The illustrated market has become integral to the worlds of luxury, fashion and design. Assouline has actively contributed to this growth by creating the highest quality book-objects whose distinctive graphic identity and editorial savoir-faire have captured imaginations, addressing new themes in a contemporary manner.

Assouline

L'esprit Serge Lutens

Title

Home Decor

Conceived and curated by Thierry W Despont, in cooperation with Marlborough and Steinitz galleries, Le Cabinet de Curiosités was a unique installation in which contemporary art converged with antique furnishings and architecture to create a setting both old-world and otherworldly. The exhibition presented work by Marlborough artists Despont, Manolo Valdés, and the late Claudio Bravo (the first posthumous exhibit of his work), as well as an eclectic array of rare objects from the Steinitz COLLECTIONS. An immersive environment of furnishings and antiquities from Steinitz, interspersed with Valdés’s trompe-l’oeil Libreria sculptures, Bravo’s hyperrealist paintings, plus Despont’s Nebula paintings of imaginary celestial orbs and his fantastical sculptural creatures assembled from found objects and tools, all combined to create a multisensory experience evoking a sense of wonder and fantasy.

Thierry W Despont is an architect, designer, and artist who has worked on many high-profile projects, including the Statue of Liberty, the Frick family mansion, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. Born and raised in France, Despont is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts, holds a masters degree in urban design and city planning from Harvard University, and is a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor and of the Arts and Letters. His artwork has been seen in numerous solo and group exhibitions in New York, Paris, London, Monaco, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, and Venice. Despont has written several books, including Masks, Studio, Insects, and Planets, published by Assouline. Fred A. Bernstein studied architecture at Princeton University and law at NYU, and writes regularly about both subjects. He has been published in Departures, The New York Times, and Architectural Digest, amongst others. He resides in New York City. Laziz Hamani has worked for clients including Harry Winston, Dior, and Tag Heuer, and has contributed to books including The Grand Bazaar Istanbul, Antiquaires: Flea Markets of Paris; Axel Vervoordt: The Story of a Style; Le Trésor de Saint-Denis; and all the titles in Assouline’s Symbols of Religion series.

Le Cabinet De Curiosites

Although it’s a piece of history learned by every British student, the Terra Nova Expedition of 1910-1913 remains an epic story unknown to many. In this ultimate display of life and boundless bravery, Robert F. Scott and his five-man team battled the elements— traveling through subzero temperatures with motor sledges and ponies—in the hope of being the first to reach this uninhabited territory. Assouline is pleased to announce South Pole, providing a rare opportunity to feel an intimate connection to a heroic age of exploration.
Arriving at the South Pole on January 17, 1912, the adventurers were greeted by their worst nightmare: a Norwegian flag. Disheartened and badly frostbitten, they trudged back toward their boat only to die just eleven miles from the next depot. Featuring a collection of stunning black and white photography alongside entries from Scott’s harrowing diary, this tome starkly presents this well documented tragically untold journey in three unique formats: a trade edition in hardcover; an oversized special edition hardcover with jacket; and, most exclusively, an artist's limited luxury hand bound edition in extra-large format, complete with waterproof pages - the first luxury art book of its kind. The book's proceeds are graciously donated to the Antarctic Heritage Trust who preserve expeditions and the thousands of associated artifacts survive for the benefit of future generations; and inspire people through the values associated with adventure, discovery and leadership.
Beyond the incredible feats of endurance, hardship, and the extraordinary scientific achievements from Scott’s last attempt, the world was captivated by Captain Scott’s prowess as a diarist and the outstanding photographic skill of team member Herbert Ponting. The written and photographic legacy enabled people to connect with this journey frozen in time as they have never before.

Christine Dell’Amore, environment writer-editor for National Geographic News, has reported from six continents, including Antarctica. She has also written for Smithsonian magazine and The Washington Post. Christine holds a masters degree in journalism with a specialty in environmental reporting from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

South Pole: The British Antarctic Expedition 1910

Books

"Innovation became a hallmark of Mattel operations,” said Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler in 1968. “We were unorthodox, venturesome—our people were willing to try new things. This quality, more than any other, has been the key to the company’s progress.” From its humble beginnings producing picture frames for portrait studios to icons including Barbie and Hot Wheels, Mattel has been a master of imagination and innovation for seventy years.
In 1938, Handler began crafting art objects from Lucite in the LA garage of Harold “Matt” Matson. Soon he was in business as Elzac Jewelry, with Hollywood starlets modeling his designs. When Handler and Matson left Elzac and went into business as Mattel, the year was 1945 and with the nation at war, plastics were restricted for military use. Innovators as they were, they began selling wooden picture frames and quickly branched out into dollhouse furniture, before changing their emphasis to toys. Barbie was born in 1959 and one year later Mattel became a publicly owned company. In the following years, Mattel launched other iconic toys, including Hot Wheels and He-Man; began incorporating other brands, such as Fisher-Price, Pleasant Company (including American Girl), and Tyco Toys; and entered licensing agreements with Disney, Nickelodeon, and Harry Potter.
Celebrating the spectacular history of the Mattel family of brands, this volume brings together archival images from the early years of Mattel and original photography of some of Mattel’s most iconic toys to express the joy and energy of all the toys since its founding, a fantastic tribute to the happiness of childhood and the enduring memories of life’s best moments. Readers of all ages will delight in rediscovering their favorite toys and learning the stories behind them.

