"This book accompanies the exhibition of the same name that is staged at the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, USA. This is one of several events featuring Fabergé, which are being held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. It opened on 12th November 2017 and will run through to 27th May 2018.

The Museum is internationally renowned for its collection of art, which was amassed substantially by two men, the father and son railway barons and avid collectors William and Henry Walters. It was eventually bequeathed to the City of Baltimore. Henry Walters was introduced to the work of Peter Carl Fabergé in 1900 when he visited the Exposition Universelle in Paris and saw the display of Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs, jewellery and objets de luxe which brought the company wide acclaim.

Later that year he sailed in his yacht SS Narada up the River Neva to St Petersburg. There he met his old friend Princess Julia Dent Grant Cantacuzène-Speransky, the eldest granddaughter of President Ulysses S Grant. The princess guided Henry and his fellow passengers to Fabergé’s newly opened HQ on Bolshaya Morskaya Street. He purchased an array of hardstone carved animals and several elegant jewelled parasol handles as intended gifts for his nieces.

After the Revolution he started to buy Russian art and objets d’art. The first piece was the circa 1600 The Hospitality of Abraham Icon he acquired in 1922. From 1928 to 1931 he purchased 80 objects from Alexandre Polovtsoff, who had escaped from the USSR after the Revolution and settled in Paris.

Alexandre’s father had married the foster daughter of Baron Stieglitz, the Governor of the State Bank of the Russian Empire and a philanthropist. The Baron had established a school of industrial art in St Petersburg and funded the adjacent Stieglitz Museum in 1882 for the benefit its students. In 1885-6, Alexandre’s father contributed greatly to the formation of the Museum and met William Walters on a buying trip to Paris.

Alexandre was appointed to the board of the Museum in 1890. He was an officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and travelled widely. This gave him the opportunity to purchase substantial collections of art from the countries that bordered Russia for both the Museum and himself. In 1917 the Soviets named him director of the Stieglitz Museum and later commissar of the Pavlovsk Palace Museum.

While much of Alexandre’s personal collection was absorbed into the Hermitage when the Soviets began their campaign of consolidation, he clearly retained some. He also somehow acquired two Imperial Eggs. These were among the 80 works of art he sold to Henry Walters.

The exhibition draws on the Russian art and objects in the Walters’ Collection as well as a generous gift in 2010 of Jean M Riddell’s collection of Russian enamels. When Tatiana Fabergé and I visited Baltimore in 2011, we saw this collection in the vaults prior to it being catalogued. Like the Walters’ Collection, it contains some stunning pieces.

The exhibition and the book give a fascinating overview of Russian decorative art over nine centuries. It reveals a highly accomplished crafts tradition that persisted for nearly 1000 years from a 12th century temple pendant to a the work of Fabergé, including the two Imperial Eggs."

   The description is taken from the official website https://www.faberge.com/

"Hardly any other epoch in art history has been marked by as many profound changes as the Late Gothic was in the fifteenth century. Inspired by Netherlandish role models, depictions of light and shadow, body and space, became increasingly more realistic. Everyday life found entry into the arts. With the invention of printing, images and texts were distributed to an extent previously unheard of. Artists such as Nicolaus Gerhaert and Martin Schongauer became widely known and influenced the development of the visual arts throughout Europe and across all genres. Featuring a wide selection of works, the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin present the first extensive exhibition of Late Gothic art in the German-speaking regions. Its comparison and contrast of the various genres turns the catalogue into a handbook for the arts at the threshold of the modern era."

The description is taken from the official website https://www.hatjecantz.com/

"This lavishly illustrated book presents Muslim fashion as an essential part of contemporary style.

