Olivier Gagnère appeared on the French design scene in the 1980s.  Through his contact with the Memphis group of Ettore Sottsass in Milan, he developed his spirit of fantasy, great formal liberty, all with a touch of humor. In Japan, on the island of Kyushu, he immersed himself in the ancestral craftsmanship of the porcelain makers in the studios of Arita.

He designed his earliest pieces of furniture for Artelano and Pierre Staudenmeyer’s Galerie Néotù. He went on to collaborate with the Galerie Maeght to create works in Murano glass and with the Galerie Edition Limitée for works in earthenware. In 1994, his designs for the interior of the café Marly, in the Louvre, brought him great renown and have led to many collaborations with crystal works Saint-Louis, porcelain manufacturer Bernardaud, En attendant les Barbares… With Olivier Gagnère’s artful mastery of every material, he is just as at ease working with porcelain as with iron, crystal, wood, leather or bronze. He blends simple and timeless forms with carefully sized volumes, in a range of bright contrasting colors. Steeped in the most classical traditions, he marks every one of his creations with a gesture, a demeanor that is a signature of his times.

Text in English and French.

Hermès – The Birkin: The Epitome of Style from the Icons of Style series tells the story of a handbag that began life as an accessory and became a near-mythical luxury. Born in a chance encounter between the Hermès CEO and the actress Jane Birkin, the Hermès Birkin Bag always carried a trace of destiny. This book features details of the production process, collectors’ guides and the privileged few whose patronage of the Hermès brand affords access to the ultimate status symbol, including Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Heidi Klum and more. 

Icons of Style is a new series celebrating the objects that changed the way we live, dream and desire. Each compact, elegant volume tells the story of a timeless icon through engaging texts and more than 100 evocative images. From the revolutionary allure of Chanel N°5, the perfume that defined modern femininity, to the legendary Hermès Birkin Bag, the world’s ultimate symbol of luxury and status, these books reveal the origins, secrets and cultural impact of fashion’s most coveted creations. Perfect for collectors, fashion lovers and design enthusiasts.  

With over 400 types of bread and 700 cured meats to choose from, Italy takes its charcuterie seriously. This landmark project documents and catalogs the majority of cured meats produced in Italy, giving visibility to a sector that is unique in the world for quantity, variety, and quality. Italian charcuterie traditions vary widely from North to South but the combination of artisanal cured meats and wonderful bread is a favorite choice of snack for everyone. Here are fried cake with Busseto culatta, Tuscan bread with finocchiona, Campana soppressata, mafalda and Sicilian cold cuts; only a few examples of dishes made with Italian-made charcuterie. This illustrated book highlights a typically Italian cultural and productive diversity in this sector: different cultures, different merendas. It showcases the Italian charcuterie brand through the lens of the classic merenda, highlighting a ‘Made in Italy’ product that aims for recognition on the scale of Italian fashion, wine, music, and art. This book is the result of 10 years of work in the field, created with the support of the Guida Salumi d’Italia.

Text in English and Italian.

Travel to the roots of Italian cuisine. Annette Canini Daems guides you through the country where food is not merely a product, but a whole culture. She guides you on a wonderful road trip through the 20 regions of Italy and introduces the unknown dishes of each place. Every region, every place has its own kitchen, because Italy is so much more than just pasta… Discover the cucina povera and how certain dishes were created out of necessity, but always with taste and passion. Annette tells the captivating stories of very driven people. Each and every one of them cherish their regional cultural heritage and help preserve it. Get started yourself with recipes that were created centuries ago and reflect the pride of a region. This book contains more than 100 authentic dishes. Buon appetito!

This new edition continues to celebrate the extraordinary world of Italian charcuterie. Since 2012, our Guide to Italian Salumi has documented and showcased hundreds of companies. Over the past twelve years, this project has become a testament to our unwavering dedication, respect, and professionalism in promoting a sector globally recognized for its unique variety and exceptional quality of cured meats. In this sixth edition, more than 220 producers have been evaluated, with over 60 receiving the prestigious “Five Pins” accolade. Special recognitions also highlight key figures in the industry, including the Best Salumi Store of the Year, Best Charcuterie Menu, Lifetime Achievement Award, Blade Masters, and more. This edition also features dedicated sections on PDO and PGI salamis, animal welfare, organic products, Italian and European Suino Nero (Black Pig), large-scale retail, and much more.