Mattel: 70 Years Of Innovation And Play

From the founding of the Ottoman dynasty to its fabled territorial conquests, the legacy of the thirty-six Ottoman sultans has undeniably left its mark throughout history. Coupled with their military prowess, artistic patronage, and expert political command, the sultans’ clothes represented the ultimate in status and wealth. With gold thread, fur linings, diamond studding, and vibrant colors, their clothing was as decadent as—if not more so than—the lifestyle these rulers led. Featuring exquisite portraits and lavishly decorated caftans, this large-format volume beautifully presents imagery that speaks to the magnificence of the Ottoman Empire and its legendary sultans.

Professor Nurhan Atasoy completed her PhD in Fine Arts and Art History in 1962 at Istanbul University. She currently serves as the resident scholar at the Turkish Cultural Foundation, where she regularly lectures on Turkish art. Professor Atasoy has lectured on Turkish and Islamic art at congresses throughout the world; curated international exhibitions; and has published over one hundred articles and twenty-two books on the subject, including Iznik: Ottoman Pottery of Turkey (1989); IPEK: Imperial Ottoman Silks and Velvets (2001); and Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe (2012).

Portraits And Caftans Of The Ottoman Sultans

Moving, dreamlike excerpts from Nobel Prize–winning writer and humanitarian Elie Wiesel’s acclaimed 1968 novel A Beggar in Jerusalem introduce this latest addition to Assouline’s The Light of collection. Showcasing Jean-Michel Berts’s textural black-and- white photographs taken on the cusp of daybreak, The Light Of Jerusalem captures the poignancy and the poetry of this ancient crossroads of civilizations and empires, bustling commerce, and devout spirituality. Jerusalem today is a multicultural metropolis, a complex layering of ancient and modern, religious and secular, political and spiritual, historic and timeless; this marvelous volume expresses the power and mystery of Jerusalem’s monuments, streets, gardens, and panoramas. Originally from Transylvania, Elie Wiesel was fteen when his family was sent to Auschwitz. Later, Wiesel studied in Paris and became a journalist, authoring more than sixty books, ction and non ction. For his literary and human rights activities, he has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor. In 1986 Wiesel won the Nobel Prize for Peace, and soon after he and his wife, Marion, established The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, an organization created to ght indi erence, intolerance, and injustice.
Jean-Michel Berts has been a photographer since age sixteen. With his rst Rollei ex camera he became sensitive to the e ects of light. Today Berts enjoys an international reputation and exhibits his work at galleries in Berlin, Paris, London, New York, and Tokyo. He has also worked on advertising campaigns for luxury brands such as Cacharel, Dior, Jaquet Droz, and Lancôme. His photographs can be seen on his web site 

The Light Of Jerusalem

Shaker: Function, Purity, Perfection is an homage to the traditional Shaker values of grace and simplicity. Featured are twenty-eight essential pieces that highlight the defining elements of Shaker design and demonstrate the Shaker dedication to perfection. Each table, chair, and chest of drawers is captured through bold, original images that reflect careful craftsmanship dating back to the eighteenth century. English designer and furniture guru Sir Terence Conran speaks about the profound influence of Shaker techniques on twentieth-century furniture. Shaker includes writings on Shaker history, tradition, and furniture-making techniques by museum experts David Stocks and Jerry Grant, as well as archival images from Mount Lebanon’s Shaker Museum. This inclusive volume sheds light on the Shaker dedication to quality and precision and the continued relevance of these values in design today.

David Stocks has led the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon as its president since 2007. Prior to that he was involved in preservation organizations and led an effort to create an urban rail-to-trail park in Dallas, Texas.
Jerry Grant is the director of collections and research at the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon. He has spent thirty-five years in the field of Shaker history as an interpreter, craftsman, historian, librarian, and museum director.
Sir Terence Conran is one of the world’s best-known designers, restaurateurs, and retailers. He founded the Conran Design Studio in 1956 and the Habitat chain of home furnishings stores in the 1960s and ’70s, and established the leading home furnishings store The Conran Shop and the Design Museum in London. He has written over fifty books on food and design.