This dazzling exploration of contemporary Muslim modest dress, from historic styles to present-day examples, accompanies a major exhibition and reveals the enormous range of self-expression through fashion achieved by Muslim men and women. Filled with documentary and fashion photography as well as stills from runway shows and the media, this book explores the ways Muslim style cultures are shaped by global trends and religious beliefs. From high-end couture to streetwear, this volume shows how established and diaspora regions, such as Dubai, Jakarta, London, and New York, are homes to thriving industries that create classic and cutting-edge looks. Accompanying these images are essays and personal narratives by leading voices that touch on everything from the history of modest dress to social media. A fascinating examination of a major segment of the fashion industry, this book highlights the ingenuity and creativity of Muslim designers and wearers as they deftly navigate the fashion industry while maintaining their religious and cultural identities."

The description is taken from the official website https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de/PublishingHouse/Prestel/58500.rhd

"A picture-driven account of this important period in the proven successful format of Egypt -- 4000 Years of Art (Phaidon 2003). Presenting 300 artworks from the years 240 to 1453, The Glory of Byzantium and Early Christendom encapsulates the development of art in eastern Europe and eastern Mediterranean from the very early days of Christianity to the fall of Constantinople. From architecture to jewellery, from coins to paintings, from mosaics to book illuminations, Byzantine art in all its forms is explored. Unique not only for its extensive variety of art forms, the book also has a vast geographic scope, including art from Britain to Syria, from Spain to Turkey, from Egypt to Georgia. A sumptuous volume with stunning illustrations and concise descriptions, it places each artwork in its social, religious and political context, with an informative survey of its significance in this history of Byzantine art. A book for dipping into, as well as an inspiring, authoritative appraisal of this magnificent millennium of artistic culture."

The description is taken from the official website https://www.phaidon.com/

"Shoes are part of the basic equipment of our wardrobe, but they can be transformed by their wearers into a unique, fascinating fashion accessory that influences the entire outfit and makes it an unmistakable expression of their personal style. Whether vintage or avant-garde, elegant or rocking, minimalist or extravagant: It's All About Shoes shows a colorful mix of the different creations that fashion fans put their feet in every morning to make a fashion statement on the city's asphalt catwalks. Street style photographer Suzanne Middlemass has captured with her camera both fashionistas and people completely independent of global, homogeneous trends, who have the courage to wear beautiful or strange, but always interesting shoes. It's All About Shoes presents a panorama of exciting and inspiring street style shots that only look down at the shoes! This revised new edition also includes interviews with well-known shoe designers and asks them about the topics of design inspiration and sustainability.

Street styles from the world's leading fashion capitals: Paris, Milan, New York, London, Berlin and Copenhagen. For fashion designers, cultural researchers, fans of innovative street style fashion and anyone looking for creative inspiration for their personal style."

The description is taken from the official website https://www.teneues.com/en

"Ice Ice Baby
The definitive photographic history of how hip-hop blinged out and redefined the world of jewelry, luxury, and style.
Whether it's diamond-encrusted grills, oversized “truck” style chains, bust-down Rolex and Patek Philippe watches or a Tiffany necklace, jewelry is a cornerstone of hip-hop culture. Glittering, blinged-out jewels are the shining statement of a collective identity: unapologetic, charismatic, and street savvy.

Spanning the history of hip-hop jewelry, from the 1980s to today, Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History is a stunning compilation of storytelling and visuals. Hundreds of extraordinary images of every major hip-hop artist on record celebrate how “Ice” has become a proclamation of identity and self-expression.

Starting with Run-DMC’s gold Adidas pendants and Eric B. & Rakim’s ostentatious dookie rope chains and Mercedes medallions, the jewelry then transforms from street style into a booming design culture. The hip-hop tradition of “show up and show out” reaches new heights with artists like Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z, Gucci Mane, and Cardi B, whose over-the-top pieces integrate unique pop culture references, unconventional materials, and enduring collaborations with artists like Takashi Murakami.

Author Vikki Tobak reveals – in great detail – the work of pioneering jewelers such as Tito Caicedo of Manny’s, Eddie Plein, and Jacob the Jeweler as well as newer artisans such as Avianne & Co., Ben Baller/IF & Co., Greg Yuna, Johnny Dang, Eliantte, and many more.

