Chanel and Her World

Book Description

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) is a fashion icon unlike any other. She invented modern clothing for women: at the height of the Belle Époque, she stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits, and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She introduced slacks, costume jewelry, and the exquisitely comfortable suit. She made the first couture perfume-No. 5-which remains the most popular scent ever created.

In this beautiful volume, the glorious life of the incomparable Coco Chanel shines again through hundreds of illustrations and the lively prose of Edmonde Charles-Roux, her official biographer and close friend. Chanel knew and collaborated with the likes of Picasso, Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Cocteau, Jean Renoir, and Visconti-even as she matched their modernist innovations by liberating women from the prison of 19th-century fashion and introducing a whole new concept of elegance. The staggering collection of photographs amassed by the over decades of friendship with Chanel sheds new light on one of the great stories of the modern age. AUTHOR BIO: Edmonde Charles-Roux began her journalistic career at Elle and ultimately became editor-in-chief of French Vogue. She has published three novels, among them To Forget Palermo (Oublier Palerme), which won the Prix Goncourt in 1966.

Customer Reviews:

Chanel!.......2007-05-28

I paid almost full price for this book and I don't regret it. I found this coffee table book just lovely.

I am not a fashion expert. I'm just a reader interested in interesting people, so I was looking for a book on CHANEL that gave a brief background on her life and photos of Coco and some of her fashions. Well, this book seemed to fit the bill---for me. I was not disappointed.

I have enjoyed this book very much and it sits on my living room table , ----for the book to be browsed by others.

Entertaining book with mostly pictures.......2007-04-08

I was looking for a book showing photos of Chanel's clothing designs and styles. This book focuses more on her life and the celebrities and cultural/social trends of her era (spanning 1910's - 1950's), so if you are looking to see her clothing styles and designs, you will be disappointed as there isn't that much coverage of the actual clothing. However, it is a very absorbing, encyclopedic, pictorial collection of the people of Chanel's time and you can spend many a lazy Sunday afternoon thoroughly exploring les temps perdus. There are many many pictures of Coco Chanel - like Madonna, she looks different every few years, a real chameleon. It retails at $65, so the $37 Amazon price is a good deal. It is a heavy thick book with glossy pages.

Chanel and Her World.......2007-04-06

I was disappointed in the text. I guess from the title I should have expected some world history. The story line is somewhat incoherent and doesn't seem to present her life very well. I had to use the index to find a couple lines of reference to her "Boy", a romance started in the story and then dropped, only to be finished much later and with no real detail. Either Chanel was very closed mouth about a lot of her life or the author didn't know her that well. Also, there are a lot of pictures of rather irrelevant items. I wouldn't purchase it again.

Coco Chanel: The French self-made woman.......2006-06-01

From an orphanage in France to the Ritz hotel in Paris, Coco Chanel created an entire style empire that lives on. A French fasionista version of Eva Peron for the couture world. Coco remains an icon and legend.

A designer of authentic beauty.......2006-05-26

This is a substantial book in both size and pictorial content.

As an ideal complement to the Metropolitan Museum's Chanel exhibit last spring (2005), this book actually exceeds - and outlasts - the exhibit itself.

More than just an intelligent, fascinating woman, Chanel was a fascinating opportunist in the way that she manipulated and transformed the trends of her times (and many men of her times), turning them to her advantage. She was as much a businesswoman and social and cultural politician as a fashion designer, and to see her in this book's big, beautiful photographs, modeling her own creations, is an inspiration to any woman who disbelieves that humble beginnings and a less than conventionally perfect countenance can lead to high achievement.

The best photograph of all - the photograph that tells all - graces the book's cover: one look at that face of intelligence, intensity, self-composure, and elegance, and one knows what the book is all about (philosophically as well as biographically) even before opening it.

The classic Chanel endures as a legend and lesson in the achievement of authentic beauty, i.e., defined by compelling creation rather than passive, taken-for-granted standards of acceptance.

