Rebel Stylist

“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.