Ice Cold is a treasure trove of dazzling, inspirational style, featuring the work of leading photographers, including Wolfgang Tillmans, Janette Beckman, Jamel Shabazz, Timothy White, Gillian Laub, David LaChapelle, Danny Clinch, Chris Buck, Mike Miller, Phil Knott, Raven B. Varona, Al Pereira, Albert Watson and many more.

A foreword by hip-hop superstar Slick Rick and essays by A$AP Ferg, LL COOL J, Kevin “Coach K’ Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas of Quality Control Music take us on personal journeys into their jewelry universe.

Ice Cold goes beyond the ostentatious bling to reveal a transformative story that is loud and proud."

The description is taken from the official website https://www.taschen.com/en/

"A Looking back at key moments in Wedgwood’s design history, this book celebrates the visual power and great design encapsulated by Wedgwood from its founding in 1759 to the present day.
The name ‘Wedgwood’ has come to stand for something far beyond its illustrious and energetic founder: uniting art and industry; introducing design and artistic collaborations; the iconic blue and white of Wedgwood jasper. This book tells that story through the lens of design, reflecting the continuing role that Wedgwood and its designers, artists and employees played in setting trends, responding to the market and producing high-quality, desirable ceramics for a broad range of consumers, yet tied to the traditions established by Josiah Wedgwood in the eighteenth century. It presents highlights from the V&A Wedgwood Collection, reflecting the unique proposition of Wedgwood’s business: by operating in both the ‘ornamental’ and ‘useful’ markets, Wedgwood was able to bring innovative ceramic design to large areas of a captive market. These ceramics and their stories demonstrate the artistic heritage, craft and innovation that have become synonymous with the Wedgwood name."


The description is taken from the official website https://thamesandhudson.com/

For over a century, the name of Chanel has been inextricably linked to elegance, modernity and fashion innovation. It was Chanel who single-handedly made striped jerseys and loose trousers chic, costume jewellery desirable, the little black dress the height of sophistication, and tweed suits a staple of every stylish woman's wardrobe.

In this revised and updated book, dress historian Amy de la Haye celebrates Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel as the couturiere who changed the way stylish women everywhere dress, then and now. She examines the creative output of this most famous of fashion houses, from its infancy in the 1920s through Karl Lagerfeld's incredibly successful tenure, and to the present day as it continues to prosper under Virginie Viard.


"There’s nothing like a classy coffee table book to exude intelligence and fine taste. Gift the cultured fashionista in your life a copy of Chanel: Couture and Industry, which accompanies the V&A’s current retrospective of the iconic French couturier".

The description is taken from the official website https://www.vam.ac.uk/shop

The world appears to be divided into cat and dog lovers, but fortunately Walter Chandoha, the 20th century’s greatest pet photographer found himself happily in the middle. He loved these intriguing creatures equally for their unique beauty and individualism, and as subjects to photograph in a career spanning over 70 years. While working on his critically acclaimed TASCHEN book Cats, Chandoha handpicked his favorite dog photos for a potential follow-up title, putting into carefully marked boxes hundreds of contact sheets, prints, and color transparencies, many unseen for at least 50 years, and some totally unseen.

Chandoha sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 98, but his legacy lives on in this dashing sequel dedicated to man’s best friend. “Walter Chandoha’s photographs of dogs are compelling not just because dogs have an inherent charm, but because the person behind the camera was a master of his craft,” writes the photography critic Jean Dykstra in the book’s introduction.

We see terriers, collies, beagles, bloodhounds, poodles, small dogs, big dogs, show dogs, working dogs, and many more, featuring over 60 breeds photographed in both black-and-white and glorious Kodachrome.

Spanning a 50-year period, the book is divided into six sections, and each chapter reveals Chandoha’s exceptional combination of technique, versatility, and soul. The opening chapter “In the Studio” focuses on formal portraiture; next it’s “Strike a Pose” where our canine companions ham it up for the camera; in “Out and About” they get to roam and play, often photographed with Chandoha’s own children; next it’s “Best in Show” with Chandoha using his reportage skills to capture vintage dog shows from the Mad Men era; in “Tails from the City,” the dogs are hitting the streets of mid-century New York; and in the closing chapter “Country Dogs,” it’s back to nature, the fields, and the beaches. Dogs is an unleashed photographic tribute to these lovable and loyal creatures.