Surfaces : Visual Research for Artists, Architects, and Designers (MacIntosh compatible)

Average customer rating:

Surfaces is a great book
Luscious reference photographs
Good choice of samples
Amazing as always
Additional Note

Surfaces : Visual Research for Artists, Architects, and Designers (MacIntosh compatible)
Judy A. Juracek
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Professional Reference | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0393730077

Customer Reviews:

Surfaces is a great book.......2007-09-02

This is an excellent book for artists fo all kinds. Our company has a library we make available to Production Designers - this is a great addition.

Luscious reference photographs .......2007-05-13

A luscious collection of photographs of beautiful colors and textures to inspire any artist/designer and be used as reference again and again.

Good choice of samples.......2006-11-10

There are nice collection of the samples.You can enjoy to look through them.

Amazing as always.......2005-08-19

This book is one of the best references for any designer and painter in the industry. Color Photos are amazing and complete. I have been wanting to purchase it for years now and am very glad to add it to my collection. All of her books are worth having in any artists library.

Additional Note.......2004-01-12

I think I was a little hard on Judy Juracek with reference to the included CD. What Ms. Juracek has done in the way of cataloguing is nothing short of miraculous and one should not expect that every image on the CD would be photographed dead on and shadow-perfect. I was just really irked by the image quality of a CD I had such high hopes for. I purchased this book when it first came out for a Hundred Dollars retail but the price I now see listed online seems almost a steal for the treasure trove contained within.

Amazon.com

This mammoth catalogue raisonné of Mau's graphic work (which only Phaidon Press has the resources, and the patience, to produce) is the much-anticipated follow-up to the 1995 sensation S, M, L, XL that Mau coauthored with renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Nearly as big, but much more colorful, Life Style offers a compendium of thoughts on the conflicts and conundrums that so perplex concerned aesthetes in Western civilization, including suburban sprawl, ecological threats, the implications of identity creation, and the role of the graphic arts in architecture and design.

Trying to pin down this huge undertaking to only a few highlights would be a disservice to a man who counts such luminaries as Koolhaas, Frank Gehry, John Cage, Michael Snow, Meg Stuart, and Chris Marker as friends and colleagues. The center section alone, which recounts and reprints the celebrated spreads from his publishing venture Zone Books, would be worth the price: "The times were extraordinary--the middle 1980s, the height of American yuppie culture gorging itself on wealth. The Macintosh computer had only just been introduced and was making itself felt in the world of typography by virtue of its capacity to distort fonts. It would eventually transform the field of design, disseminating expertise and clustering capacities vertically. Faxes and FedEx were making possible a new level of international collaboration that would soon put a Toronto designer at the center of a transatlantic project. That project was Zone."

The collaboration at Zone Books enabled some of the most provocative book projects ever seen, and they are reproduced faithfully in Life Style (although one might need a magnifying glass to get the most out of them). Zone was the first and most satisfying of Mau's team projects, and the pleasure of its success is apparent in the book. But readers will find much more of interest documented here, including his revolutionary stint at I.D. Magazine; his brilliant realization of a book version of the underground, classic sci-fi thriller "La Jetée"; and his ideas for information interchange at several major architectural projects, including right here in Seattle, working with his friend Koolhaas in building the controversial new Seattle Public Library.

All things considered, this major book will leave some readers furious at Bruce Mau's audacity and others aghast at his cross-disciplinary influences. I doubt that there's anyone working in design today who has had quite his impact. This book is a beautifully realized celebration of that impact, and very much worth the wait.

By the way, Phaidon has produced this book with eight different and gorgeous fabric covers. Yours might differ from our rather inadequate representation on the site. As with S, M, L, XL, I predict that some day all of them will be (ahem) "coollectors'" items. --Charles Decker

