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FASHION

FASHION

Christian Louboutin The Man Behind the Shoes

by Christian Louboutin (Author), Philippe Garcia (Photographer), David Lynch (Photographer), John Malkovich(Foreword), Eric Reinhardt (Contributor) Christian Louboutin, one of the world’s most celebrated shoe designers, has completed his first book. This stunning volume, with a fanciful and intricate pop-up, an elaborate foldout cover, and dramatic still-life photography, evokes the artistry and theatricality of Louboutin’s shoe designs that are closely associated with Hollywood starlets. Celebrated for his vertiginously high stilettos with their signature lacquer-red soles, Louboutin has achieved cult status with celebrities as well as fashionistas. His eclectic and exotic designs, often incorporating feathers, beads, and sequins, are a constant and dramatic presence on the red carpet and in nightclubs and restaurants the world over. Louboutin’s first book highlights the extraordinary range of his couture, from his iconic and glamorous creations to his fetishistic pieces, including his collaborations with David Lynch, meant more for the bedroom than the street. New photography captures Louboutin’s artistic sensibilities, while an in-depth interview reveals Louboutin’s life, travels, and inspirations, presenting a very personal look at the man behind the shoes. A work of art in itself, with a five-piece foldout binding and a pop-up, Christian Louboutin is an enticing and revelatory look at the most important luxury shoe designer of our day. The book…

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FASHION

Nardi by Nicholas Foulkes

Synonymous with Italian elegance and luxury, this Venetian jewellery maker has been creating timeless and unique pieces for over a century. With breath taking images and an informative text by Nicholas Foulkes, this oversize slipcase volume captures the history, essence, and vibrancy of Nardi. In a world of standardized big-name luxury, Nardi is an anomaly. A single-location, family-run shop that’s reserved, sepulchral, and occupying just five arches in a corner of a square, it is a globally renowned synonym for a geographically specific type of glamour. Today, as the shops of international luxury brands descend on the narrow streets of Venice’s San Marco district with their handbags and headscarves, Nardi remains an undiluted expression of an aesthetic that is uniquely and proudly Venetian. About the Author Nicholas Foulkes is a British historian, author, and journalist who have written books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, porcelain, and the trench coat. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogy of 19th-century histories: Scandalous Society, a biography of Count d’Orsay; Dancing Into Battle; and Gentlemen and Blackguards. His other books include High Society and Bals. Foulkes is luxury editor of British GQ, cofounder and editor in chief of Finch’s Quarterly…

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FASHION

Little Black Dress: Vintage Treasure

An essential piece of clothing in a woman’s closet, the little black dress has maintained its popularity thought all trends because it is always the “right” thing to wear. It is a timeless classic and all great designers have created their own variation. Didier Ludot owns the most famous vintage clothing store in Paris, the fashion capital of the world. The store, La Petit Robe Noire, is housed in the prestigious Palais Royal, just steps away from the Louvre. Ludot has meticulously built and maintained a collection of black dresses, which features designs by Chanel, Balmain, Balenciaga, and Gaultier, among others. Photographs of these dresses are juxtaposed with archive photos of Romy Schneider, Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau, Sofia Loren, Edith Piaf, Paloma Picasso, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor – all in their black dress finest. Ludot’s collection is a delightful tour of the black dress from yesterday to today. About the author Didier Ludot owns the most famous vintage clothing store in Paris, the fashion capital of the world. The store, La Petite Robe Noire, is housed in the prestigious Palais Royal, just steps away from the Louvre. Ludot has meticulously built and maintained a collection of black dresses, which…