The description is taken from the official website https://www.taschen.com/en/

This book celebrates the thriving world of Islamic arts and crafts, as well as presenting the rich cultural, philosophical and historical heritage that contemporary artists and craftspeople still draw on today. Based on decades of research and expertise, and written by tutors at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts - one of the world’s leading schools for the study of the traditional crafts of the East and West - it provides unparalleled access to a glorious range of methods, materials and skills.
The book is organized into three chapters. The first explores the fundamental principles of Islamic arts and crafts: geometry, islimi and calligraphy. The second introduces widely used materials and tools, including pigments, gesso panels, gilding equipment, brushes, pens and paper. The third provides fully illustrated step-by-step guides to the crafting of artefacts and artworks, including Kufic calligraphy, plaster carving, Mughal and Persian miniature painting, parquetry, ceramics, mosaic and glassblowing. The history and significance of the techniques and materials used are explained, accompanied by numerous illustrations of masterworks found throughout the Islamic world.
This comprehensive and accessible volume, packed with over 1,000 images, connects cultural history with modern practice. It is a vital reference and practical resource for craftspeople, artists and students from all backgrounds who seek to engage with the Islamic world.

The description is taken from the official website https://thamesandhudson.com/

Now in its second edition, Prototyping and Modelmaking for Product Design, by practising product development consultant Bjarki Hallgrimsson, is essential reading for both students and design professionals.

Prototyping and ModelMaking for Product Design goes behind the scenes to illustrates how prototypes are used to help designers understand problems better, explore more imaginative solutions, investigate human interaction more fully and test functionality so as to de-risk the design process. Following an introduction on the purpose of prototyping, specific materials, tools and techniques are examined in detail, with step-by-step tutorials and industry examples of real and successful products illustrating how prototypes are used to help solve design problems. Workflow is also discussed, using a mixture of hands-on and digital tools.

This new edition includes case studies representing technological developments such as prototyping user experience and interactive electronic products, as well as a new expanded section on digital modelmaking tools, including 3D printing and laser cutting.

The first chapters of the book explain why prototyping is so important to the design process. The many uses of prototyping will be shown in the context of several comprehensive projects by some of the world's leading design firms.

The second part is an introduction to the typical materials used by designers in their prototyping efforts and how to work with them. In all cases, the approach is to use digital and manual tools in a complementary and effective fashion. Tutorials were specifically developed that underline the back and forth of digital and manual ways of working. The emphasis is on the kinds of construction that can be done by the designers themselves. Health and safety is stressed in terms of personal responsibility and awareness.

The description is taken from the official website https://www.laurenceking.com/

ProMakeup Design Book follows on from the success of Lan Nguyen-Grealis's first book, Art & Makeup and invites the reader to use their artistic flair and get hands-on with practical application. Hundreds of stunning photographs provide how-to inspiration and advice for creating key looks for magazine editorials, celebrities, fashion shows and advertising campaigns.

Organized by technical themes, dozens of different looks demonstrate how to use embellishments, glitter and gloss, color and graphic lines to produce stunning results for the camera or catwalk.

ProMakeup Design Book includes 30 face-chart templates for testing out and adapting your looks, and advice on application and professional presentation.

Watch out for Lan's collaboration with the Revolution Pro makeup brand, released alongside this book. The Revolution PRO x Lan Ultimate Artist's Palette, the ultimate sleek and stylish full-face palette for any artist to rely on. A glossy black case embellished with gold and filled with rich, long-lasting pigments to create an all-purpose makeup playbook. With 3 bronze powders perfect for contouring, a highlighter to illuminate the cheekbones and Cupid's bow along with 4 blush shades in lilac, pink, coral and red, ideal for all skin tones.

The description is taken from the official website https://www.laurenceking.com/

Discover how the designers of women’s sporting attire navigated the worlds of fashion, function, and propriety, from the beginning of the 19th century to 1960.