Book Description

Each day, the average Western citizen sees, assimilates, and recognizes16,000 logos. Chances are that Bruce Mau has been involved in the creation,evolution, and/or devolution of many of them. But calling Bruce Mau a graphicdesigner would be akin to calling Mae West a playwright--technically correct,but oh-so-limiting.This mammoth catalogue raisonn+ of Mau's graphic work (which only PhaidonPress has the resources, and the patience, to produce) is the much-anticipatedfollow-up to the 1995 sensation S, M, L, XL that Mau coauthored withrenowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Nearly as big, but much more colorful,Life Style offers a compendium of thoughts on the conflicts andconundrums that so perplex concerned aesthetes in Western civilization,including suburban sprawl, ecological threats, the implications of identitycreation, and the role of the graphic arts in architecture and design.Trying to pin down this huge undertaking to only a few highlights would be adisservice to a man who counts such luminaries as Koolhaas, Frank Gehry, JohnCage, Michael Snow, Meg Stuart, and Chris Marker as friends and colleagues. Thecenter section alone, which recounts and reprints the celebrated spreads fromhis publishing venture Zone Books, would be worth the price: "The times wereextraordinary--the middle 1980s, the height of American yuppie culture gorgingitself on wealth. The Macintosh computer had only just been introduced and wasmaking itself felt in the world of typography by virtue of its capacity todistort fonts. It would eventually transform the field of design, disseminatingexpertise and clustering capacities vertically. Faxes and FedEx were makingpossible a new level of international collaboration that would soon put aToronto designer at the center of a transatlantic project. That project wasZone."The collaboration at Zone Books enabled some of the most provocative bookprojects ever seen, and they are reproduced faithfully in Life Style(although one might need a magnifying glass to get the most out of them). Zonewas the first and most satisfying of Mau's team projects, and the pleasure ofits success is apparent in the book. But readers will find much more of interestdocumented here, including his revolutionary stint at I.D. Magazine; hisbrilliant realization of a book version of the underground, classic sci-fithriller "La Jet+e"; and his ideas for information interchange at severalmajor architectural projects, including right here in Seattle, working with hisfriend Koolhaas in building the controversial new Seattle Public Library.All things considered, this major book will leave some readers furious at BruceMau's audacity and others aghast at his cross-disciplinary influences. I doubtthat there's anyone working in design today who has had quite his impact. Thisbook is a beautifully realized celebration of that impact, and very much worththe wait.By the way, Phaidon has produced this book with eight different and gorgeousfabric covers. Yours might differ from our rather inadequate representation onthe site. As with S, M, L, XL, I predict that some day all of them willbe (ahem) "coollectors'" items. --Charles Decker

Customer Reviews:

enjoyed the journey.......2005-08-21

the length of this book serves a purpose: it allows the unfolding story of mau's practice to have a leisurely and comfortable pace and it draws the reader in and takes him/her on a journey. i'm no graphic designer (an architect) but i was never bored and learned a lot about the field and about how mau's office works. probably more useful to me than the koolhaas/mau book (s,m,l,xl) because it was on a topic outside my normal frame of reference and really got me thinking and - best of all - generating ideas for myself.

Overrated, overrated, overrated........2002-03-02

This is a good example of a well marketed product. It seem like every "modern" person got to have his copy of this book, called sometimes "the bible of style". I think is more a "pastiche" of interesting things, sometimes good things, but pointless and looong. And my version (uk) is so bad printed it makes me wonder for what have I paid 40 pounds on it.
Just like the other "S,M,L,XL" with the also overrated work of the overrated "modern" architect Rem Koolhaas, this is just a beautiful object. But hey, I wanted a book!

Ideas and images.......2001-12-29

Whenever you may have thought of the world as image, as customer economy, as something that you probably may have to digest visually, this is the book which will give you an idea of the weight of the image.
We're exposed and there's no shelter. If we want to survive sanely, we better learn to differentiate between the sublime and the ridiculous.
What BMD does, is serious. They know what they're doing and, most probably, they are among the very best in visual/conceptual design in the world. This book is a huge pleasure to go through, just peeping at the pages. But then, once you start reading, it becomes clear that this is not Disney or any sort of escapism - rather, it's anti-consumer, in the sense that the text URGES you to reconsider your comfortable stance of the by-looker and go out and get real about the stuff that goes into your head by way of your eyes.
We have to become active in creating a more responsible graphic/architectural/sensual surrounding; otherwise we'll all be homoequals soon.
Thank you, Bruce - and team, of course, for an insightful tome of words and pictures and simply great design which I'll never forget.