Shaker: Function, Purity, Perfection

Assouline in collaboration with the destination of AlUla announces the  release of an immersive book of photography and illustrations titled, AlUla. With stunning images taken by internationally renowned photographer Robert Polidori, and interpretive illustrations by multidisciplinary artist Ignasi Monreal, AlUla virtually transports readers to the destination, giving them a glimpse into the city’s rich history and a unique look into AlUla’s local culture. Available in Assouline’s exclusive Ultimate and XXL formats, this oversize luxury volume is a celebration of human milestones and natural wonders, sharing the majesty of AlUla. The Ultimate format is available in blue and beige covers, and the XXL format is available in blue and black boxes. Nestled deep within the vast desert of northwest Arabia, AlUla is known as a cultural oasis and living museum with more than 200,000 years of human history: from Paleolithic hunter-gatherers; civilizations such as the Nabataeans, Dadanites, and Romans; Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca and Medina, and trade caravans traveling the Incense Route; to present-day communities who mingle and exchange cultural ideas with global travelers. AlUla is home to relics both old and new including Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra, with remains dating back to the Nabataean kingdom, as well as modern landmarks including Maraya, an award-winning, multi-purpose concert and entertainment venue that is also the Guinness Book of Records largest mirrored venue in the world. Each page of this luxurious and limited edition exclusive book delves into the destination’s ancient mystique, where innovative and artistic people lived and journeyed in its exceptional landscapes and contoured mountains, leaving traces of their language, culture and way of life. Images and illustrations captured in the book include monumental tombs carved into the outcrops of Hegra, nature-carved rock sculptures including Jabal AlFil (also known as Elephant Rock) and petroglyphs (or rock art) showcasing examples of animals that inhabited AlUla thousands of years ago.

Complimentary white gloves and signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection
AlUla photographer Robert Polidori began his career in the mid-1980s, when he photographed the Restoration of Versailles, and he has since documented sites across the globe. Preferring the beauty and stillness of working with a large-format camera and slow shutter speeds, Polidori thinks of rooms as vessels for memory. He has twice won the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Magazine Photography, he has published over a dozen photo books, he has had major solo exhibitions in important galleries, and his work is held in the collections of many prominent museums around the world.
On his experience photographing AlUla Polidori says, “The natural situation of AlUla is just amazing and unparallelled, and I was taken by that. I look to try to render what I call an emblematic image, showing its whole and usually showing its entirety through its details and vice versa. I tried to give a timeless image.” Polidori also shares more of his experience in AlUla in a video, which provides a look inside the book and select Polidori photos. AlUla illustrator Ignasi Monreal is a multidisciplinary artist born in Barcelona and currently based in Rome. He works in various media including painting, design, creative direction, and film. He created Gucci’s Spring/ Summer 2018 campaign, the first of its kind to be fully digitally painted, for which he was short-listed for a Beazley Designs of the Year award. Since then he worked with brands such as Bulgari, Four Seasons and AirBnb amongst others. An animated video brings Monreal’s illustrations of AlUla to life.

Alula Xxl

Marriage Story is Academy Award nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta co-star. Charlie (Adam Driver) is a theater director in New York City; Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) is his soon-to-be-former star actress, now relocating to Los Angeles—her first home before she married Charlie. As the couple sets out to negotiate divorce and the custody of their eight-year-old son, their amicable intentions rapidly unravel until they find themselves in the middle of a grueling legal battlefield. This stunning companion book, a box set from Assouline, contains two volumes—one for Nicole, one for Charlie—that allow the reader to see the film’s narrative through each half of the couple’s eyes. Featuring film stills, set photography, quotes from cast and the filmmakers, and two astute, lyrical introductions, this pair of books takes readers both behind the scenes and straight into the heart of this magnificent film.

The movie was released on December 6th, 2019 and is now available on Netflix.

Marriage Story

Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates celebrates a successful first decade with this beautifully illustrated volume. It may be the world’s first shopping resort, over 769,000 square feet and counting, but “Shopping is just the beginning.” This colossal space, designed by F+A Architects and owned by Majid Al Futtaim Properties, boasts over 700 stores and 560 international brands, including a Fashion Dome to house the numerous luxury boutiques that bring the style of the famous Avenue Montaigne to the heart of Dubai.
The Mall is home to 90 restaurants and eateries serving cuisine from all over the world, ranging among Burj Al Hamam’s Lebanese fare, the fine French Angelina Paris, Indian fine dining at Asha’s, and the American Chinese flavors of P. F. Chang’s. Guests looking for entertainment have ample choices, including a 14-screen multiplex cinema; a 500-seat theater and arts center; Magic Planet family entertainment area, with its bowling alley, carousel, bumper cars, arcade, and the RoboCoaster; and the scenic Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. The spacious atrium at Mall of the Emirates is a frequent host of exclusive fashion events, such as the annual World of Fashion runway show. The lavish, five-star Kempinski and Sheraton Hotels are also part of the Mall: convenient choices for guests who wish to spread their shopping experience over multiple days.
After ten years, the Mall looks to the future with its Evolution 2015 expansion project, which includes additions to the second floor and parking areas, plus new restaurants, prayer rooms, and a larger cinema. Mall of the Emirates continues to be a thriving hub for a wide range of activities, as well as a landmark of Dubai’s rich culture.
Luxury lifestyle and fashion writer Ayesha Khan began her witting career ten years ago in Dubai, contributing to magazines such as Identity, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and the First Class magazine of Emirates and Qatar Airways. She then moved back to the United States to serve as editorial director of American luxury lifestyle magazine Haute Living. Khan now lives in New York City and writes for luxury lifestyle bible Robb Report and the 30 international editions of Harper’s Bazaar. She visits her parents in Dubai every chance she gets. Louise Nichol has 15 years’ experience as a fashion journalist and has lived in the UAE for the past decade, working as editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and, previously, Grazia Middle East. She has interviewed well-known designers, celebrities, and retailers, giving her a unique 360-degree view of the fashion industry. Nichol is passionate about ensuring that Harper’s Bazaar Arabia is the essential platform for up-and-coming designers in the Gulf. She is mother to daughter Leo and son Fox.

