Merit is one of the beauty industry’s disruptors leading the charge of changing these outdated standards, and Coddington couldn’t be a better face for the brand’s inclusive endeavors.

Random House. 333 pp. $35 Vogue creative director Grace Coddington offers a fresh and down-to-Earth perspective on a world known for its glamour and celebrity: the fashion industry.

Below, Grace Coddington explains, in her own words, what continues to motivate her. I’m not modern. Now is not the moment for people who are very particular and very precise.

Grace Coddington started her career as a model. She now directs photo spreads for American Vogue. In every field, there are people whose behind-the-scenes work ripples out; whose vision helps ...