Madewell's New York Public Library Collection Sells Out as Book-Themed Fashion Takes Off

Madewell's new collaboration with the New York Public Library has struck a chord with shoppers, with several items selling out within minutes of the collection's launch this week. The line, which includes T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and accessories featuring library branding and literary inside jokes, quickly drew attention after the brand posted an Instagram photo of a woman in a baby tee reading «Book Girl.» The shirt sold out within 20 minutes, and the tote bag and pin pack also sold out on launch day. Madewell has since done a limited restock and plans a larger preorder restock.

The collection is the brainchild of Madewell creative director Steven Cateron, who approached the library last year after noticing that book-themed products were resonating with fashion consumers. The NYPL, a New York institution, had long been a resource for Cateron and his design team, who frequently mine its picture collection for vintage references and styling cues. «It's always been this fixture in New York that's so significant and special,» Cateron said. «But for me and my team, it's always been a source of inspiration.» The resulting line channels the coziness and nerdiness of library culture, with pieces like a «Picture Librarian» tee nodding to the library's picture collection and a «Rose Reading Room» baseball cap referencing the iconic Beaux-Arts space.

The collection arrives as books and reading are having a fashion moment. Earlier this year, Coach partnered with Penguin Random House on miniature, readable book bag charms that sold out in minutes. Sandy Liang, Coach, and Celine have staged recent collections in libraries, while Marc Jacobs has repeatedly held runway shows at the NYPL's Fifth Avenue building. Miu Miu has launched its own book club, with a recent gathering at a library in Milan. The trend comes even as Americans report reading less for pleasure: a study published last year found that the share of Americans who read for pleasure on an average day fell from 28% in 2004 to about 16% in 2023. But that decline may be part of the appeal, as reading becomes a more niche marker of identity and values.

Cateron said he has noticed younger members of his own team forming book clubs. «They're not talking about how they're going out; they're talking about how they're home reading,» he said. The collection also includes a denim chore coat with NYPL branding, developed with a specific wash meant to feel «quite lived in and familiar,» and a wool sweater in browns, greens, and yellows that Cateron designed with a librarian as his muse. «I was thinking of the librarian as a muse,» he said. To bring the campaign to life, Madewell cast four New York novelists: Anika Jade Levy, Michael Bible, Danielle Prescod, and Kayla Maiuri. The brand is also donating $100,000 to the NYPL to support its mission of providing free and open access.

For Cateron, the collection's strong reception reflects a broader cultural shift toward the physical and tactile as artificial intelligence becomes more pervasive. «In a world that's so digital, there's something nice about a return to the analog,» he said. The «Book Girl» tee, one of his favorite pieces, references the 1995 cult film «Party Girl,» in which Parker Posey plays a downtown party girl who takes a job at the NYPL and falls for the library. Even customers who don't catch the reference, he said, identify with the idea of choosing a book over a party.

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Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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