Thoughtful and imaginative.......2001-08-12

Working as a management consultant I'm often turned off by the staleness of much of the current management literature. The design community is a much more sensitive antenna as to what is happening in the world today.

Bruce Mau's Life Style is an imaginative survey of how the world is being transformed under the inexorable impetus of global capitalism. It is not a dispassionate account: basically Mau is trying to show us how he is dealing with a very fundamental existential dilemma. Because, as a successful designer, Mau is part of the system - developing and spreading the lingua franca of a global economy. At the same time he is rebelling against the pervasive homogenisation of our image culture: "We should not forget that the com after the dot is short for commercial. Must we define every gesture and possibility within this envelope? Is it not our role to imagine new futures more rich and complex and wild in their style than any single framework can accomodate?"

Yhe book is a captivating mix of artwork and short insightful essays. Sanford Kwinter's introductory three-page essay alone is worth the price of the book. I gather this book will be very influential in the years to come.

oma envy, or bruce erases rem's name (again).......2001-07-30

Here's the thing: Bruce Mau is a very good designer. His office turns out a lot of very refined objects, this monograph included. That said, this book is probably twice as big as it ought to be. It seems to me as though BMD wants to be more like OMA; "S,M,L,XL" was one of the best architectural books ever, and its heft reinforced the work being shown within it. "Life Style" is just big for the sake of being big. Well, as well as being self-indulgent. Because graphic designers are not asked to be deep thinkers, and most of their attempts at same do not fare very well. Bruce Mau really wants to be considered as an equal to the deep thinkers, and he just isn't. He's just a (very) good designer.

Buy it anyway. It's got too much good work inside to ignore, but keep some salt handy.

(p.s. indigo.ca was allowing people to choose their cover; they may still be doing that)

Average customer rating:

Rendering in Pen and Ink- A pro review

Just had to add my own 5-star...

A good reference book

Spectacular examples of pen technique.

Pen and ink review

Rendering in Pen and Ink: The Classic Book on Pen and Ink Techniques for Artists, Illustrators, Architects, and Designers (Practical Art Books)
Arthur Guptill , and Susan Meyer
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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The Technical Pen

Drawing in Pen & Ink (First Step Series)

Painting Weathered Buildings in Pen Ink & Watercolor (Artist's Photo Reference)

Sketching Your Favorite Subjects in Pen & Ink

Creating Textures In Pen & Ink With Watercolor

ASIN: 0823045293

Customer Reviews:

Rendering in Pen and Ink- A pro review.......2007-05-18

This book is essential. I am a pro illustrator and I still find myself cracking it open. Through out your career in art you will have a hand full of books that amaze you and keep teaching you. This is it.

TJ Walkup

Just had to add my own 5-star..........2007-05-07

This book is all that the other reviewers say it is. The text is clear and informative, if dated... but the illustrations! The illustrations are worth the price of the book. Even just the basic exercise illustrations in the first part of the book are beautiful, and demonstrate what is possible with this medium.

I have to admit, I'm a Rapidograph person (and if you are too, please see The Technical Pen in addition to this book) rather than a flexible nib person, but the lessons and examples in Guptill's book are priceless anyway.

Highly recommended.

A good reference book.......2007-02-18

The information provided in this book is very comprehensive. There is a lot of sections on pen rendering used in the past and the types of materials used. But today, in the 21st century, most artists prefer the technical pen to that of the quill. All the drawings presented in the book are in black and white. I wish there are some in colour inks and combination with water-colours. I also wish it includes drawings of present day pen artists with their masterpieces. All in all, it is a good reference book.

Spectacular examples of pen technique........2007-02-07

A wonderful discussion of pen and ink rendering. This has become somewhat of a lost art, but it is very challenging and this book provides guidance about techniques and materials, and contains superb examples of finished work. Highly recommended!

