Bread of Angels by Patti Smith - A book review
by Mark Baigent
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Last week, I was thinking about how, back in 2008, I was writing a little fashion and design blog. Blogging was all the rage back then! Do you remember the likes of the Facehunter? The beginnings of Susie Bubble and Bryan Boy, with Diane Pernet being the Godmother of all bloggers! It was a fun time!
And while I was reminiscing over that time, I realised that I do like to write. I like sharing updates & personal opinions.
And so this is what I would like to do with my newsletters as well now. I mean, we all received a flood of emails from brands, but which kind of content do we actually enjoy? So I want to show you a bit more about my personal life, about the process of designing, and about what I find inspiring.
I am not a star-struck person. I have met many A-list celebrities and dressed them in my career. But there is a certain kind of celebrity that I am in awe of. And mostly these (women) people are not your commercial go-to famous, but their art centres itself around reflection, agency, identity, and political ambition.
As such, I want to refire this blog on my website with someone who has heavily influenced my work as designer & my general look on life. This is a book recommendation and a mini-review of Patti Smith's memoirs. Smith has, beyond a doubt, championed the artistry of lyrics and poetry. For that reason alone, her work naturally connects to my current collection, which is based on the Greek poet Sappho of Lesbos.
It is thus no surprise that “Bread of Angels”, written by Smith herself, exhibits what the singer and poet is best known for. Namely, words that go under your skin. Phrases that pillow you while you turn each page, and are through their simplicity gentle but infused with vocabulary that raises the bar of this written work to one of the most in-depth and heartfelt pieces of writing I have picked up in 2026.
Smith writes extensively about her childhood, growing up as a bit of an invisible child, plagued by sickness and constantly on the lookout for ‘more’ in life.
Not surprisingly, she finds her refuge and identity in Art and describes how major poets like Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Gérard de Nerval, Jean Genet, and Albert Camus. One thing we have in common dearly is Herman Hesse.
Bread of Angels stands out because it is written by Smith herself, and the reader picks up on that personal feeling. Smith conveys her emotions in a way that feels authentic and evokes empathy in the reader, not least because the artist is as gifted with words as she is with storytelling. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith is a page-turner that is second to none. The author's subjective account immerses us, readers, in the author's retrospective feelings and invites us to relive the second half of the 20th century through the eyes of the singer and songwriter.
A coming-of-age story about the power of memory and loss. In this book, a young woman seeks identity and finds belonging amongst the ‘Angels’, the people and artists she loves. Patti Smith offers an emotional and empathetic broader insight into her life, a lyrical meditation on eight decades of devotion to the creative spirit that shaped her into the legendary figure she is today.
-M
Photo: Cover Image by Pieter Hugo for Harpers Bazaar
And while I was reminiscing over that time, I realised that I do like to write. I like sharing updates & personal opinions.
And so this is what I would like to do with my newsletters as well now. I mean, we all received a flood of emails from brands, but which kind of content do we actually enjoy? So I want to show you a bit more about my personal life, about the process of designing, and about what I find inspiring.
I am not a star-struck person. I have met many A-list celebrities and dressed them in my career. But there is a certain kind of celebrity that I am in awe of. And mostly these (women) people are not your commercial go-to famous, but their art centres itself around reflection, agency, identity, and political ambition.
As such, I want to refire this blog on my website with someone who has heavily influenced my work as designer & my general look on life. This is a book recommendation and a mini-review of Patti Smith's memoirs. Smith has, beyond a doubt, championed the artistry of lyrics and poetry. For that reason alone, her work naturally connects to my current collection, which is based on the Greek poet Sappho of Lesbos.
It is thus no surprise that “Bread of Angels”, written by Smith herself, exhibits what the singer and poet is best known for. Namely, words that go under your skin. Phrases that pillow you while you turn each page, and are through their simplicity gentle but infused with vocabulary that raises the bar of this written work to one of the most in-depth and heartfelt pieces of writing I have picked up in 2026.
Smith writes extensively about her childhood, growing up as a bit of an invisible child, plagued by sickness and constantly on the lookout for ‘more’ in life.
Not surprisingly, she finds her refuge and identity in Art and describes how major poets like Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Gérard de Nerval, Jean Genet, and Albert Camus. One thing we have in common dearly is Herman Hesse.
Bread of Angels stands out because it is written by Smith herself, and the reader picks up on that personal feeling. Smith conveys her emotions in a way that feels authentic and evokes empathy in the reader, not least because the artist is as gifted with words as she is with storytelling. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith is a page-turner that is second to none. The author's subjective account immerses us, readers, in the author's retrospective feelings and invites us to relive the second half of the 20th century through the eyes of the singer and songwriter.
A coming-of-age story about the power of memory and loss. In this book, a young woman seeks identity and finds belonging amongst the ‘Angels’, the people and artists she loves. Patti Smith offers an emotional and empathetic broader insight into her life, a lyrical meditation on eight decades of devotion to the creative spirit that shaped her into the legendary figure she is today.
-M
Photo: Cover Image by Pieter Hugo for Harpers Bazaar