Text in English and Italian.

Unlike other convivial moments—long the subject of critical and gastronomic narratives that affirm their cultural significance—breakfast has largely remained at the margins of discourse, despite being the most frequently enjoyed meal within hospitality venues.

More than a simple transition between waking and beginning the day, breakfast defines the quality of the welcome. In high‑end establishments, it must meet a standard that can rightly be considered essential: offering an initial glimpse into the gastronomic identity of the surrounding territory.

This new book is the long-awaited successor to Rendez-Vous and Visite Privee. Sense of Style showcases artists and creatives who continuously fascinate us – not only because of their creative work, but also because of the inspiring home in which they live and work.

The journey begins in the vibrant heart of New York’s Tribeca, and finishes in Stockholm, via Antwerp, Copenhagen, Brussels, Berlin, Long Island, Rio de Janeiro, and Milan. 

The volume takes the form of a refined collection of table settings used in the private residences of the most eminent Tuscan families. The narration complemented by images takes readers through a dazzling, multi-colored world composed of precious pieces of porcelain, splendid silver objects and transparent crystals, in which the traditional and classical blend with design elements and modern tastes. What gives unity to the entire collection is undisputed taste and elegance.

Author Claudia Pianetti Della Stufa is not only a sophisticated interpreter of mise en place but also a true enthusiast of the aesthetics of refined table settings in all their nuances. Her knowledgeable gaze accompanies readers through classical, contemporary and country chic arrangements.

Text in English and Italian.

King of Style II: Dressing Michael Jackson is a lavishly illustrated memoir by fashion designer Michael Bush, as told to acclaimed author David Wild.

Michael Bush was stylist, designer, confidante and friend to one of the 20th century’s most influential human beings.

With his late partner, Dennis Tompkins, “Bush” (as Jackson fondly called him) was responsible for creating the star’s dazzling stage costumes. Here, he tells how he and Tompkins created Jackson’s garments, from dazzling, dramatic stagewear to the singer’s more amusing whims and fancies – such as jackets that flashed back at ever-present paparazzi to shoes that allowed him to lean at unnatural angles, to crystal-covered “iced” socks and gloves, military-inspired silhouettes – even a crown based on the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. King of Style II tells the inside story, in Bush’s distinctly conversational manner, of how this creative journey and friendship blossomed, during the pinnacle of Jackson’s global fame. Along the way we gain an unprecedented insight into one of pop culture’s most recognizable creative partnerships.

Costume jewelry is commonly understood to mean fashionable yet affordable adornments made from non-precious material. Originating in in mid-1700s France with the rise of the bourgeoise, the earliest ‘costume jewelry’ mimicked fine jewelry styles. Since then, costume jewelry has always been evolving. From Victorian sentimentalism to the mass-produced ornaments available today, costume jewelry has developed into an artform in its own right. An encyclopedic study of its history is long overdue. Flush with expert information, identification tips and historical anecdotes, Adorning Fashion explores the development of costume jewelry across the past four centuries. The styles of each era – Victorian, Edwardian, Arts & Crafts, Jugenstil, Art Nouveau, and each decade of the twentieth century – are given individual attention. Production methods are also explained in depth. Alloys and gilded electroplating can mimic silver and gold, while the refraction index of treated glass can, to the untrained eye, be mistaken for diamond.
Adorning Fashion discusses the contributions of a remarkable roster of designers and innovators, including Kokichi Mikimoto, Arthur L. Liberty, Carlo Giuliano, René Lalique, Elizabeth Bonté, the Castellani brothers, Jean Fouquet, Jean Després, Fulco di Verdura, Jean Schlumberger, Salvador Dalí, Miriam Haskell, Lina Baretti, Countess Cissy Zoltowska, Line Vautrin, Kenneth Jay Lane, Francisco Rebajes, Diane Love, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Paco Rabanne, Yves Saint Laurent, Napier, Haskell, Trifari, Brania, Bulgari, Versace and more.

