Coffee table books are everywhere now, from spreads in beautiful interior magazines to the desks of creatives, living room of the fashion-obsessed and even stylish waiting rooms at the doctor's office. If you are reading this blog, you probably have some as well. They are not cheap but so worth the investment if you are the collector or fashion is what you live and breathe by. I do not believe in coffee table books as decor eye candy. In my case, they represent my interests, visual fascinations and are an amazing source of inspiration for what I do every day. I decided to share with you some of the less known and relatively new fashion and art books that can broaden your creative horizons. For those interested in interior design, I tried to pair the books with the stylistically matching modern coffee tables.
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| Book: Women in Chanel Table: Sleek Modern Furniture |
This is the second installment of Women in Chanel book by the duo of photographers Ingela Klemetz-Farago and Peter Farago. They are taking us on a fashion journey through the landscapes of Eastern Europe, which are very close to my heart. With such amazing Polish models as Anja Rubik, Gosia Bela, Magdalena Frackowiak, Kasia Struss and Anna Jagodzinska and other beautiful women from the Eastern block, these photos pay tribute to Slavic heritage and Chanel. The price is not low, but it is a limited edition book, which is truly a piece of art.
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| Book: The Belgians: An Unexpected Fashion History Table: Hive Modern |
Belgium with Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts and big fashion names such as Martin Margiela and Dries Van Noten has secured itself a crucial place on the fashion map. Belgian fashion is often referred to as surreal, explicit and avant-garde. However, one thing is certain the graduates of this school are changing the face of modern fashion, and this book is a key to understanding why.
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| Book: Otherworldly Table: AHAlife |
This is not a typical coffee table book with images of beautiful clothes on beautiful women. Quite the contrary, it shows the sometimes ugly, scary, futuristic, almost unreal and fantasy-like world of the fashion photography, high-tech fabrics, and unshapely garments. It is a fantastic resource for any creative in the fashion industry and maybe a prediction of what fashion will actually become in the next decade or so.
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| Book: How to Be Chap Table: AHAlife |
Before some male readers of this blog are going to raise their eyebrows seeing this book here, I will try to defend my choice. I wish there were an equivalent of this book with a suggested title: How to be Lass? (Pardon my English, as I am currently strongly addicted to the TV show Outlander). Gentlemen, with all honesty this is a splendid read for both men and women. It was written by Gustav Temple, founder of the Chap Magazine, a man who knows a thing or two about gentleman's style, perfect drink, favorite sport or travel destination. The best thing is that he writes about it with a pinch of the perfect British sense of humor.
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| Book: Age of Collage Table: Williams-Sonoma |
Finally, one of the coolest art books out there for anybody who is fascinated with the art of collage and let's be honest.: Who isn't? From Polyvore, Instagram to magazine layouts and fashion mood boards, collages are everywhere. My favorite contemporary collage artists are Eugenia Loli and MajorManic. The book gives the reader thorough review to a large group of collage artists and their creative techniques. It is hard not to be inspired by it.
Let me know what books are currently on your coffee table and why you find them inspiring!
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