Mall Of The Emirates

Inspired by a selection of Assouline’s iconic titles, the luxury umbrella is crafted with a rich black exterior and matching sleeve, while the interior is lined with a colorful depiction of a perfectly curated library. A chestnut-colored handle completes the sleek, yet vibrant design.

The Umbrella Library

Women

Worldwide Brand Ambassador for Valentino and CEO and Creative Director of his jewelry design company, Most Wanted Design, Carlos Souza is known the world over for his glamorous and fun-loving style. This book is a guide to some of his favorite places around the globe—from New York and Paris to São Paulo, London, Rome, or Shanghai. In each location, Souza notes the best the city has to offer by listing his preferred spots to dine, dance, shop, see art, or just get a drink. Along with noting the unique fashion, food, art, and design places of interest, Mr. Souza has written little notes on each place, like a familiar travel diary you share with friends. Updated for today’s traveler who wants to know where to go from a trusted friend, this book is a guide to the destination spots in some of the most chic cities in the world.

Carlos Souza is the Worldwide Brand Ambassador of the fashion house of Valentino. Mr. Souza has over twenty-five years of experience in fashion, beginning as a model for Valentino and working his way up. Known as an art world and fashion fixture, Souza is also an editor at large for Architectural Digest, a contributing editor for Interview. Over the past few years, his refined taste and passion for fashion inspired him to start his own line of jewelry, Most Wanted Design.
Michael Roberts is a British fashion journalist, illustrator, and filmmaker. He is a former fashion and style director of Vanity Fair, fashion editor of The Sunday Times, and design director of British Vogue, to mention only a few of his positions. As a photographer and illustrator, Roberts has contributed images to Vanity Fair, Vogue, The Sunday Times, and GQ, among others. He has also published several books, including a book of illustrations, Fashion Victims.

Carlos's Places

After receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation in 2012, art photographer Diane Tuft traveled to Antarctica to study and document the effects of ultraviolet and infrared radiation on the landscape. Gondwana: Images of an Ancient Land chronicles the extraordinary results of that expedition, with over 50 stunning images that capture Antarctica’s raw, untouched splendor with colors, textures, and compositions that verge on the surreal. Named for the megacontinent that once contained what is now Antarctica, Gondwana presents a living re ection of hundreds of millions of years of Earth’s history, a mythical land as it has never been imagined before. The book includes a foreword by Elisabeth Sussman, Curator and Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Diane Tuft is a New York-based mixed-media artist who has focused primarily on photography since 1998. She earned a degree in mathematics at the University of Connecticut before continuing her studies in art at Pratt Institute in New York. She has always been fascinated by the mystery of what exists beyond the visible; capturing this through her camera—often traveling to the world’s most remote places to do so—has been a guiding principle of her work. Tuft has had solo exhibitions at Marlborough Gallery, Ameringer-Yohe Gallery, and Pace Gallery in New York City, as well as The Kimball Art Center in Park City, Utah. Tuft’s work can be found in the permanent collection of The Whitney Museum of American Art and The International Center of Photography in New York City, as well as numerous private collections and museums throughout the country.

Gondwana - Images Of An Ancient Land

Art Collector, Igor Vitalyevich Savitsky dedicated his life to saving one of the world’s most important works of Russian avant-garde art, which would have been otherwise destined to disappear forever. His efforts allowed artists, obscured by Stalin’s regime, to be rediscovered. Today, the Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art named after I.V. Savitsky in Nukus, and located in the middle of a vast desert on the northwest end of Uzbekistan-once called “the Louvre of the Steppes-now holds one of the largest collections of this art, second only to the Russian State Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
This volume shows a particularly unique part of the museum’s collection, known as Avant-Garde Orientalist art: works made between 1910 – 1930 from artists who have traveled or moved to Uzbekistan, discovering the region’s culture, vibrant colors, unique light, landscapes and architecture. Rather than simply being seen as instruments of state propaganda, they maintained their integrity as real artists through their captivating work.
Ships August 9th

For over 40 years, Yaffa Assouline has captured the luxury and publishing industry as a journalist, consultant and creative art director. She specializes in innovative and made-to-measure publishing. She is the author of the book Uzbekistan: Road to Samarkand (Assouline, 2020), a photographic journey through the cultural and natural riches of Uzbekistan.
After graduating school, while working in theater and film, photographer Harald Gottschalk met the renowned Robert Doisneau; Gottschalk became Doisneau’s assistant and began fulfilling his childhood dream to become a photographer. Gottschalk has worked with other famous artists, such as photographer Keiichi Tahara and painter Robert Combas, and has had more than 60 solo and collective exhibitions in France and abroad. Parallel to his personal work, Gottschalk collaborates on many prestigious projects and publications with international brands.

