Dolce Vita

What began as a small mining camp during the Colorado, silver boom of the late 19th century has since become the preferred getaway of the world’s elite. Treasured for what’s above ground rather than below, Aspen, Colorado, has a storied history almost as dense as the directory of A-listers who have adopted the jewel of Pitkin County as their second home, or who have settled in its slopes indefinitely. From the “fortified compound” that was Hunter S. Thompson’s Owl Farm, to John Denver’s “Starwood in Aspen,” to the scores of financial titans who also call the mountain home, Aspen has long drawn an eclectic and wide-ranging crowd. With an introduction from long time resident Aerin Lauder, founder and creative director of Aerin, Aspen Style...

More than any other designer of her era, Gabrielle Chanel had the ability to predict the evolution of contemporary fashion. Self-inventor extraordinaire, Chanel revolutionized the lifestyle of her time by inventing a modern concept of luxe minimalism, elevating humble fabrics such as jersey and tweed to couture status, giving birth to a new Silhouette both sophisticated and discreet, setting her stamp on the twentieth century with her modern spirit of understated luxury. The house of Chanel represents modern fashion. Under its founder, the style of the modern woman was invented, through the image of Gabrielle Chanel herself. She dressed women to be free, and her emancipated clothes reflected the shifting landscape of society. Her designs fundamentally affected what we wear, and how we wear it. The work of the house under her successor Karl Lagerfeld has transformed fashion anew: He drew the template for a fashion designer reviving a moribund house with elements from its own history. Just as Chanel created modern fashion, Lagerfeld in turn established the blueprint of the modern fashion house. She reshaped the clothes women wear, he reshaped the industry that makes them. This book is a literary museum exhibition, a curated selection of 100 iconic and signature looks of the house of Chanel, from the timeless Little Black Dress to the impeccably simple tweed suit, the apothecary-style perfume bottle, two-tone pumps...

Over the last century, China has experienced a period of growth more rapid and utterly transforming than any other nation has experienced in modern history. How can we begin to understand the country that has emerged from such a dramatic era of change? Perhaps the answer can be found in China’s art. Certainly, that is what renowned art collectors Adrian Cheng and John Dodelande argue in their forthcoming volume, Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection. After all, China’s history as a land of enormous influence stretches back to its dynastic past, and the nation’s art has always been in conversation with its customs. The most highly anticipated volume in Assouline’s exclusive Ultimate series, Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection spotlights 100 works of contemporary art that reveal the social, political, and cultural evolution of a nation on the rise. Thoughtfully curated by Cheng and Dodelande, the 100 works are presented in chronological order, beginning with traditional paintings from the turn of the twentieth century and culminating with some of the most cutting-edge works by China’s “new generation” of artists, whose creations explore and often critique the politics that have defined China’s rapid growth into a new world power. The particular themes and conversations that these 100 works raise are glossed in essays and commentary from three of the world’s foremost experts on Chinese Art—Philip Tinari of the UCAA in Beijing, Alexandra Munroe of the Guggenheim in New York, and Karen Smith...

The Turkish Riviera, known as the Turquoise Coast, is home to stunning mountain scenery, rich myths, and folklore, and more than six hundred miles of i...

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...

A six-point safety harness wraps over your shoulders and between your legs, a head and neck brace clamps down your chest. The world ahead is visible only above a rim at eye level; the world behind is seen only through two mirrors little bigger than cigarette boxes. The start lights begin to illuminate red, and when they extinguish, your life will enter another dimension: this is not a fighter jet or a spacecraft, you are on the starting grid of a Formula One track, strapped into the world’s most technologically advanced racing car. The turbocharged engine, with more than 1,000 horsepower, is about to kick you in the backside, hurtling to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds, careening toward the first corner of the track. For the average reader, even driving a single lap of a Grand Prix would be impossible. But for the world’s twenty best racing drivers in the series’ ten teams, it is a way of life that is extreme in almost every facet. Selected by veteran F1 journalist Brad Spurgeon, Formula 1: The Impossible Collection chronicles the milestones that lifted Formula One from a gentlemen’s club in 1950 to a global sport with hundreds of millions of fans around the world, third in popularity only to the Olympics and World Cup soccer. Highlighting exceptional technical innovations, remarkable drivers’ achievements and exciting race finishes, this volume illuminates immortal names such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Enzo Ferrari, Colin Chapman, Bernie Ecclestone, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Jean Todt, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton...

