Best Design Books

LONDON DESIGN GUIDE

September 19, 2013

London’s only comprehensive design guide returns with new content and contributors in this totally updated and rewritten third edition. For fans of contemporary, modern and vintage design and those looking to access it, London Design Guide gives a fresh insight into the city’s design retailers, galleries, museums and bookshops. More than 150 new and established hotspots are compiled and reviewed, providing a tantalizing viewpoint of the design capital of the world. Each entry is categorized by neighborhood and accompanied by detailed maps to help navigate the best that the city has to offer. In each of the ten neighborhood chapters, we’ve honed in on streets that demonstrate a healthy mix of independent shops and services and asked selected business owners to comment on their evolution and attributes, with contributors including Stephen Webster, Ally Capellino, Sam & Sam Clarke and Michael Anastassiades. Furthermore, restaurant, bar and café recommendations are featured for each area, selected as much for their design credentials as for the quality of food and service. Every edition of London Design Guide includes themed essays from a variety of design experts and commentators. In this edition, we’ve examined the state of retail during a period when shops are…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Art

Fernand Léger : A Survey of Iconic Works

September 18, 2013

Known for his bold forms, geometric contrasts, and enduring interest in the working class, French painter Fernand Léger has had a tremendous influence on cubism, constructivism, and the contemporary advertising poster. While inseparable from the legacies of other famed cubists, Léger truly defined his own aesthetic language through his depictions of machines and modern technology coupled with a vibrant use of color. With an introduction by renowned twentieth-century art scholar Kenneth E. Silver, this limited-edition volume, part of Assouline’s Ultimate Collection, features a curated selection of his iconic pieces hand-glued to each page and displayed in exceptional fashion—for a lasting keepsake of Léger’s extraordinary oeuvre. About the author Kenneth E. Silver is Professor of Modern Art at New York University, Adjunct Curator of Art at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, and a contributing editor to Art in America magazine. He is the author of numerous award-winning books and articles, including Esprit de Corps: The Art of the Parisian Avant-Garde and the First World War (1989) and Making Paradise: Art, Modernity, and the Myth of the French Riviera (2000). His exhibition Chaos and Classicism: Art in France, Italy, and Germany 1918–1936 (Guggenheim Museum, New York, and Museo Guggenheim Bilbao, 2010–2011)…

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

Little Black Dress: Vintage Treasure

September 13, 2013

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…

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

Akris by Valerie Steele

September 11, 2013

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….

by weblog

Leave a comment

Lifestyle

BALLETS RUSSES BY ANDRÉ TUBEUF

September 6, 2013

The success of the Ballets Russes was legendary, but there is more to the legend than its name: the actual story, the adventure, conceived by one man and lived by a few, that lasted only eight seasons and three summers. From 1911 to 1914, Serge Diaghilev, driven by conviction and stubbornness, turned his vision into reality. He collaborated with the likes of Leon Bakst, Igor Stravinsky, and Picasso to create an explosion of creativity in Western Europe which had never before been seen in the world of art. Thanks to Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, the most glorious page in the history of ballet, one of the most magnificent moments in the adventure of Art, was written. To turn the pages of this stunning book, which offers rare documents from the legendary Ballets Russes from 1911 to 1914 (Monte Carlo years), is to follow Diaghilev on his creative quest—a journey that continues to influence art, theater, ballet, and fashion to this day. About the Author André Tubeuf taught philosophy for thirty-five years and served as musical adviser for two Ministers of Culture, Jacques Duhamel and Michel Guy, before he began writing. A collection of his most important works, l’Offrande Musicale, was published…

by weblog

Leave a comment

MAGAZINES

In the spirit of Las Vegas

September 4, 2013

Take a trip through the bright lights and blazing colours of Sin City with this coffee-table homage to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. Writer Jennifer Worthington explores its humble beginnings in the Mojave Desert, through to its rise to fame as the premier playground of the Rat Pack. Capturing the seductive allure of the legendary gambling paradise, it’s filled with sumptuous shots of the starlets, showgirls and scandal-makers that have helped propel it to international infamy. Initially a one-horse outpost in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas has become the symbol of entertainment of our twenty-first-century world. The history of this strange city is a fabulous mix between reality and dreams. Its heroes are Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Howard Hughes. Its scenes are casinos, extravagant hotels, gigantic boxing rings, or spectacular sets for cult films, like Casino, Ocean’s Eleven, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Sin City attracts millions of people each year, thousands of couples, and makes both fortunes and ruins. Frank Sinatra with Elvis Presley Ocean’s eleven This book chronicles the rise of this special desert oasis and the way it became the ultimate dream destination. A selected guide completes the volume with information…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Lifestyle