“Stunning and vibrant, the studio portrait photography of Omar Victor Diop is breathtakingly brilliant.” — Amateur Photographer
Since 2012, Dakar-born Omar Victor Diop has been hailed by the art world for his stunning, color-saturated studio photography. His conceptual projects are primarily staged as beautifully costumed portraits and self-portraits, and focus on important historical figures and events from Black history and the African diaspora. In the three projects presented in this book, Diaspora (2014), Liberty (2017) and Allegory (2021), he revisits Black African history in poignant photographs that weave together the past and the present.

Text in English and French.

City kids and visiting families alike know there’s no better place for children than the Big Apple, and 111 Places for Kids in New York shows you where to take a big bite. From ultra-hip hangouts for the most urbane toddlers to natural wonders hiding in the middle of the concrete jungle, the five boroughs of New York offer children the richness and diversity of the world with the beloved traditions of home. In New York, you can explore the globe, from a Sri Lankan courtyard to a gritty parkour park to a quaint New England town — all with a swipe of a Metrocard. 

With this guide, you will be inspired to explore new neighborhoods, treat the kids in your life to unbelievable experiences, and make the city your own. You’ll discover places and spaces you never knew existed, and rediscover familiar ones in new ways. Read up on helpful tips by been-there-done-that parents (psst — do you know where exhausted parents can bliss out on AC while their toddlers get friendly with baboons?). And learn insider secrets for ways to make the most of your visit to the parks, museums, restaurants, and adventures that make this metropolis so special and so inviting.

Seventeeth-century Dutch art is famed throughout the world. Yet how ‘Dutch’ are those paintings in actual fact? Did the countless history pieces, landscapes, portraits, still lifes and scenes from everyday life truly originate in cities like Amsterdam, Haarlem, Delft and Leiden? Or might the cradle of these genres actually be located somewhere else?
This book presents over 90 masterpieces by Flemish and Dutch artists to show how 17th century Dutch painting could never have flourished the way it did without the foundations laid in 16th century Antwerp. Thoroughly researched, it tells the story of the talented and accomplished artists and merchants who migrated north in search of religious liberty and new commercial opportunities after Antwerp fell to Spanish Catholic troops in 1585.
With text contributions by Koenraad Jonckheere, professor of art history at Ghent University and author of the bestseller A New History of Western Art, Micha Leeflang, curator at the Museum Catharijneconvent, and Sven Van Dorst, head of the restoration studio at The Phoebus Foundation, and others.

This publication appears on the occasion of Luc Tuymans’ retrospective exhibition in Hungary. With innumerable analyses by art historians, we thought the most fitting and exciting accompaniment to this display would be a collection of writers’ reflections on Tuymans’ work. Since one of the things to make this retrospective display special is its being the artist’s debut in Central-Europe, Hungary and Poland, we made a point of inviting authors from the region to comment on his art. We gave complete liberty to our authors to decide what to reflect on: a picture, Tuymans’ activity as a painter, or some other aspect of his personality.

Maria Lai (Ulassai, September 27, 1919 – Cardedu, April 16, 2013) is without doubt one of the leading figures in the history of contemporary Italian art. Not only on account of the content of her works, but also thanks to the diversity of her artistic approach, ranging as it does across many media – public art, embroidery, weaving, sculpture, drawing, and writing: all are grist for her poetics. The book is published to coincide with the exhibition at the MAXXI Museum in Rome, which is presenting to the general public over one hundred works by the Sardinian artist, from the early 1960s to her very last works, and explores the various themes dear to the artist with the contributions of experts in their fields: the locations, the creation, and publication of art books, her public art events and her relationship with the written word and her own writing. Her entire oeuvre is distinguished by its powerful visual impact, revealing a ‘way of doing art’ that is nothing other than an instrument of thought. The book’s structure reflects the exhibition’s own sections, arranged by theme, whose titles are paradigmatic of Lai’s oeuvre as a whole: Essere è tessere. Cucire e ricucire; L’arte è il gioco degli adulti. Giocare e raccontare; Disseminare e condividere; Il viaggiatore astrale. Immaginare l’altrove; L’arte ci prende per mano. Incontrare e partecipare.