This book offers a stunning visual record of the evolution of women’s sporting attire over nearly two centuries. With selections from Jantzen, Pendleton, and Spalding and garments by Coco Chanel, Claire McCardell, and Jean Patou, among many others, it features familiar names in fashion, as well as significant rediscoveries. At the intersection of the history of fashion and feminism, Sporting Fashion highlights the extraordinary impact of new technologies and evolving social mores on women’s clothing for sport. It explores how the basic forms of women’s sportswear we know today—from swimsuits to sneakers—were developed during a time when women were achieving more freedom. Full color illustrations of sport and leisure ensembles are included, along with magazine spreads and archival images. In thematic sections, the authors examine the ways women entered into the sporting world—from traveling to calisthenics, motorcycling to promenading. The book looks at examples of clothing that allowed women to walk freely and compete in sports previously restricted to men. It investigates how designers reacted to and encouraged the growing acceptance of exposed skin at public beaches and pools—and how cold weather fashion made its way onto the slopes and ice. Never before have the garments that defined women’s roles as both spectators and athletes been presented on this scale and in such detail.

The description is taken from the official website  https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de/PublishingHouse/Prestel/58500.rhd

Christian Dior famously noted that “the real proof of an elegant woman is what is on her feet.” From the surprisingly sexy boots hiding under Victorian crinolines to the glittering T-strap heels worn by flappers dancing the Charleston, a woman’s shoe choice has long been far more than a mundane practicality. Indeed, a beautifully shaped shoe can be a statement of wealth, style, or sexuality—and often all at once.
This petite volume presents 250 eye-catching examples from the seventeenth century to the present, including many of today’s top designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Roger Vivier, and Nicholas Kirkwood. Fashion historian Raissa Bretana introduces each new era with a concise overview of the period’s fashionable styles and innovations. A must for shoe collectors and a delight for any fashionista, this Tiny Folio™ will inspire you to put your best foot forward.

The description is taken from the official website https://www.abbeville.com/

Never before have so many buildings been constructed as today, and never has architecture had so many technological and design possibilities at its disposal. And yet there is a sense of unease about contemporary architecture. In their book, ­Sergei Tchoban and Vladimir Sedov show how in modern times we have lost the balance between outstanding works of architecture and the background structures that surround them, with every building striving to assert itself in relation to all the others – to drown them out if it can. Yet the ­modern age is certainly capable of developing a harmony of contrasts – it has everything it needs at its disposal.

After taking the reader on a foray through 2,500 years of architectural history, the authors arrive at the anomaly of modernism. They show what contemporary architecture must take into account if it is to achieve a satisfactory overall architectural impression that is harmonious in an entirely new way.

The description is taken from the official website https://dom-publishers.com/

This small-format book can be a wonderful gift both for those who are just starting to get acquainted with ancient art, and for those who want to dive deeper into it: look into the details, into the images on shards, vases, cameos, see what usually escapes the quick glance of a tourist. The art objects from the Hermitage collection, combined with poetry from different centuries and small explanatory texts, will help to realize how inseparable the real life of the ancient Greeks and Romans was with their gods and heroes, how firmly ancient mythology took over the plots of all kinds of art for many generations to come and formed the images of Antiquity, to which we still refer.

The Atlas of Car Design is a global survey of the world’s greatest car designs, featuring more than 650 of the most revered (and occasionally reviled) models, from more than 190 manufacturers and more than 30 countries.
Organized geographically then chronologically by decade, the book covers more than a century of exceptional and noteworthy car design – from Japanese cult classics, French Art-Deco masterpieces, German iconic models, Italian icons, and British performance machines, to American styling sensations, and pop culture and family favorites.
This fresh take on an eternally popular subject, charts car design’s evolution across centuries and continents. Packed with images, combining period photography, studio shots, and original car advertising, the book’s oversized format generously displays the cars in all their remarkable detail.
With captivating texts that tell stories of engineering feats, economic twists and turns, high-society lifestyles, and the desires of the masses, this book is a must-have for car and design fans of every kind.