Uzbekistan: Avant-garde Orientalists

Assouline and Chanel present a newly updated trilogy celebrating the timeless spirit, signatures, and heritage of the house of Chanel, this slipcase set includes three Mémoire volumes: Chanel Fashion, Chanel Jewelry And Watches, and Chanel Fragrance And Beauty.
Chanel Fashion by Anne Berest:
A visionary self-inventor, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel shaped her own destiny to become the most influential fashion designer of the 20th century. Rejecting the restrictive styles of the time, she introduced a new silhouette both sophisticated and natural. This spirit of modern luxury and Parisian savoir faire, elaborated over the decades thanks to the myriad innovations of Karl Lagerfeld, continues today with Virginie Viard, the new artistic director.
Chanel Jewelry And Watches by Fabienne Reybaud: Eternally inspired and visionary, just like Mademoiselle Chanel’s one and only “Bijoux de Diamants” High Jewelry collection, the Chanel Jewelry Creation Studio expresses the unique spirit that characterizes Chanel’s High Jewelry, from 1932 to today. Similarly, the Chanel Watchmaking Creation Studio, in more than thirty years only into the watchmaking adventure, it will have touched on every métier contributing to the art of Haute Horlogerie. Watches conceived as objects of pleasure, without any concession to the technical and artisanal expertise required to create precious objects. Watches ready to withstand the test of time.
Chanel Fragrance And Beauty by Marion Vignal: With the creation of her revolutionary N°5 in 1921, then the launch of her first makeup line in 1924, and soon-after the release of her skincare products in 1927 - Gabrielle Chanel has always been ahead of her time. Faithful to this unique heritage, Chanel’s fragrances, skincare and makeup lines have always exemplified excellence in creativity, research and technique. Simple and effective, while always remaining elegant, these beauty products are true expressions of the holistic vision of the house of Chanel.

Writer Anne Berest has notably published Sagan Paris 1954 (Gallic Books, 2015); How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are, with Caroline de Maigret, Audrey Diwan and Sophie Mas (Doubleday, 2014); Recherche femme parfaite (Grasset et Fasquelle, 2015); and Gabriële, with her sister, writer Claire Berest (Stock, 2017). She also writes for television and theater. Most recently she wrote and directed the play La Visite at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, and in 2019 she created the TV series Mythomaniac for Arte, available on Netflix.
Since 1989, Fabienne Reybaud has specialized in the luxury field, especially fine jewelry and watches. She has written for the most prestigious names in the French press, and she has authored several books, including 100 Montres de légende, with Frédéric Ramade (Solar, 1999); Watches: The Ultimate Guide (Assouline, 2006, 2010); Casa Lopez: Un art de vivre, with Pierre Sauvage (Flammarion, 2018); and Rolex: The Impossible Collection (Assouline, 2018).
Marion Vignal is an author, journalist and exhibition curator. Founder of Ida M. artistic and editorial consulting studio, Vignal writes regularly for M Le Mag (weekly magazine of Le Monde newspaper) and Vanity Fair. She has also authored several books, including Charles Zana: Intérieurs (Rizzoli, 2018); Les 101 Mots du design à l’usage de tous, with Cédric Morisset (Archibooks, 2010); and Femmes designers, un siècle de créations (Aubanel, 2009).

Chanel 3-book Slipcase (new Edition)

In 1968, the coastal Arab emirates entered into an unprecedented phase of vulnerability: The British, who had protected the emirates for 150 years, suddenly announced their intention to withdraw from the region. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, knew there was only one way forward: the emirates had to unite under a single nation. In December of 1971, after a series of negotiations, the United Arab Emirates was born, and Sheikh Zayed, its founding father, was named the first President.
Under Sheikh Zayed’s leadership, the fledgling UAE grew to become a towering example of economic, social and political progression within the Middle East. But throughout his reign, Sheikh Zayed dedicated as much of himself to the welfare of his people as he did to his country’s progress. His benevolence, humility, and tolerance were legendary, and he was widely revered as a father figure to all. Sheikh Zayed’s profound care for his people extended to the environment, as he helped transform the Arab desert into an oasis for agriculture. He also became known as a champion of equality, advocating for women’s rights and preaching religious tolerance. A religious man himself, the teachings of Islam formed the core of his education and shaped his approach to both life and leadership.
In this compelling addition to the Ultimate Collection and Assouline’s first tome surrounding a notable Arab Royal figure, Myrna Ayad examines Sheikh Zayed’s enduring legacy through the pillars that defined his life—as a father, a unifier, a conservationist, a faithful man, and a modernist. The volume brings Sheikh Zayed to vivid life through archival photographs and exclusive interviews with politicians and family members who knew the ruler intimately, including HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, HH Sheikha Mariam bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and granddaughter of Sheikh Zayed, HE Dr Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Chancellor of UAE University & Cultural Advisor to the President and many more.
As this year marks the extraordinary, 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed: An Eternal Legacy is a fitting, reverent ode not only it’s creation, but to the Father of the UAE himself. This incredible volume reveals that more than fifteen years after the end of his reign, Sheikh Zayed lives on in all of the men and women who are continuing his work, steering the UAE into a bright and progressive future.
Complimentary white gloves and a signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection

