i-D's editor in chief Holly Shackleton shows us her top five books!

I get the same feeling receiving the zip file from weekly Bookshelf contributors as I did when I used to babysit as a teenager and casually rifle through people’s drawers (by the way, don’t do that). Witnessing the telling spines residing on people’s shelves will always be intriguing, and Holly’s top five is no exception. The editor in chief of i-D has an absolute terasure trove of some of the glossiest, coffee table-worthy tomes money can buy. What’s brilliant about her selection is just how telling it is of her true passion for the world she has been submerged in since beginning as an intern there many moons ago, and of why i-D is so consistently brilliant with her at the helm.

Alasdair McLellan: Ultimate Clothing Company

Alasdair McLellan’s Ultimate Clothing Company is a new addition to my bookshelf: a handsome assortment of British boys and landscapes inspired by his home town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Al is a much-loved friend of i-D’s who has contributed to the magazine for many years, which is why I love this book so much; it feels intrinsic to i-D’s aesthetic. With only 2000 copies in existence, it’s an instant collector’s item too!

Kira Joliffe and Bay Garnet: Cheap Date

Cheap Date is Kira Joliffe and Bay Garnet’s amazing fanzine. It’s also where I did my first internship aged 16. Spending a week with Kira in 1997, I was blown away by the idea of a group of young people working together to create something of their own. I worked with Kira on the Joan Jett issue, with tasks including spray painting the Cheap Date logo onto each issue with a stencil and trailing markets for bargainous vintage finds. Cheap Date sadly no longer exists, but it’s still an important part of my bookshelf as it’s the first printed publication that set me on the road to what I wanted to do.

i-D: Fashion Now 2

Working on Fashion Now 2 was an encyclopedia and an education all in one. I’d just started interning at i-D, when Terry Jones (founder and former Editor in Chief) asked me to write a couple of designer biogs for a book he was working on with Taschen. For a 23-year-old straight out of uni, this was a dream come true. While this book is a reminder of the first time I saw my name in print, it is also a portfolio of beautiful, iconic imagery and decade-defining interviews with 160 of the world’s most inspirational fashion designers. We need to do an updated version soon!

Kate: The Kate Moss Book

Growing up interested in fashion, Kate Moss was my ultimate icon. This mega-glossy coffee table book features all the images that made the Croydon supermodel so iconic, tracing her career from awkward teenager to the most famous supermodel in the world. With images by Corinne Day, Juergen Teller, Craig McDean, David Sims and more, it’s a must-have for any Moss fan like myself!

In Love with Beauty, Walter Phieffer

I have far too many photography books, but Walter Phieffer’s In Love with Beauty is one of my all-time faves. Featuring his work from the 1970s to the early noughties, the composition of Walter’s photographs always makes me happy. Walter has a really unique view on the world that is guaranteed to make you smile.