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FASHION

Akris by Valerie Steele

Much like the Akris brand, the company’s 90th anniversary celebration early last week at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City was a decidedly understated affair. The guest of honour, Akris designer and creative director Albert Kriemler, chatted up guests while signing copies of the book “1922 2012 Akris,” which chronicles the evolution of his family’s business. Despite having jetted in from Europe the day before, the designer and creative director preferred to stand to greet fans of the brand and the espresso that was set on the edge of his signing table was left untouched. “There is no time for jet lag,” he said with a laugh. Fittingly, the idea to mark the family-owned Akris’ milestone sprang from a next-of-kin gathering. “We were celebrating the 90th birthday of our father and he mentioned how my grandmother started the company three months before she gave birth to him,” Kriemler said. Progressive as Alice Kriemler-Schoch was for the Roaring Twenties, Kriemler views his mission as one that encompasses the needs of these times we live in without walking away from the past. “I think it is my duty to bring the product forward and to keep up with that modernity,” he said….

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FASHION

Allure of Beauty: Women in Hollywood

In celebration of Hollywoods legendary actresses from the 1930s to the present, Assouline together with Elle magazine and renowned fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon presents The Allure of Glamour: Women in Hollywood. From Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich to Anita Ekberg and Julia Roberts, each page of this vibrant anthology radiates with provocative images of unforgettable faces and moments that have forever changed the place of women in Hollywood as well as in our social culture. Elle magazine film critic Karen Durbin delves into the history of Hollywood, highlighting females who have proven their femininity, strength, and talent. The glitzy narrative accompanies a carefully researched, sexy selection of photography that captures the individuality of each woman.

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FASHION

10 most coveted places around the world

Gypset Travel By Julia Chaplin Julia Chaplin’s gypsy caravan makes its second stop with the upcoming launch of her latest book, Gypset Travel (Assouline). Following the success of her 2009 Gypset Style, Chaplin takes readers to her 10 most coveted places around the world for you to relax, explore…and be the envy of all your friends. Chaplin is a modern day Talitha Getty,  exploring the magical hidden enclaves that are haunted by gypsy jet-setters, a.k.a. gypsetters – the portmanteau she coined while first covering these chic nomads. Her book meanders through such places as Lamu, Kenya; José Ignacio, Uruguay; and Todos Santos, Mexico. The pages are filled with lush photos of glamorous bohemian hideouts and personal stories and tips from Chaplin and her cohorts.  Not only are the interiors and architecture a perfect example of boho-luxe living, but the outfits worn by Chaplin’s subjects define what she calls “understated glamour and experimental luxury” – a heady mix of ethnic influences, delicate fabrics and clashing prints. Gypset Travel was launched at the Crow’s Nest on Montauk (another one of the book’s featured locations). For even more gypset style, head to Chaplin’s blog to see her travel notes and her hippie couture line of apparel and home wares.

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FASHION

American Fashion Book

Today, The Best Design Books presents an in-depth view of the many facets of the kaleidoscope of American fashion. These richly illustrated volumes celebrate the history of fashion design in this country, with exclusive behind-the-runway glimpses into the private lives of the most acclaimed American designers. If you are lover of books and fashion, then this is right up your alley. American Fashion is the visual celebration of fashion. Don’t let it’s minimally decorated cover fool you. There are over 300 pages of stunning and captivating photographs. Published in 2007 and Commissioned by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, author Charlie Scheips does an excellent job of showcasing iconic clothing spanning over 70 years (ending in the 1990s) and the journey of over 100 American designers into international stardom and becoming household names. American Fashion is the ultimate volume on the history of fashion in USA, celebrating over eight decades and the work of more than 100 designers. Commissioned by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), American Fashion is a visual journey through iconic and fresh images by the century’s greatest photographers and illustrators, accompanied by essays defining nearly a century of fascinating history. Beginning with the…

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DIOR, 60TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK
FASHION