Myrna Ayad is an arts consultant, cultural strategist and editor, with a focus on visual art and culture from the Arab world, Iran and Turkey. She established her namesake consultancy in 2018 following her directorship of Art Dubai, the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia’s foremost international art fair. Myrna has written for The New York Times, CNN Online, The Art Newspaper, Artforum, Artsy, Artnet, Wallpaper* and The National, among others, and contributed to artist monographs and exhibition catalogues. From 2007- 2015, she served as Editor of Canvas, the premier magazine for visual art from the Middle East, where she oversaw the production of the title’s affiliate newspapers, catalogues and luxury art books. Over the years, Myrna has served both as a panelist and moderator and sits on the committees of cultural entities in the region. For almost four decades, Myrna has been based in Dubai, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Sheikh Zayed: An Eternal Legacy

Across the sands of time, Ethiopia has embodied fantasy and intrigue. The richly storied country has been a supporter of Christianity for the Crusaders in the Middle Ages, a symbol of resistance to European colonization in the late 19th century, and, most recently, a recipient of aid due to its extreme poverty. Ethiopian Highlands offers a striking look into this world of contrasts. These vibrant, intimate images captured by Lizy Manola, whose Greek nationality connects her implicitly to Ethiopia’s past, bring us to the very heart of the Christian culture of its Highlands. Seventy of Manola’s photos have also been collected for an exhibition entitled Ethiopia, Spiritual Imprints. These are images of Ethiopian people, places, and objects considered holy: churches in the Lalibela and Tigray regions, monasteries and monks of Lake Tana, and many more. The exhibition began in August 2014 at the Of cina dell’Arte Spirituale in Venice, Italy, and has now moved to the Byzantine Christian Museum in Athens, Greece, where it will be open until June 2015.

Ethiopian Highlands

This richly illustrated volume traces the story of one of the world’s most recognizable wristwatches through archive images and original photography, together with an evocative text by noted author, historian, journalist, and horological specialist Nicholas Foulkes.
Born in 1931, at the height of the Art Deco period, the Reverso was created in response to the challenge of designing a wristwatch that could withstand the rigours of polo matches. It captured the essence of the time – a period when the spirit of modernity changed everything, from social mores to architecture, music, sport and every field of design. Epitomizing this spirit with its sleek form and unique reversible case, the Reverso has remained an eternal expression of modernity for 90 years, continually reinventing itself while never compromising its identity. Its blank metal flip side, which began as a purely functional solution, became a canvas for creative expression, decorated with enamel, engravings or gemstones.
As well as tracing the history of the watch and its evolution over the past nine decades – with more than 50 calibres and several hundred dials – the book explores the social milieu and cultural changes that provided the backdrop to the creation of the Reverso and, later, its continued reinvention. It shares the stories of more than a dozen Reverso owners who have personalized their watches in deeply meaningful ways. And it also tells the fascinating story of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s founders, their inventions that have had a profound impact on horological history, and the Maison’s development as an integrated Manufacture with 180 skills brought together under one roof.
Ships August 3rd
British historian, author, and journalist Nicholas Foulkes is cofounder and editor in chief of Finch’s Quarterly Review, luxury editor of British GQ, and  contributing editor to Financial Times’s How to Spend It and Vanity Fair. His other books for Assouline include High Society: The History of America’s Upper Class (2008), Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century (2011), Nardi (2012), Swans: Legends of the Jet Society (2013), and The Impossible Collection of Watches (2014).

Jaeger-lecoultre: Reverso

Jewelry

This set of 10 Lost Fish Notecards feature 18th century drawings of prehistoric fish. They are made from the highest quality note card paper, printed in color, and embossed with 5 different beautiful fish designs. Included in the exquisite carton box, which is decorated with a gold-foil embossed fish, are ten luxuriously weighted Crane's paper note cards and envelopes. All fish have been individually stencil-embossed and printed. Envelopes are lined with silk-linen paper in colors that nicely complement the hues of each fish.

Lost Fish Notecards

Books & Stationery

Born in Naples in 1935 to a family of jewelers, Aldo Cipullo became the most glamorous jewelry designer of the 1970s and early ’80s. Aldo left Italy for the exciting possibilities of life in New York City, enrolling at the School of Visual Arts. By 1960 he was working for the acclaimed society jeweler David Webb, who was renowned for producing designs that were bold and expressive, to then joining Tiffany & Co., where he began developing his own design vocabulary.
In 1969 he moved to Cartier alongside the company’s President Michael Thomas, where, at the top of his craft, he introduced some of the most modern and timeless creations, such as the Love bracelet, a seminal design that is fastened to the wearer’s wrist with a special screwdriver. He followed this up in 1971 with the Nail collection, inspired by a nail wrapped around the finger or wrist, a surprising creation that embodied the gritty glamour of New York of the time.
Aldo Cipullo struck out on his own in 1974, continuing to create jewelry for men and women that turned heads, including pieces in the shape of the dollar sign, which he deemed “the electric eye that reflects the mood of this country.” In 1978, the American Gem Society commissioned him to create a collection featuring stones mined in America, such as turquoise from Arizona, diamonds from Arkansas and sapphires from Montana; these pieces are now part of the Smithsonian Institution. Although he sadly passed away suddenly in 1984, Aldo Cipullo’s legacy of forward-thinking yet classic designs remain perennially popular.
This slipcase volume is filled with striking images of Aldo Cipullo’s modern jewelry designs, which are both iconic and universal, intimate yet also intensely personal, contemporary and timeless. Punctuated with Cipullo family photos and fond anecdotes from Aldo’s friends, Cipullo: Making Jewelry Modern unfolds the story of one of the most innovative and, until now, enigmatic talents of modern jewelry history.