Polo: The Nomadic Tribe

August 30, 2013

Contrary to popular belief in certain quarters, polo is not just a rich people’s pastime confined to the Hamptons and Palm Beach; nor is it merely an extremely lucrative clothing empire founded by Ralph Lauren. In fact, it’s an ancient and noble game, as well as the world’s oldest team sport, that has evolved into an entire way of life. In her upcoming book Polo: The Nomadic Tribe (available for pre-order on Amazon), photographer Aline Coquelle chronicles all aspects of the ultimate equestrian pursuit, tracing polo from its nomadic origins to the incomparably chic lifestyle it encompasses today. Coquelle, who studied art and anthropology, travelled around the world for five years photographing and writing about each significant place along the route of polo’s evolution, capturing all its courage, strength, speed, style, beauty, elegance and allure. Polo was first played in Persia well before the 1st century AD. Warlike tribesmen played it with as many as 100 to a side in what were essentially a miniature battle. Later on it was passed from Persia to other parts of Asia including the Indian subcontinent and China, where it was very popular during the Tang Dynasty. The name polo is said to have…

by weblog

Leave a comment

FASHION

Allure of Beauty: Women in Hollywood

August 28, 2013

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.

by weblog

Leave a comment

Art

Pioneers of the possible

August 23, 2013

“I wanted to make sure I was looking at women from all different parts of the world- the Far East, South America- and to be sure that the stories I’m putting into the book are those of women who overcame odds or who were the first, ”says Angella M. Nazarian of her choices for the 20 women she writes about in “Pioneers of the Possible: Celebrating Visionary Women of the World”. “It’s that element of surprise for the reader, to be able to read biographies of women nobody’s heard about.” Among those selected for the book, some, to be sure, were very well known, among them Golda Meir, Martha Graham, Ella Fitzgerald and Anaïs Nin. But Nazarian also included a number who are less famous in the U.S.: Cambodian anti-human-trafficking activist Somaly Mam, bullfighter Conchita Cintron, Guatemalan human-rights advocate Rigoberta Menchú Tum and Moroccan runner Nawal El Moutawakel. Of artist Frida Kahlo, who appears on the cover of the book, Nazarian says, “She never wanted to be just Diego Rivera’s wife. She made sure that there was something that always remained Frida in their relationship. One reason she’s photographed so much is there’s something so beautifully exotic about her. She…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Lifestyle

In the Spirit of Palm Beach

August 21, 2013

In the Spirit of Palm Beach – Established as a luxury vacation destination for the rich and famous in the early 1900s, Palm Beach is synonymous with old-world glamour and new world sophistication. In this exquisite volume, long time visitor Pamela Fiori shares with readers the heritage of this tropical paradise. From its world-renowned resorts, dreamy estates, and flashy cars to its endless shopping opportunities and impeccable golf courses, In the Spirit of Palm Beach presents a full spectrum of everything the island can offer. An insider’s guide featuring Fiori’s selection of hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops completes the book. Excerpt from Introduction: If there is one resort community in America that signifies enormous wealth, unparalleled exclusivity, and unmitigated extravagance, it is Palm Beach. Two little words: “palm” and “beach.” When combined they conjure up a benign image of nothing more than tropical trees, a deserted expanse of sand, and the soft sound of lapping surf. How sublimely simple. In truth, that’s pretty much what Palm Beach was before the arrival of its modern-day settlers and until a certain Henry Morrison Flagler, a founder of Standard Oil, cast his canny eyes on the island’s oceanfront acres in the early 1890s…

by weblog

Leave a comment

Art

La Mamounia by Laure Verchere

August 14, 2013

Since it’s founding in the eleventh century, Marrakech has known an exceptional fate, as well as beauty. In this city, intricate design and craftsmanship can be found everywhere, in mosques, palaces, and schools, and even throughout ponds and gardens. Marrakech’s famed hotel La Mamounia is intimately linked to this flourishing of Moroccan artisanship, which has contributed to making its status as a world-class venue. In 2009, La Mamounia finished a complete revival, thanks to three years of renovations organized by the French decorator Jacques Garcia, in close collaboration with many Moroccan craftsmen. Among its walls, floors, and tapestries, run your fingers over arabesques and fine calligraphy. The decorative repertoire here is of great wealth, an inheritance of both a Hispano-Moorish past and of the present local cultures, incorporated by Garcia. From the fineness of an embroidered silk to the splendor of carved marble, La Mamounia pays them all tribute, celebrating these materials integrated among the comfort and luxurious hospitality here. To turn the pages of this stunning book is to embark on a sensorial journey, one that celebrates the refined Moroccan lifestyle. Be a virtual guest at La Mamounia—where visitors enter and ascend a gorgeous staircase, inhaling the sweet fragrance…

by weblog

Leave a comment