Models are well accustomed to boredom—especially during fashion month. Think about it: hundreds of shows across four cities mean hours upon hours of castings, transit, hair and makeup, and (finally!) the actual runway. So it’s no surprise that these pros are experts at killing time.
What better way to pass the hours than by escaping into a good book? With the spring 2027 season finally in the rearview, five models let us in on what they read backstage, from a Sally Rooney heartbreaker to a nearly 90-year-old play, and stories that remind these globetrotters of homes on other continents. Stella Hanan Beautiful World Where Are You by Sally Rooney “I fell in love with Sally Rooney after reading her hit novels Normal People and Conversations With Friends.
I started this book over the summer and finished it during Fashion Week this fall. I love the way Rooney conveys the various aspects of human nature—communication, how people react together, how they react alone, and the emotions that come with different stages of life. It also covers a lot of conversations around politics, religion, art, and inequality.
The basis of this book is anchored in friendship and love, following four people. However, most of the novel is centered on a long-distance friendship between two women who use email and written letters to share their lives. The book goes on to bring the characters together while you follow the evolution of their friendship and love lives, and it highlights the importance of differences as well as similarities in their relationships.
I think it’s very relatable!” Iasmin Reis Brain Damage by Freida McFadden “A friend recommended the book to me, but I chose it because the cover caught my attention. After reading the prologue, I became even more interested because I realized the story explores both the ‘before’ and the ‘after.’ The author reveals everything along with the character, so you discover what happened as the story unfolds.” Sunday Rose Golden Boy by Clifford Odets “I saw a revival of this play starring Josh O’Connor at the Almeida in London a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. The cast and story were so fascinating, so I decided to read the original from 1937.
I think this play really intrigued me because it emphasizes the choice between wealth, fame, and true passion, and what a person might sacrifice to get there. Weirdly, I also loved how the ending was sad, because it felt more realistic and less fantasized.” Canlan Wang Medical Examiner Dr. Qin by Qin Ming “Suspense novels tend to grab my attention very quickly, and I like how they introduce me to fields I wouldn’t normally come across.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
