known books can “democratise” the experience, creating cultural connection for audiences who may not otherwise feel close to the luxury world. In this way, literature broadens fashion’s reach, particularly among younger consumers encountering luxury for the first time.
The storytelling curated through Dior’s book collection reflects an acute understanding of today’s cultural landscape, where producing luxury items as mere status symbols is no longer enough to create connection. As consumers increasingly use fashion to express identity, beliefs, and passions, culturally grounded designs such as the Book Tote resonate on a deeper level. This brings us back to the initial question: is reading sexy again? While reading never truly ceased being sexy, it was overshadowed for a time by louder, faster, and more performative expressions of culture. Today, however, as time itself becomes the ultimate luxury, reading has re-emerged as a quiet yet powerful marker of taste, intellect, and identity — one the fashion world has been quick to embrace and amplify.
By Nastassia Tsialpuk
Sources:
Barton, C., Nayak, M., Boger, S., Seara, J., & Geoffroy van Raemdonck. (2025, October 29). How Gen Z and Gen Alpha Are Rewiring the Fashion Industry. BCG Global. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/how-gen-z-gen-alpha-rewiring-fashion-industry
Bradshaw, K. (2026, January 14). Dior’s Book Tote Gets More Bookish – V Magazine. V Magazine. https://vmagazine.com/article/diors-book-tote-gets-more-bookish/
Gogarty, J. (2025, November 5). How fashion embraced the book nerds. British GQ. https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/how-fashion-embraced-the-book-nerds
Hennes, M. (2025, August 25). Jennifer Lawrence Gets Her Hands on Rihanna’s New Dior “Dracula” Book Tote. Marie Claire. https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/jennifer-lawrence-new-dior-book-tote-rihanna/
III, S. C. (2026, January 18). Dior Book Tote Gets Literary With Iconic Book Covers. MEGA. https://mega-asia.com/fashion/dior-book-tote/
Lassner, E. (2026). “Dracula” Goes Designer: Dior’s Latest Collection Pays Homage to Classic Literature. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/shopping/dior-book-cover-collection-shop-dior-book-tote-saddle-bag-1236473980/
Saini, N. (2025). When fashion and literature collide: How luxury fashion houses are embracing the literary world. Tatler Asia. https://www.tatlerasia.com/style/fashion/how-luxury-fashion-houses-are-embracing-the-literary-world
Smith, L. (2024, March 11). Transcript: Why is fashion so into books right now? Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/fe65b538-1de9-4170-9c81-cbc9488b7887
Victor Gosselin. (2025, September 30). The Jonathan Anderson mystery revealed, or Dior culture revived – Luxus Plus. Luxus Plus. https://luxus-plus.com/en/the-jonathan-anderson-mystery-revealed-or-dior-culture-revived/