Original Italian film poster for the 1953 adventure thriller film Le Salaire de la Peur / The Wages of Fear. This film was directed by Henri-Georges...

Beaumarly Paris (Hardcover) In stock in Los Angeles Icons of the Parisian lifestyle, Beaumarly establishments encompass more than twenty ultra-stylish cafés, hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants dotted around the mythical City of Light, from the heart of the Louvre to the rooftop of the Centre Pompidou, from Saint-Germain-des-Prés to the Golden Triangle, from Pigalle to the Bastille. Created by Thierry and Gilbert Costes, who over thirty years have been transforming the way Parisians experience their city, Beaumarly properties include Café Marly, Café Beaubourg, Hôtel Amour, Brasserie Thoumieux, and Club Matignon. Each distinctive Beaumarly venue offers a journey for the senses born of close collaborations with the biggest names in architecture, art, and design, such as Christian de Portzamparc...

Signals of the Twenties. Modena, Happy Books, 1988 Measures: 12" x 8"5. Small book hard cover about signals.  

The stories of Indian princes and their jewelry and precious stones are brought together in this illustrated narrative tracing the rise and fall of India's leading royal houses through the dramatic fortunes of their crown jewels. Traditionally, precious metals and jewels have been, for Indians rich and poor, a repository of wealth and a status symbol. For the reigning families, jewels also had symbolic and religious significance. Also here are the original drawings by great European jewelers of the pieces they designed for their exotic and demanding clients. The text is both lively and scholarly, drawing from descriptions of such travelers as Marco Polo and Tavernier as well as Sanskrit dramatists extolling the riches of India. The core of this lavishly photographed book is the encounter between Indian princely magnificence and the best of European Jewellery designers in the 20th century when many of the Maharaja's travelled to Europe with trunks filled with traditional Indian jewels and unset stones...

Barclay Butera "Living in Style" large coffee table book. Publisher: Assouline (2008), (New York). Edition: First Edition. Hardcover Interior designer Barclay Butera makes his publishing debut with this visual compilation of his most iconic work. A young and celebrated star of the design community, Butera creates clean, classical interiors known for their luxury and livability. His work is inspired by a plethora of elements, from the glamour of midcentury Hollywood to the sophistication of Europe and the exoticism of the Far East. Butera s experience in the interior design business began at a young age while working with his mother, who designed the interiors of homes all over the world. At age twenty-five, he started his own company. Barclay Butera explores five themes in the designer s work: Desert, City, Mountain, Beach, and Town & Country. In this stunning edition brimming with exciting design ideas, the author invites readers to explore both the small details and the larger motifs that come together in an enviable interior. About the designer: Since 1994, Barclay Butera has been the creative force behind his prestigious design firm and showroom in Newport Beach, California. His success in Newport prompted Butera to establish showrooms in Park City, Utah, and Corona del Mar, California. Butera is renowned for his approachable elegance and glamorous, coastal-chic interiors. In addition to his thriving interior design business, Butera’s venture into licensing has landed him an unprecedented number of the industry’s most respected partners including: Bradburn Home...

Cadillac Limited Edition: 110 Years by Assouline. Kremer, Esther, Ed. New York: Assouline Publishing, 2012. First Edition; Second Printing. Hardcover. In celebration of 110 years of one of the most iconic brands in the world, Assouline presents the first luxury book on America's foremost luxury car. Cadillac takes readers on a visual journey through all the decades of its history. Here are presidents and Hollywood stars, closed-body cars and concept cars, the classic and the cutting-edge. Cadillac enthusiasts and car collectors...