Pen and ink review.......2007-02-03

I had seen this book at a friend's home in it's original form. I read some of it then, and had been searching for the original for some time. But, having now obtained this anniversary edition and read it from cover to cover I find this to be every bit as good as I had anticipated it to be.

The book starts with a basic material list and is a bit outdated in its suggestions for pens and inks, as these have moved on in the past sixty years. But the techniques remain the same and the author takes you from very basic skills and suggestions through many different techniques finishing with quite sophisticated ideas and designs.

I would recommend theis book for both the beginner and the serious and practised artist.

Chanel (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications)

Average customer rating:

collectors and couturiéres
Keepsake Book
Eh
A huge disappointment to genuine fashionistas
FABULOUS BOOK

Chanel (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications)
Harold Koda , and Andrew Bolton
Manufacturer: Metropolitan Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Designers | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0300107137

Book Description

This splendid book examines the legacy of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, one of the twentieth century's great icons of style. While Chanel mythologized her glamorous life through relentless self-invention, the bare facts of her biography are no less worthy than her legend: born of a poor family in the provinces and raised in a convent, she was an entertainer and the mistress of men of impeccable social standing, and she began her career not as a dressmaker but as a milliner.

Chanel's enduring influence is necessarily based on the long shadow cast over fashion by her maison couture. Chanel examines the history of the House of Chanel both thematically and chronologically, introducing ideas and elements of biography as they were expressed in her collections. Period examples are juxtaposed with the work of Karl Lagerfeld, who, beginning in 1983, just over ten years after Chanel's death, reinvented and revolutionized the House's identity. It is in Lagerfeld's masterful and often irreverent interpretations of Chanel's work, as well as his mixing of influences from high and low culture, that the historic importance of Chanel and the resonance of her image as the independent, elegant modern woman are both defined and reasserted for the contemporary world.

Customer Reviews:

collectors and couturiéres.......2007-09-07

I am a couturiére to follow my passion and, of course, I already own a bunch of "Mademoiselle Chanel" books. Let's say that I own a couple of meters of fashion monographies and that I love this one.
If you are interested in feeling the details of the artwork of both, Coco+Karl, you will get a number of details to learn about.
Even though it is supposed to be a catalogue, what it is, it can be in the handbook shelf of a loving seammistress.
On Chanel, at this price, you do not get more than the far feeling of her style.
The forewords cover quite well her meaning and her significancy.
As a gift it is quite showy also thanks for the transparent chemise.
it always depends on what you are looking for.

Keepsake Book.......2007-03-19

This is a beautiful book and one you would love to have in your home. Of course, since I work for the company it is dear to me. I have given this book to three different people and they all have loved it. If you want to give something special to someone-- this is it.

Eh.......2007-03-01

I bought this book after seeing the Chanel exhibit at the Met. The pictures are nice, but I wish they showed more pictures of real people wearing clothes as opposed to the eccentric mannequins they used in the exhibit. A couple of blank pages here and there. I wish there was slightly more history behind the clothes. Still not a bad coffee table book on Chanel

A huge disappointment to genuine fashionistas.......2006-08-05

I couldn't disagree more heartily with those who recommended this book as a "beautiful coffee table book." At this price and with this subject matter this could have been a truly amazing look at the history of the House of Chanel and it's transition from the early years of Coco to the present leadershiop of Karl Lagerfeld. The text is mediocre and the photos are terrible. The general visual quality of the book is absolutely reprehensible.The dresses are all reproduced in a poor quality "Liz Taylor in the White Diamonds commercial" fake fuzzy lens. There is not one really great photo of an actual garment in this entire book. As someone who saw the actual exhibit the book is based on, I feel the Metropolitan really missed on this one. The exhibit itself was magnificent, this poorly concieved book is a complete dud. Save your money for one of the many other books detailing the life and work of Coco Chanel.

FABULOUS BOOK.......2006-03-17

Well worth your money. Beautifully done. Not only is it a lovely coffee table book, it is a book you will look at many times.

Average customer rating:

who's who only defines a select few.........

