Fashion Brands Repurpose Classic Books as Accessories While Reading Drops

In recent months fashion houses have used classic literature as status symbols, turning novels such as "Dracula", "Madame Bovary" and "Ulysses" into high‑priced accessories. Coach released a $95 book‑cover collection marketed as a fashion item, and Miu Miu staged a three‑day reading club featuring works by Annie Ernaux, with founder Miuccia Prada overseeing the event. The trend has been highlighted in articles noting exclusive Los Angeles book clubs and the broader luxury‑accessory market.

At the same time, The Atlantic reported that fewer than half of Americans have read a book in the past year, and literacy levels among new university students are falling. Commentary argues that the humanities are being treated as a collective property, warning that the decline in reading threatens cultural imagination and critical discourse. The piece cites historical renaissances driven by non‑academic readers and calls for renewed support for the humanities.