Jeanne Beker—the legendary Canadian television host of programs such as Fashion Television and The New Music —has long understood that clothes carry meaning. “From the very beginning—going back to my days as a young girl playing with dolls—I always knew that what we wore was important,” Beker tells Vogue . “I understood that the way we presented ourselves told the world who we were—and sometimes, told ourselves who we were.
” Her awareness of style both as a marker of identity and a kind of art form is precisely why she spent years profiling and documenting the world of high fashion on FT. And now, with a new memoir, Beker is turning the spotlight on her own relationship to clothes. Heart on My Sleeve: Stories from a Life Well Worn , out today, surveys Beker’s life and career through the pieces in her one-of-a-kind closet.
Approaching them rather like artifacts—“They hold memories,” Beker says—the esteemed journalist was eager to examine the connective threads between clothing, experience, and memory. “I realized that [fashion] can dictate certain adventures in your life, and certainly has the potential to transform you,” says Beker. Also not to be missed? The book’s touching foreword by supermodel (and fellow Canadian) Linda Evangelista.
Here, Vogue chats with Beker about her new release. Vogue : Hi, Jeanne! First, I would love to hear how the concept for this book came to be. Jeanne Beker: I was contacted by the publisher, Simon & Schuster, .
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