Who's Who in Fashion
Anne Stegemeyer
Manufacturer: Fairchild Books & Visuals
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Commercial | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1563672472

Customer Reviews:

who's who only defines a select few................2007-02-14

This book is for my current designers class. It informs you about allot of mainstream designers, and a couple you may have never heard of. I was somewhat surprised that designers like Roberto Cavalli weren't discussed. and some designers had a really small section of info about them. But overall the info it does have is really interesting.

Average customer rating:

EYE CANDY!!!
Halston: An American Original
a great salute to a great designer!
Nice Cover - Leave Shrinkwrap On
ANOTHER MEDIOCRE BOOK ON A FASHION DESIGNER

Halston: An American Original
Elaine Gross , and Fred Rottman
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060193182

Book Description

When I think of my beloved friend, the five words I think of are these: elegant, fashionable, generous, supportive, decent. I thank you, Halston.
-- Liza Minnelli

No American designer since Claire McCardell has had such an impact on redefining fashion as Halston. His designs have experienced a tremendous revival and are as popular today as they were when he was alive. This is the first extensive look at Halston and his contributions to the fashion world, starting with his days as a milliner; through the explosion of his clothing lines and licensing deals, to the sale of his name and trademark and his theatrical designs for Liza Minnelli and the Martha Graham Dance Company.

This comprehensive survey of Halston's work is based on exclusive interviews with the people who knew and worked with Halston throughout his turbulent career. They include such celebrity Halston fans as Liza Minnelli, Katherine Graham, and Angelica Huston as well as industry insiders such as Marc Bohan, Stan Herman, Valerie Steele, and contemporary designers who claim Halston as an inspiration for their designs. Joe Eula and Kenneth Paul Block contribute their original sketches, as do manyy well-known fashion photographers.

With more than two hundred photographs Halston: An American Original is the quintessential volume for all fans of Halston and lovers of fashion.

Customer Reviews:

EYE CANDY!!!.......2001-07-30

Photographs are worth the price of the book alone! I haven't had a chance to read any of the text yet, but there's a lot of it, and a lot of STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHS! THE BEST PHOTO HISTORY OF HALSTON I'VE EVER SEEN. MANY THANKS TO THE AUTHORS FOR THIS WONDERFUL BOOK AND LABOR OF LOVE! LOTS OF HUGE, COLOR, AND RARE PHOTOS. THANKS!

Halston: An American Original.......2000-01-16

A tasteful book that focuses on Halston's unique talent. He really was "An American Original."

a great salute to a great designer!.......2000-01-13

If you like fashion..you'll love this book. I have to agree with June Weir,former fashion editor of Vogue and Harpers,its a wonderful book that covers the designer's rise to success in great detail. The photos were exceptional!

Nice Cover - Leave Shrinkwrap On.......1999-09-11

Roy Frowick Halston is rolling over in his grave faster than he ever did at Studio 54. The sorry accumulation of texts and stilted design make this a disappointment for Halston fans.

Does it address the body of work? No. We have had stupid anecdotal accounts galore, but this is a shame-faced attempt to be - WHAT? Coffee table tome? It cannot be. Too ugly. Some quality assessment of his millieu? Not a thing. Who are all of these parties involved? Embarrassing. Do not waste your money.

ANOTHER MEDIOCRE BOOK ON A FASHION DESIGNER.......1999-08-28

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER UNDERWHELMING BIO on a Fashion Designer...Considering how important he was, the book is poorly edited, and cheaply done. It is well-researched though, but this hardly gives the reader a feeling for how this man changed the way women dress...I FELL ASLEEP!

Material ConneXion: The Global Resource of New and Innovative Materials for Architects, Artists and Designers

Average customer rating:

A Waste of Money
use the website

Material ConneXion: The Global Resource of New and Innovative Materials for Architects, Artists and Designers
George M. Beylerian , and Andrew Dent
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 047175403X

Book Description

From the largest global resource of new materials comes this innovative new book that connects materials to designers' needs. In each of the seven main sections, this highly illustrated book identifies key trends, looks to the future, and helps design professionals select materials with the most potential for their specific projects. By defining a material based on its base composition rather than current use, Material ConneXion allows a designer to fully understand the potential and limitations for a material while conceiving of its new application. Organized to follow the model of the Material ConneXion library, the book's chapters are organized on seven base compositions including: Metals, Glass, Ceramics, Polymers, Natural and naturally derived materials,Carbon-based materials, Cement-based materials.

