Assouline Publishing

It has been said that Marrakech awakens all of the senses. Whether it is seeing the intricate zellige tilework; smelling the various spices sold at the souks; hearing the call to prayer emanate from the nearby mosques; touching the supple leather used to make a pair of babouches (leather sandals); tasting a flavorful tagine, Marrakech never fails to excite. Located just west of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been inhabited by Berber farmers for centuries. It has been dubbed the “Ochre City” because of the proliferation of red sandstone buildings and the red city walls, which now enclose the Medina, home to Jemaa el-Fnaa, one of the busiest squares in Africa. Marrakech overflows with culture and has been inspiring visitors for decades. From Yves Saint Laurent to Talitha Getty, Winston Churchill to Mick Jagger, Marrakech has attracted great icons inspired by its eternal spirit as well as its sweet, beautiful life. Yves Saint Laurent’s intimate relationship to this city lead to the opening of a museum dedicated to his legendary work. The annual Marrakech International Film Festival draws a prominent crowd. Museums abound, exhibiting Moroccan arts, photography, carpets, and the Andalusian design aesthetic that permeates the city’s architecture. La Mamounia hotel, opened in 1923, offers a storied history, which includes hosting guests such as Winston Churchill. Vanessa Branson’s El Fenn is a collection of traditional riads that form a stunning boutique hotel. There are countless ways to be immersed in the culture of Marrakech, but perhaps the best place to start is with a simple glass of mint tea. Dubbed the “It Girl” by Yves Saint Laurent in the early 1970s, Marisa Berenson is the original modern muse. Berenson transitioned into acting and delivered dazzling performances in iconic films including Cabaret directed by Bob Fosse and Stanley Kubrick’s production of Barry Lyndon...

When Charles Lewis Tiffany opened his first store in 1837 in New York City, selling “fancy goods” imported from Paris, he could not have imagined the visions of glamour that his name would conjure around the world. Tiffany & Co. has transformed from a modest purveyor of gift items to a globally renowned byword for luxury and romance, sublime and rare gemstones, joyful objects of love and an inimitable mix of tradition and modernity. Tiffany is a name that resonates across generations and cultures, part of the fabric of social and cultural history, an American institution gifted to the world, an emporium of escapism, a repository of dreams. During its 185 years, Tiffany & Co. has continued to evolve creatively, embracing artistic and cultural influences, finding exciting ways to renew its rich legacy. Since the 1950s,Tiffany has brought on designers who have become iconic names, from Jean Schlumberger to Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso, ensuring that Tiffany remains dynamic and relevant to each generation. The company’s design-driven dynamism honors and perpetuates the founder’s pioneering spirit. Today Tiffany continues to bring fantasy to its annual high jewelry collections, while also speaking to new generations through original collections that offer personal self-ex-pression, so much part of Charles Lewis Tiffany’s original concept. The beat goes on, the pulse of New York and of creativity, the quest for modernity and originality intertwined with reverence for Tiffany’s great heritage. Conceived as the catalog to accompany the exhibition Vision and Virtuosity at the Saatchi Gallery in London, this volume encapsulates all the romance and heritage of this world-famous American icon, highlighting Tiffany’s creative inspirations, witty advertisements and window displays, Blue Book jewel collections and diamond expertise, plus the stories behind the blue box, the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the fabulous yellow Tiffany Diamond. Jewelry historian Vivienne Becker is an award-winning journalist and author of many books on the history of jewelry design. Based in London, Becker is a contributing editor to Financial Times How to Spend It magazine, writes for newspapers and magazines around the world, and lectures and broadcasts on her subject. She organized and wrote the catalog for the first major exhibition of the jewelry of René Lalique, and curated Jewels of Fantasy...

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the world yearned for a new design style that would embody contemporary culture. Efforts to create a design language suited to the needs and tastes of the modern world took shape during the first decades of the new century, crystallizing in Paris with the 1925 Exposition International des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. The Art Deco period encompassed a multitude of decorative influences, including the updating of historical styles, the introduction of exotic elements and the adaptation of avant-garde art currents such as the geometric abstraction of Cubism. Not a single style or a unified movement, Art Deco is a design idiom that reflects a decorative approach to designing appealing consumer goods during the interwar period. Encompassing every discipline within the applied arts, Art Deco manifested itself to some extent everywhere around the world, perhaps the first design idiom ever to do so. Art Deco’s fundamental appeal lay in its decorative qualities, which consumers found attractive and glamorous. From skyscrapers, locomotives, automobiles and ocean liners to fashion, advertising and everyday home furnishings and appliances, Art Deco style...

Explore the rich heritage of Uzbekistan's textile craftsmanship, a legacy dating back to ancient times when trade routes positioned the region at the heart of the known world. Silk &...

Discover the fascinating world of the Bauhaus, the most influential art school of the twentieth century, and its lasting impact on modern culture. From architecture and art to design...

Experience the Dolce Vita lifestyle – a blend of beauty, style, and charm, inspired by Federico Fellini's iconic 1960 film. This Italian way of life transcends time and still graces Italy today. Immerse yourself in its irresistible allure, captured by renowned photographers Ferdinando Scianna and Bruno Barbey...

One of the world’s premier luxury jewelers since the nineteenth century, Cartier evokes a world of artistry and beauty, a legacy of unequaled prestige. By 1909, Cartier was the first...

An architect and interior designer, Michele Bönan translates and transmits the Italian lifestyle in a very specific way, with strong cosmopolitan connotations. His ability to create ...