Designer Renato Cipullo leads a fine jewelry house based in New York. In addition to his fine jewelry collections, Renato’s creations have been worn by royalty and celebrities, and among an extensive list of private clients globally who regularly commission him for the intricacy of his bespoke designs. He created the Midnight watch in the 1980s, for which he was dubbed the Father of High-Tech Accessories. Carrying on a tradition from generations of jewelers, Renato Cipullo continues to steward the legacy in keeping with the family’s traditions and uncompromising design principles.
Author Vivienne Becker is an award-winning journalist and jewelry historian. A contributing editor to Financial Times How to Spend It magazine, Becker writes for publications around the world and lectures and broadcasts on her subject. She organized the first major exhibition of the jewelry of René Lalique, and curated Jewels of Fantasy, a traveling exhibition of twentieth-century costume jewelry. Becker’s previous books for Assouline include De Beers Jewelry (2011), The Impossible Collection of Jewelry (2012), Sevan Bıçakçı (2014), The Pearl Necklace (2016), Bulgari: The Joy of Gems—Magnificent High Jewelry Creations (2017), De Grisogono: Daring Creativity (2017), and Sevan Bıçakçı: The Timekeeper (2018).

Cipullo: Making Jewelry Modern

At the southwest corner of Central Park lies one of Manhattan’s most trafficked intersections, and one of its greatest anomalies: Columbus Circle, the only roundabout in a city of right angles. Since its construction in the 1850’s, the circle has become one of the borough’s most iconic landmarks, immediately recognizable since 1982 by the grand, pillared monument to Christopher Columbus that dominates its center. But just as iconic is the building that mirrors it: a two-towered amalgam of glass, steel, and concrete, unveiled in 2003 as Time Warner Center.
Every building in New York has a story, but the story of this one is particularly complex. Throughout the twentieth century, the area around Columbus Circle was one of the most contested sites in the history of New York. In 1998, Related Companies, and Apollo Real Estate Advisors were formally tasked with building a new structure at the Circle—one that would encapsulate the city at the dawn of the twenty-first century—but it would take six long years of negotiation, design, and redesign to get there. Reinventing Columbus Circle is the first book to tell this story—a rich tapestry of politics, celebrity, finance and architecture. Featuring never-before-seen images, this book provides an illuminating look not only at the construction of one of New York’s most distinctive buildings, but also the incredible feats that surrounded its arrival.

Daniel Gross is a veteran journalist, having been a columnist at Newsweek and The New York Times. He is also the author of several books surrounding business, history and economics.

Reinventing Columbus Circle

The story of Samaritaine is a grand love story: the love of family, the love of commerce, the love of art, the love for others. Samaritaine is a name that conjures dreams, and, for many Parisians, brings back a flood of memories, such as climbing the grand staircase with one’s grandmother, or just gazing awestruck at the sight of its majestic building in the heart of Paris.
From Art Nouveau to Zola, the story of the Samaritaine department store unfolds here in the form of a playful ABC to commemorate its renovation and renaissance in the twenty-first century. This architectural gem once again offers an authentically French shopping experience, blending the chic of avenue Montaigne with the trendy vibe of the Marais. French art de vivre is elevated here, beyond simply a retail space, offering new experiences, an array of restaurants, conferences and exhibitions, a spa and even a five-star hotel.
Illustrated with striking photographs, Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf juxtaposes French artisanal savoir faire and fashion with elements of Parisian history and anecdotes of the store’s founders, illuminating the evolution of this iconic department store in the heart of the City of Light. As rich and glamorous as the Samaritaine facade on the Parisian skyline, this volume celebrates the revival of this jewel box of French style and spirit.

Born in Bordeaux, Harold Cobert, Ph.D. is a French writer specializing in erotic literature of the eighteenth century and the French Revolution. His work has been translated into dozens of languages and adapted for film and television. He has published fifteen books, encompassing novels, essays and young adult fiction. His latest novel, Belle-Amie (Éditions Les Escales, 2019; Éditions Pocket, 2020), could perhaps be considered a sequel to Maupassant’s masterpiece, Bel-Ami.

