Best Design Books

Ferrari – The world’s most expensive book

December 5, 2013

A Sri Lankan has become the first in the world to buy the world’s most expensive book currently in print – an astounding Rs.30.8 million (US$ 275,000) worth tome on carmaker Ferrari encrusted with 1,500 diamonds. In comparison, a Ferrari 458 Italia car costs only around US$ 225,00. Only 300 copies of the 37 Kg, 872 page book will ever be published, at the rate of just one copy per country. The Sri Lankan Ferrari aficionado identified only as Arjun Wickramasinghe, a senior executive of a publishing company, has told publisher Opus Media Group that he was buying the book for his son. Incidentally, there are only a very few Ferraris in Sri Lanka. The only other buyer of the book so far is from Australia but wealthy car lovers from Italy, USA, UK and UAE are waiting in line. Titled “Enzo Diamente Edition – The Official Ferrari Opus” the book is a remarkable homage to the famous prancing horse from Maranello. The 1,500 diamonds (30 carats) have been used to create Ferrari’s prancing horse logo on the cover of the book with painstaking precision. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in Modena in 1929, the Italian company is commemorating its history…

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

100 Superlative Rolex Watches

December 3, 2013

The Rolex tagline, “an obsession with perfection,” is upheld by the brand’s popularity. Often copied but never surpassed, Rolex–headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with 28 affiliates worldwide and relying on 4,000 watchmakers in over 100 countries–has been the leading name in luxury watches and the symbol of exemplary performance and prestige for more than a century. John Goldberger, editor of 100 Superlative Rolex Watches, has spent many happy hours browsing through watch shops, flea markets, conventions and auctions around the world for the past 35 years, collecting and studying vintage watches. In this well-appointed volume he presents comprehensive descriptions of 100 of the finest Rolex watches ever made and provides an extensive overview of Rolex’s production, demonstrating the company’s innovation in the technical and aesthetic evolution of watch design. More than 600 color illustrations and 400 descriptions provide the collector and watch enthusiast with invaluable information: reference numbers, casing, movement, relative calibers and year of production for each watch. The book covers many styles, including the earliest models, the Oyster, chronograph and moon phases, the sports model and the Daytona.

by weblog

Leave a comment

Interior Design

Interiors by Yoo

November 28, 2013

“Interiors by yoo” aims to inspire the reader with design advice and thoughts from four of the most talented names in the design world: superstar designer Philippe Starck, rock royalty Jade Jagger, avantgarde Dutchman Marcel Wanders and queen of low-key luxe Kelly Hoppen MBE. Over 192 pages, it brings together yoo’s most cutting-edge interior design projects for hotels and private residences around the world; it includes feature pages on the yoo’s eighteen style palettes; and thought-provoking interviews with each designer. As John Hitchcox, yoo’s Chairman, explains in his personal introduction, “This book is a collection of our work, a tool to stimulate you into thinking about the kind of things you want to surround yourself with at home.” Launched in the UK in 2009 and more recently in Taiwan, France and China, “Interiors by yoo” has sold over 30,000 copies internationally.

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

100 Dresses – The Costume Institute / The Metropolitan Museum of Art

November 26, 2013

What woman can resist imagining herself in a beautiful designer dress? Here, for the first time ever, are 100 fabulous gowns from the permanent collection of the renowned Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, each of which is a reminder of the ways fashion reflects the broader culture that created it. Featuring designs by Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Madame Grès, Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and many others, this one-of-a-kind collection presents a stunning variety of garments. Ranging from the buttoned-up gowns of the late 17th century to the cutting-edge designs of the early 21st, the dresses reflect the sensibilities and excesses of each era while providing a vivid picture of how styles have changed—sometimes radically—over the years. A late 1600s wool dress with a surprising splash of silver thread; a large-bustled red satin dress from the 1800s; a short, shimmery 1920s dancing dress; a glamorous 1950s cocktail dress; and a 1960s minidress—each tells a story about its period and serves as a testament to the enduring ingenuity of the fashion designer’s art. Images of the dresses are accompanied by informative text and enhanced by close-up details as well as runway photos, fashion plates,…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Interior Design

Furniture with soul – Master Woodwoekers and Their Craft

November 19, 2013

“Furniture with Soul” follows in the grand tradition of two other classic Kodansha books, “Sam Maloof: Woodworker” and “The Soul of a Tree: A Master Woodworker’s Reflections” by George Nakashima. Both books have inspired several generations of contemporary artists working in wood, including most of the artists in the present book. Written by respected woodworker David Savage, who will soon host a BBC special on the subject, “Furniture with Soul” explores the philosophy, career, and the pivotal moments of struggle and inspiration of ten top craftspeople. Savage travelled throughout the United States and Britain to interview renowned artists in the field with candour and an uncompromising eye. As he puts it, the craftspeople featured in this book have lived lives dedicated to the creation of objects that will fill us with awe and wonder. These makers are at once artists and designers and top-of-the-line craftspeople, creating handcrafted objects in the small workshop or studio, stretching artistic boundaries, uninterested in mass-produced products. Their pursuit is excellence and the individuality that will make their work a landmark of our age. Savage shines the spotlight on some of the world’s best woodworkers, including John Makepeace, John Cederquist, Jack Larimore, Gary Knox Bennett, and…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Uncategorized