Published to accompany an exhibition at the MAXXI Museum, Rome, 19 June 2019-12 January 2020.

Text in English and Italian.

Giovanni Morelli changed the way we look at art. Before Morelli (1816-1891), the attribution of a painting to a particular artist or school was often based on overall impression, hearsay, even gut feeling. But Morelli, having trained as a medical doctor to look closely at anatomical detail, applied scientific rigor to understanding the works of masters such as Titian, Leonardo, and Raphael, and of other Renaissance and Baroque painters. By closely scrutinising, analysing and comparing details overlooked by most other collectors, critics, and curators, his radical ‘Morellian method’ became the basis of modern art connoisseurship. A proud Italian of Swiss Protestant heritage, Morelli was also a staunch patriot. He risked his life in the Italian Wars of Independence, and was elected four times to the parliament of the newly unified nation. In 1873 he was nominated senator for life. As a statesman he fought for his homeland’s cultural patrimony: at a time when many of Italy’s great art collections were being snapped up by foreign collectors and museums, he introduced some of the world’s first legislation to prevent their loss to the nation. The Life of Giovanni Morelli in Risorgimento Italy is the first full biography of this important figure, including his romantic friendships with remarkable women such as Clementina Frizzoni, Laura Acton Minghetti (wife of the Italian prime minister), and Princess Victoria (daughter of Queen Victoria and subsequently empress of Germany). At his death he bequeathed his art collection to the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, the birthplace of his mother, a city he loved.

Formed in 2008, Mercurio Design Lab (MDL) masterfully manages to express its design potential. Lead by Massimo, a rare architectural polymath who is motivated by a strong spirit of innovation, philosophy and experimentation, MDL seeks to elevate and balance the synergies of the Asian architectural context with indomitable Italian style and tradition. MDL considers its projects as artistic masterpieces and makes a special contribution to the architectural scene of the city through the creation of dramatic and futuristic buildings, always respecting three fundamental criteria: the functional, the aesthetic and the social. This richly illustrated monograph is a comprehensive review of MDL’s exceptional artistry and diversity and it’s another icon for IMAGES’ Master Architect series, an absolute must for all collectors of beautiful books on sophisticated global architectural culture.

The aperitif is an Italian novel that taught the world about the dolce vita; it’s a ritual that is renewed every day at sunset in every corner of our beautiful country, from small provincial towns to the big cities.

Spritz, Negroni, Bellini, Rossini and many other Italian cocktails have conquered popular tastes since the beginning of the twentieth century. In recent decades, mixology professionals have made great strides, leading to hundreds of openings of trendy clubs that place the aperitif front and center. In L’Apertitvo Italiano are recommendations for finger food that features the best cured meats in Italy, simple, quick recipes with a balanced taste that enhance drinks during happy hour and on all occasions! This is an informative publication for enthusiasts and a stimulus for professionals of good food, where quality is the watchword for continuing to enhance the symbol of Made in Italy products.

Text in English and Italian.

This book explores the figure of Ghitta Carell (1899–1972), a Hungarian-born photographer who was naturalized Italian. Ghitta was born into a Jewish family of humble origins; at a very young age she moved to Italy, where she quickly became a very sought-after portrait photographer. Intellectuals, actors, generals, and political leaders posed in her studio in Rome, as well as famous women and members of royalty and the middle class.
Her black-and-white pictures were taken with a view camera: Ghitta crafted her photographs with mastery and delicacy, and thus created luminous and soft images, intervening through subtraction by removing the most superficial layers. This is how she achieved a kind of unmasking, thanks to which she restored not only the face but first and foremost the soul of those photographed. Ghitta Carell died in Haifa, Israel, leaving behind more than 50,000 plates now mostly dispersed.
Text in English and Hebrew.