The book includes quotes from 54 leading designers, architects, artists and thinkers worldwide, including Wolfgang Joop, Karim Rashid, Peter Marino, Greg Lynn, Gaetano Pesce, and Philippe Starck, that reflect upon the role of materials in contemporary design and identify their favorite materials. Additionally, the book includes an important reference section with a bibliography, glossary of technical terms, and lists of trade show and professional publication web sites.

Customer Reviews:

A Waste of Money.......2007-08-20

I agree completely with the previous review . . . this book doesn't provide information about where to actually purchase the materials because they are trying to get you to sign up for their membership. If you would like a simiar book with great resources you are better off with "Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment".

use the website.......2006-04-04

the book is great IF you like looking at pictures. however, i purchased to book as a resource guide for where to find these materials, not just pictures of them. i ended up purchasing a subscription to their website (at the steep price of $200/year). The website is good, there are some flaws and some incorrect links and product codes but all in all its a good resource.

The point of this review is: if you need products, use the website and leave the book alone.

Bruno Mathsson: Architect and Designer (.)

Average customer rating:

Bruno Mathsson: Architect and Designer (.)

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300121911

Book Description

The sensuously undulant lines of Bruno Mathsson's furniture designs made him one of the leading figures of Swedish modernism in the 1930s. Chairs that adapted to their occupant with graceful natural curves became his trademark and have been in continuous production for more than fifty years. In his less familiar architectural work, Mathsson (1907-1988) applied the same principles of innovative comfortable living. Throughout his work the connections between design and ergonomics, aesthetics and innovative materials, energy saving and environmental concerns resonate for designers today.
This book surveys Mathsson's output as an architect and designer as well as his relationships with American architects and designers including Frank Lloyd-Wright, Charles and Ray Eames, and Hans Knoll. Extensive illustrations include unpublished photographs of his Mathsson’s work in situ.

I Hate Red, You're Fired!: The Colorful Life of an Interior Designer

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Refreshing candor

I Hate Red, You're Fired!: The Colorful Life of an Interior Designer
William W. Stubbs
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810955776

Book Description

Hailed by Architectural Digest as one of the top 100 designers and architects today, Bill Stubbs has designed penthouses, vacation retreats, and country mansions around the globe from Acapulco to Moscow. In this lively, irreverent memoir, Stubbs recounts the extraordinary, exasperating, and often hilarious adventures in his stellar career.

Illustrated with more than 150 color photographs of the spaces Stubbs has transformed, the book details the activities and thought processes that went into some of his most spectacular projects. These include the metamorphosis of an abandoned country dacha into a baronial mansion in the Ukraine, the renovation of a 100-year-old schoolhouse into stylish apartments for senior citizens in Newport, Rhode Island, and the project that inspired the book's title, a Houston penthouse designed around the color red, which caused his impulsive client to fire him over the phone. (Of course, when the client saw the finished apartment, he loved it-to the point that Stubbs had trouble convincing him to abandon the color in subsequent renovations.) This entertaining volume is a rarity, a design book that people will actually read. AUTHOR BIO: William W. Stubbs, founder and head of his own Houston-based firm, designs interior spaces, both commercial and residential, all over the world. He has been named to "The AD 100," Architectural Digest's list of the world's top designers and architects. He lives in Houston, Texas.

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing candor.......2006-11-10

This is such an entertaining read as well as a look at a wide variety of decorating styles. I first became interested in this decorator (the only one I know by name) in Architectural Digest. These wonderful projects kept coming up in different months and so I started reading the articles that went with the pictures in the projects and discovered Bill Stubbs! He has a fresh eye for every client. He really looks and really listens. How unusual in today's self absorbed world.

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