Here are the most beautiful books that we would like to receive under our tree! Fashion, decoration, photography, cinema, everything is there for a Christmas that is as sexy as it is cultural!
Coco Chanel: A legend revealed
Justine Picardie reveals Coco Chanel, A legend, a lifea fascinating biography translated by Gabriel Boniecki. Through in-depth research and unpublished archives, the author explores Gabrielle Chanel’s childhood, marked by poverty and orphanage, and reveals a reality darker than the designer’s brilliant image. Conducted as an investigation, this work sheds light on his relationships with Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Dali, while retracing his controversial role during the war. From her little black dress to her legacy of freedom, Chanel remains a timeless icon, with a destiny as powerful as it is mysterious.
Women photographers, an art of resistance
In Women photographers are dangerous, Laure Adler et Clara Bouveresse explore the often invisible role of women in the history of photography. This book reveals how this art, from its origins, has been associated with a practice accessible to women, while reducing them to silence. Historian and journalist, Laure Adler sheds light on the trajectory of women in the arts and feminist struggles. For her part, Clara Bouveresse, specialist from the Magnum agency, brings her historical expertise. An essential work to give women photographers the place they deserve in the art world.
French design 1950: The generation of young guns
In French design 1950, Pascal Cook highlights the “young wolves”, the first French designers born between 1925 and 1930. Long remaining in the shadow of major figures like Jean Prouvé or Le Corbusier, these creators, including Pierre Guariche, Pierre Paulin and Abraham et Rol, are revolutionizing design by combining modernity and functionality. Their work, elegant and rational, places mass production in the history of design, while favoring technical innovation and formal radicalism. Architect and gallery owner, Pascal Cuisinier celebrates this visionary generation and its rigorously aesthetic pieces.
American Polychronica gripping retrospective
American Polychronic is the first catalog raisonné dedicated to Roe Ethridge, covering his photographic work from 2000 to 2021. This book presents a unique sequence that interweaves his personal artistic work with his commercial production. By playing with genres, Ethridge blurs the boundaries between art, advertising and everyday life, creating a distinctive visual language. Recognized for his subversive approach and his compositions that are both humorous and intimate, his work is exhibited in prestigious museums such as MoMA and Tate Modern. Published in October 2022, this monumental 560-page work explores twenty years of photographic innovation.
Sofia Coppola Archive: An intimate dive into her work
Sofia Coppola Archive is the first major retrospective devoted to the iconic director. This book brings together twenty years of career, Virgin Suicides (1999) to Priscilla (2023), via Lost in Translation et Marie Antoinette. Richly illustrated, it reveals personal photographs, collages, annotated scenarios and previously unpublished behind-the-scenes images. A true immersion in his creative process, this work retraces a singular work, oscillating between artistic influences, emotions and visual elegance. Accompanied by an interview with journalist Lynn Hirschberg, this book offers an intimate and valuable vision of Sofia Coppola’s journey.
A thousand billion ribbons: Loïc Prigent traces the history of fashion
In A thousand billion ribbonsLoïc Prigent brilliantly reviews the evolution of fashion, from the first boutiques to the big fashion houses. Combining spicy anecdotes and historical rigor, it explores the innovations that revolutionized sewing, from Singer machines to department store windows. Prigent highlights iconic figures like Empress Eugénie, while questioning the sometimes dark origins of luxury, notably cotton from slave plantations.
Dream, dare, create… and start again! by Sarah Lavoine
In his book Dream, dare, create… and start again!Sarah Poniatowski, founder of Maison Sarah Lavoine, shares her thoughts on entrepreneurship and creativity. Through 40 richly illustrated chapters, it reveals the essential steps and values for building a sincere and lasting brand. Curiosity, perseverance and personal vision are at the heart of this inspiring work. Sarah encourages you to go beyond trends, take risks and reinvent your journey. This authentic guide is a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and creative minds seeking meaning and action.
Catherine Deneuve through the reflections of Marc-Antoine Coulon
On October 17, 2024, Marc-Antoine Coulon publishes Catherine Deneuve, Reflectionsan artistic tribute to the icon of French cinema. Through 95 watercolors and paintings, the illustrator captures the magnetic beauty and sensitivity of the actress. Known for his glamorous and elegant style, Coulon mixes light and delicate colors to celebrate the star of Belle de Jour et The Young Ladies of Rochefort. With a preface by Ines de la Fressange, this “love kaleidoscope” offers an intimate and poetic vision of Deneuve, who embodies, according to Coulon, the grace and audacity of his art.
Italy, between design and history
Italy is not just a postcard landscape. This book reveals fifty interiors where, from Venice to Milan via Puglia, design dialogues with history. Author Laura May Todd delves into the heart of the Italian art of living, capturing Venetian palaces steeped in memory, sun-drenched villas embodying relaxed elegance, and wooden Alpine hideaways. Each page breathes creativity, singularity and that indefinable charm that makes Italy unique. An invitation to savor beauty, as intense and timeless as a good espresso.
Superfacial: the intimate universe of Audrey Tautou
In SuperfacialAudrey Tautou reveals a little-known facet of her personality: photography. This book brings together self-portraits and images captured during filming or in places dear to the actress, such as her apartment or her parents’ home. Mixing personal texts, fan letters and unpublished series, notably more than 500 portraits of journalists taken during its promotions, the work questions media coverage while revealing a poetic and funny sensitivity. Published by Fisheye Editions, this intimate project opens a precious window on the artistic and human universe of the iconic Amélie Poulain.
Also read: 5 very nice gift boxes to put under the tree