DIOR 60TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK

DIOR 60TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK – Dior has celebrated its 60th year as a couture house by staging a massive haute couture show at the Palace of Versailles and launching a beautiful book. And what could be more fitting than a home known for excess playing host to a designer – and a fashion house – drenched in decadence. BY FARID CHENOUNE (enjoy reading my previous post about Dior Couture Book) Christian Dior presented his first collection to a bleak, post-war Paris in 1947. Dior’s collection was pronounced “The New Look” and made him a star. This illustrated book is based entirely on documents and photographs from the House of Dior, including 150 of its most beautiful haute couture dresses by Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre and John Galliano. See also: Book Review: Frida Kahlo, Fashion As The Art Of Being On this article I preferred to show some of the intimacy photographs of a time when Dior himself supervized every detail of his enterprise, and created a team of devoted collaborators and a large atelier of adoring seamstresses. He not only drew every dress himself but also fitted most of his clients, among whom were Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Bergman…

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FASHION

BALS: LEGENDARY COSTUME BALLS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

BALS: LEGENDARY COSTUME BALLS OF THE 20TH CENTURY – There’s nothing more that I love than a coffee table book full of captivating pictures and, of course, one that covers fashion. Renowned publisher, Assouline produces some of the most eye-catching books and they’ve recently released their latest work, BALS: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century by Nicholas Foulkes. BY NICHOLAS FOULKES This book explores nine of the most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century, in the most beautiful book ever produced on the subject. From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les années folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies,In addition to social commentary from (or about) colorful characters—including Paul Poiret, Truman Capote, and Cecil Beaton, who immortalized these extraordinary balls. Jacqueline de Ribes, Hélène David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson share their vivid souvenirs in first-person narratives.This is the ultimate book on such a unique and captivating theme. THE AUTHOR Nicholas Foulkes is a British historian, author, and journalist who has written books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, porcelain, and the trench coat. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogy of nineteenth-century histories: Scandalous Society, a biography of Count d’Orsay; Dancing Into Battle; and Gentlemen and Blackguards. In…

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Art

GRUAU: PORTRAITS OF MEN

GRUAU: PORTRAITS OF MEN, BY RÉJANE BARGIEL AND SYLVIE NISSEN Primarily known for his colorful and vivacious portrayals of women, René Gruau revolutionized the concept of masculinity in fashion imagery and advertising from the 1950s to the ’80s, depicting the modern casual, confident man with humor and sex appeal. See also: Interior Design Books: The Story of Eames Furniture Gruau became one of the best known and favorite artists of the haute couture world during the 1940s and 50s working with Femina, Marie-Claire, L’Officiel, L’Album Du Figaro and an assortment of “high-style” magazines. According to Alan Riding of the New York times, “everything he did, he evoked the glamour and style of the world of high fashion”. Because the technical age of the 20th century had yet to emerge, Gruau’s pictures were the advertisements of the time and gave marketing and presentation of clothing a new brilliant flare. Illustrations were intensely very important in the haute couture world. Gruau’s first position as artistic director for advertising was in 1947 with Christian Dior. Both together formed the “New Look” of the time, partially a result of Dior’s designs, and partially a result of Gruau’s combined interpretation and upgrading of old-style graphic illustration.Gruau formed a friendship with Dior that contributed…

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FASHION

The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited

The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited – Chanel celebrates its iconic black jacket in the form of a book The Little Black Jacket with photographs by designer Karl Lagerfeld and stylist Carine Roitfeld celebrating the classic garment with a traveling photography exhibition as well. by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld     The book has been launched for Fall 2012 with images of 109 celebrities wearing the jacket in a unique and different style each time. Models, actors, singers, rappers,fashion editors, designers all can be seen in this book wearing the Chanel black jacket. Lagerfeld has redesigned the jacket, transforming it into a modern, adaptable garment to be worn by both sexes of all ages. See also: Book Review: New Book by Brazilian jeweler H.Stern Claudia Schiffer Uma Thurman Kanye West Kirsten Dunst Tilda Swinton Sarah Jessica Parker This book shows the astounding versatility of Chanel’s vision in Lagerfeld’s hands, and ensures the little black jacket’s future as a timeless classic. History of The Little Black Jacket The history of the jacket began in 1916 when it was designed, produced and even worn by its founder Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was born in the nineteenth century and was an important figure of the…

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Hospitality Interior Design Ideas