Books Are Giving Brands Cultural Cachet
Books are making a comeback as a cultural status symbol. From luxury fashion houses to boutique beauty brands, brands are tapping into the literary world, using books not just as aesthetic objects but as markers of taste, intellect, and deeper cultural engagement.
This shift is showing up in brand libraries, literature-themed events, fashion collaborations, and the return of print collateral. As screens become more intrusive and digital marketing more relentless, books offer both consumers and brands a reprieve—an unmonetised, ad-free space that signals depth and discernment.
Luxury fashion has been leading this movement. Prada’s 10 Protagonists lookbook, featuring Carey Mulligan and written by author Ottessa Moshfegh, is a perfect example of storytelling woven into brand identity. The collection wasn’t just about the clothes, but the narratives they carried, making the campaign more immersive and even collectible.
Miu Miu’s Literary Club follows the same idea, placing the brand at the intersection of fashion and literature. These carefully curated events are part of a larger trend—what Vogue Business has called "Book Girl Summer"—where high-end brands appeal to the well-read, or at least those who want to be seen that way.
Dôen’s collaboration with second-generation supermodel Kaia Gerber’s Library Science reinforces the idea that books are more than just props. This partnership highlights the tactile and communal aspects of reading, fitting perfectly with contemporary fashion’s romantic, nostalgic aesthetic.
Other brands exploring this space include Loewe, which frequently highlights literary figures in its campaigns and collections, and Chanel, whose Métiers d’Art collections often reference literary and artistic movements.
Gucci, under Alessandro Michele, also embraced literature as a form of intellectual storytelling, partnering with independent bookshops and curating literary-inspired campaigns.
Beyond fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands have also embraced the literary aesthetic. Aesop, long associated with an intellectual edge, has had an ongoing partnership with 'The Paris Review', publishes thoughtful literary criticism on their website under The Athaeneum and places quotes from Dickens to Homer on its products.
Last year, it doubled down on its literary commitment during Pride Week, replacing all in-store products with free books by queer authors in their Bondi Junction and QV Melbourne stores in Australia. The move felt both generous and culturally meaningful.
Australian-founded Flamingo Estate has expanded beyond home and body products to produce beautifully bound books that reflect its ethos of nature, pleasure, and slow living. The revival of printed brand magazines, like dating app Hinge’s newsprint publication, further underscores this trend. Last year, the dating brand released a zine filled with love stories written by literary stars like Roxane Gay and R.O. Kwon.
These carefully curated objects push back against fleeting digital content, offering something consumers can collect, display, and engage with at their own pace.
Other brands joining the print revival include Maison Margiela, known for referencing literary and artistic subcultures in its branding. Even hospitality brands like The Standard have embraced books, curating in-room libraries tailored to their guests. Locally, books as brand building entities are rife from Carla Oates’ 'The Beauty Chef' cookbooks through to skincare empress Melanie Grant’s 'Guide to Skin Health', all of which serve to further cement founder brands as well as gently selling product through knowledge sharing and positioning the businesses as trusted experts in their category.
This resurgence of literary branding isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about curation and authority. In a modern marketing context, companies are positioning themselves as tastemakers beyond their core products. By aligning with literature, brands signal that they offer more than just material goods. They present themselves as purveyors of culture, ideas, and intellectual capital.
There’s also an element of exclusivity. Owning (or reading) the right books, whether a rare first edition or boasting a thoughtfully-curated library, has always been a form of cultural cachet, much like wearing the right designer or carrying the right handbag. The message is clear: If you align with a brand’s literary choices, you share its values, aesthetics, and intellectual outlook.
Of course, there’s an inherent contradiction in all of this. Literature is meant to be an accessible and democratic pursuit, not a luxury commodity or a trendy aesthetic.
Branding books risks turning intellectual engagement into just another consumable, where reading is more about display than discussion.
At the same time, this movement could be a gateway, rather than a gimmick. There is value in brands sparking curiosity and introducing consumers to literature they might not have otherwise discovered. In an era of fragmented attention, in which reading feels like a lost art, anything that reinstates books as meaningful objects has its merits.
As consumers grow weary of digital saturation, the demand for analogue experiences will continue to rise. Books, with their promise of quiet immersion and uninterrupted thought, offer a powerful counterpoint to the hyper-connected world we live in. Brands that understand this and engage with literature in a way that feels thoughtful, rather than opportunistic, will continue to resonate with audiences looking for more than just another product.
The challenge is finding the right balance: championing literature as a cultural force while ensuring it remains more than just another brand accessory. If done well, this literary revival has the potential to offer something truly valuable, acting as a harbinger of a shift from surface to substance.
