With summer swooping in, are your eyes thirsty for new glossy art, architecture, fashion, and design images? Is your coffee table hungry for fresh meat? Is there a glut of upcoming birthdays on your Facebook calendar? If so—and, really, if not—dig into this list of the just-released books we’ve been pouring over this month.
Six New Coffee Table-Worthy Books We're Obsessed With Right Now
With a new season upon us, it's time to update your rotation.
By Gabriel Bell June 03, 2019
CAMP: Notes on Fashion
Spun off of the recent unveiling of the Met Costume Institute’s exhibition of the same name, this volume takes us through not only designers represented in the show, but the very campy theories, ideas, and influences threaded through so much of high fashion. Oh, and yes, the very… particular format here is itself a fine piece of camp. $45 at Amazon.
Interiors—The Greatest Rooms of the Century
Filled with gorgeous photographs of 400 incredible rooms by leading designers, and featuring the personal spaces of figures such as Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Bill Blass, and more, this should sate your yen for interior design porn, at least for a while. Oh, and it comes in four colors just to make sure it matches with your creative–directed scheme. $49 at Amazon.
Basquiat: A Graphic Novel
The perfect deep-dive for anyone who knows a bare-bones version of the life of the late, innovative artist. (The super fans will love it, too.) This kaleidoscopic graphical treatment by artist Paolo Parisi adds some flesh thanks to interviews with his contemporaries, quotes from the man himself, a deep understanding of his historical context, and images that echo color and bold noise he put on canvas. $14 at Amazon.
Ray Gun: The Bible of Music and Style
It is honestly hard to underestimate the visual influence and importance of ’90s alt-music magazine Ray Gun. Self-billed as “The End of Print,” the pub actually supplied new, angry blood, creating a lasting legacy. For those who knew it well, or those who have never heard the name, this lush survey of Ray Gun is a must. $42 at Amazon.
Herman Miller: A Way of Living
Even before the rise of the midcentury movement, Herman Miller was primed to leave its mark on the American living room. Follow its history and the development of all those Eames, Nelson, and Saarinen classics in this visually stunning, essential coffee-table edition. It’s as substantial a design object as any of the company’s furniture. $54 at Amazon.
Issues: A History of Photography in Fashion Magazines
Critic Vince Aletti tours the reader through the vibrant history of fashion editorial, shuttling through visual movements, leading photographers, and unforgettable images curated from all eras of the medium with sharp grace. Filled with rare examples sourced from his own expansive collection, it’s an engrossing look at a visual art we often take for granted. $59 at Amazon.