Hue by Kelly Wearstler

November 14, 2013

I decided to study the book properly as I was looking for two things: some colour inspiration for what to do with our awkward purple sofa and how to develop a signature style. On first glance Hue appears to be little more than a brochure of interiors designed by Kelly Wearstler. Many people who have bought this book have complained that there are no captions, tips or explanations to accompany the photographs and whilst I can understand this disappointment – I felt it myself – in some ways the lack of text adds to the sense of intrigue that her interiors create, in the same way that Kate Moss’ point blank refusal to explain her actions make her all the more fascinating. At the start of the book there is an interview with Kelly and to be honest I found more insight and inspiration here than can be found in the entirety of many design books. There are some real gems on how to find, collect and store inspiration and how to blur the boundaries between fashion, art and interior design. Kelly’s interiors play on scale and colour in a big way. Everything is oversized and every colour is ramped…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Lifestyle

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

November 12, 2013

In its time Jack Kerouac’s masterpiece was the bible of the Beat Generation, the essential prose accompaniment to Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. While it stunned the public and literary establishment when it was published in 1957, it is now recognized as an American classic. With On the Road, Kerouac discovered his voice and his true subject—the search for a place as an outsider in America. On the Road swings to the rhythms of fifties underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns, and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveler and mystic, the living epitome of Beat. “Life is great, and few can put the zest and wonder and sadness and humor of it on paper more interestingly than Kerouac.” – Luther Nichols, San Francisco Examiner “Just as, more than any other novel of the Twenties, The Sun Also Rises came to be regarded as the testament of the Lost Generation, so it seems certain that On the Road will come to be known as that of the Beat Generation.” – Gilbert Millstein, The New York Times

by weblog

Leave a comment

BEST SELLERS

Eames: Beautiful Details

November 7, 2013

“Eames: Beautiful Details” celebrates the seamlessness and fluidity in which Charles and Ray Eames operated as both a husband-and-wife team and as designers unrestricted by traditionally professionally boundaries. Select details of their life and work, from their refined designs to their innovative experiments, and even including images depicting the everyday poetic moments of their lives, and are shared here in this exhibit within a book. Inspired by Charles’s immersive and original slideshows, in which he expertly selected and grouped images together that communicated information in an aesthetic, direct, and accessible way, this book strives to visually created the Eameses’ life and work by taking the viewer through a delightful journey, focusing on their “beautiful details.” The packaging design of the “Eames: Beautiful Details” slipcase is a pattern inspired by the triangles and colors of one of their most inventive, if lesser-known, designs for children, simply called, “the toy.” It also pays homage to the patterns they used on their well-loved House of Cards. The Eameses brought a sense of humor and joy to everything they created, and the design and layout of the book aims to convey that spirit in a visual feast for the eyes. It is a testament…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Interior Design

5 interior design books you should read

November 5, 2013

Not So Big House This best seller was met with an extraordinary response when it was published in 1998. In it, visionary architect Sarah Susanka embraced the notion of smaller, simpler shelters that better meet the needs of the way we live today. The book created a groundswell of interest among homeowners, architects, and builders. More than 200 photographs bring the spirit of the “Not So Big” house alive. The Color Scheme Bible: Inspirational Palettes for Designing Home Interiors “A practical guide to using color successfully.” The power of color is its ability to influence mood, create atmosphere, and enhance perception. As a result, one of the most effective ways to transform any room is by changing its color. Which colors to use is the challenge. The Color Scheme Bible is a practical, yet inspiring reference for those who want to take advantage of different colors without clashing. It contains 150 color scheme ideas for home decorators and interior designers. The book explains how to choose colors that will complement each other for a subdued effect, and which colors and combinations will energize the room. Topics covered include: How color creates ambiance and atmosphere Using color to give a small…

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

Mario Testino – In your face

October 31, 2013

Experience a world of glamour through Mario Testino’s boundless talent with a camera must be maddening for other photographers working in a highly competitive field, but he remains one of the most revered stars in his profession. Often imitated and never equalled, Testino is graced with a natural ability to float effortlessly from studio to backstage to after-party, producing stunning shots in any kind of situation. His generosity as an artist, coupled with his striking vision, infuses his work with a warmth and intensity that invites, rather than intimidates, the viewer. From royals to mega-celebrities, Testino has shot some of the world’s most inaccessible subjects, always with an ease that betrays the complexity of the task. When Testino gets “in your face” he captures you at your best–and that is what makes him the best. This unorthodox collection of various images chosen by Testino from the span of his 30-year career reflects the diversity of his work, ranging from fashion and advertising shots to sexually-charged images and autobiographical photos. Full of color, life, and humor, this selection is a testament to the sheer brilliance of a tireless chronicler of fabulousness.

by weblog

Leave a comment

Interior Design

Axel Vervoordt: Living With Light

October 24, 2013

About This Book Following the best seller Axel Vervoordt: Timeless Interiors, this volume of twenty new interiors expands on the Vervoordt vision for creating exceptional homes that combine natural elements, antiques, and fine art. The art of harmonious living is extolled in this volume through twenty bespoke interiors designed by the Axel Vervoordt company. Each room incorporates natural elements—light, water, metal, wood—blended with a modern aesthetic and punctuated with fine art. The Vervoordt concept of the home is revealed through a refined balance between art and nature to create timeless living spaces. The range of featured properties includes homes by the sea as well as in urban and rural locations, demonstrating a breadth of styles possible within the essential Vervoordt design principles. Photography by Laziz Hamani brings into focus both the unique design details and the carefully constructed interiors that fuse to create each striking setting. These exceptional residences are rich with inspirational ideas to incorporate into your own home so that you can celebrate your living space in the singular Vervoordt style. About the Author Axel Vervoordt is an internationally acclaimed antiques and art collector and dealer based in Belgium. He has organized numerous exhibitions around the world, including…

by weblog

Leave a comment