Ceramiche Rometti’s centenary celebratory volume recounts a collective journey that began in 1927 in Umbertide, a small city in the Italian region of Umbria. The book opens with Nicoletta Giannoni’s interview with Massimo Monini, director and driving force behind the company, and with artistic director Jean-Christophe Clair: a dialog that reveals the link between contemporary design and the brand’s historical legacy. Linked to this fruitful dialog between yesterday and today is Lorenzo Fiorucci’s essay: a well-documented exploration of a centuries-old artistic journey, from the 20th-century masterpieces of Corrado Cagli, Dante Baldelli and Leoncillo to a polyphonic present that includes the visionary style of Ambrogio Pozzi, Ugo La Pietra, Luca Baldelli and Jean-Christophe Clair, the elegance of Roberto Capucci and the audacity of Chantal Thomass and Sara Ricciardi. Form and color come together in the splendid photographs by Monica Spezia: a visual archive that celebrates excellence, the variety of the designs and also the prestigious commissions by Poltrona Frau, Borbonese and Roche Bobois. An iconic and narrative volume, with text in both Italian and English, that opens a window onto the future of a constantly evolving language. 

Text in English and Italian.

“The book “Rihanna and the Clothes She Wears” satisfies the cravings of fans and fashion enthusiasts alike, boasting over 100 images of Rihanna and her favorite designers who have influenced her taste.” — HOLA! Magazine

“I grew up on a really small Island, and I didn’t have a lot of access to fashion, but as far as I could remember, fashion has always been my defence mechanism. Even as a child I remember thinking, she can beat me, but she cannot beat my outfit.” – Rihanna, accepting the CFDA Fashion Icon of the Year Award in 2014.

From the author of the runaway bestseller Harry Styles and the Clothes He Wears comes a new, fresh look at style icon Rihanna.

Rihanna has learnt how to define her own terms whatever she does – whether in the worlds of fashion, music, beauty, philanthropy, business, or activism, she is both muse and creative, a collaborator and pioneer. To date she has 135 million Instagram followers and counting. In 2022 at the age of 34, largely because of her Fenty Beauty empire, she became Forbes’ youngest self-made billionaire.

But it is her personal wardrobe and the way she wears it that embodies Rihanna’s charisma, integrity, and humor most: everything she does reflects what she wears herself. She is a risk-taker, but as she said on the red-carpet in 2014 “you will never be stylish if you don’t take risks.” The gamble has paid off. Rihanna’s mix-and-match method of wearing high fashion and streetwear, young designers and vintage, hip-hop classics, and avant-garde custom-made pieces, has meant that she has equal footing in both the music and fashion industries. Chairman and CEO of the LVMH group, Sidney Toledano says she is: “a style icon for today’s generation”.

The breadth of Rihanna’s fashion knowledge and style is astounding. In Rihanna and the Clothes She Wears, Terry Newman steps into the world of this fashion icon by examining her style. From couture catwalks to her own empire Fenty, political statements to high street casual, this chic book fizzles with facts about Rihanna’s styling choices, presenting the star’s most revered looks. With quotes from key designers, this is the perfect gift for any fan.

Some mothers are punk. Others are hippies, chic power dressers or free-spirited bohemians. Many resist labels altogether. These richly illustrated pages offer a joyful celebration of our mothers’ clothes and how their style choices – practical, political or deeply personal – left a lasting imprint on the culture around us.

Cool Mothers: An Appreciation of Style places maternal style exactly where it belongs: at the center of fashion history. A jacket, a handbag, a hairclip, a bracelet worn every day for decades… these details define our mothers as women of their time, subtly revealing the person beyond the role of motherhood, what they resisted, what they embraced, and how they balanced selfhood with responsibility.

Perfect for mothers, fashion lovers and anyone interested in the rich intersection of motherhood, identity and dress. Featuring such distinctly stylish mothers as Angela Missoni, Elizabeth Taylor, Josephine Baker, Princess Diana, Vivienne Westwood, Courtney Love and many others.