Samaritaine: Paris Pont-neuf

The pen is said to be mightier than the sword—an adage extolling the power of communication, of words, their democracy, their universality. Everyone can wield a pen to express their point of view and emotions, to assert an impact on the world. Writing enables people to leave traces of their lives, to tell their stories, to make a mark. Founded in 1906, Montblanc is synonymous with refined writing culture, offering quality luxury products of traditional craftsmanship, functional benefit and beauty, crafted with passion by master artisans, reflecting the high expectations of its customers.
Especially valuable in this modern age of technology, handwriting is a personal art form that gives expression to individual thoughts with a unique aesthetic. Montblanc wishes to inspire people to write by providing the instruments with which to create, to leave their own mark. Like a Stradivarius or a Steinway, Montblanc instruments are precisely geared, finely tuned artistic creations serving as tools for the creative endeavors of others. Paying homage to humanity’s great writers, artists, explorers and achievers with its limited-edition High Artistry collections, Montblanc wishes to celebrate through its writing instruments the power of the hand, and of humanity, to communicate more than just words.
Montblanc: Inspire Writing tells the remarkable story of a pioneering Maison striving since its very inception to inspire people to write, to let their thoughts flow across a page, to leave their mark, pen in hand. Through the words of journalist and author Alex Fury, punctuated by archive images, documents and striking new product visuals by photographer Laziz Hamani, the book reveals the multifaceted identity of Montblanc, as the summit of luxury writing instruments for people who strive for excellence and dare to make their individual mark with signature flair and style. It also reminds us of the power of handwriting and the traces of humanity found in every letter inked on paper.
Montblanc pens are in fact instruments, finely tuned artistic creations that serve as tools for the creative endeavours of others. With each of its editions, Montblanc continues to excite new creativity through the memory of creatives that have gone before, and who still create today - galvanizing others toward leaving their own mark, one handwritten word at a time.

Alexander Fury is a fashion journalist, author and critic. He is Fashion Features Director of AnOther Magazine and Men’s Critic for Financial Times. From 2016 to 2018 he was the first Chief Fashion Correspondent at T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and from 2013 to 2016 he was fashion editor of The Independent, i, and The Independent on Sunday newspapers. In 2018, Fury received the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. His other books include Dior: Catwalk (Thames and Hudson, 2017); Catwalking: Photographs by Chris Moore (Laurence King, 2017); Dior by Gianfranco Ferré (Assouline, 2018); Chanel: The Impossible Collection (Assouline, 2019) and Zuhair Murad (Assouline, 2020).

Montblanc: Inspire Writing

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, who recently made history tying Schumacher’s championship titles and breaking his record of total career race victories.
A spirited tribute to the sport and all those who have made it possible over the decades, this handcrafted Ultimate Collection volume dynamically illustrates that Formula One is far more than “cars going around in circles,” it is the culmination of a passion that fires the mechanics, technicians, engineers and team directors behind the scenes, in addition to the drivers themselves, who are prepared to possibly pay the ultimate sacrifice to be part of its glorious history. Housed in a luxury clamshell case with a metal plaque, this spectacular tome is lightly scented with an exclusively made rubber-infused essence, and is presented in a red canvas tote bag to preserve its craftsmanship.
Complimentary white gloves and a signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection

Formula 1: The Impossible Collection

From the classic Margarita to the Love Byte, Cocktail Chameleon is award-winning designer and producer Mark Addison’s invitation to join him as he dresses up twelve cocktails in twelve unique variations for 144 signature takes on the classics. Mr. Addison tantalizes with molecular mixology to create the Anti-Gravity, instructs on how to reinvent the beloved Bloody Mary with sake, and invokes the famed royal rose garden with the Versailles. Inspiring the creative mixologist in everyone, Cocktail Chameleon will become an instant ally for hosts looking to elevate an occasion, or a much-needed companion to help unwind and end the day on a high note!
Cocktail Chameleon was awarded The Best Cocktail Book in the USA for 2017 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Mark Addison believes that life is a series of special occasions meant to be celebrated in style. As an award-winning designer and producer, he has created extraordinary environments, from celebrity events and major product launches to destination weddings and international galas. His uniquely creative vision has earned him an impressive client list of celebrities, top consumer brands, and Fortune 500 companies.
Mr. Addison’s entertaining and design expertise, along with his dynamic personal style, have made him a sought-after authority. He has shared his ideas on throwing parties, mixing signature cocktails, home decor, and cooking for guests in more than 100 television appearances on the Today show, Access Hollywood Live, Fox News, and Rachal Ray. He is also a frequent contributor to magazines such as InStyle, People, Better Homes & Gardens, and Hamptons. Mr. Addison splits his time between New York City, Palm Beach, and Vermont. He is always energized by his shifting environment and inspired by the natural beauty of his surroundings. This brings a fresh perspective and contagious optimism to all his work, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Cocktail Chameleon

Renowned Italian architect and interior designer Michele Bönan likens each of his ventures to a film script, composed of dynamic narrative, wit, and irony. An aspiring architect from the age of five, Bönan attended Florence’s Accademia di Belle Arti, which he credits with compelling his freedom of expression. Bönan’s first great success came at twenty, when a magazine published his work for the home of famous tennis player friend Adriano Panatta and other high-profile clients immediately took notice. Whether for private clients or public buildings, Bönan’s designs—ranging among hotels, restaurants, estates, and even yachts—each possess a distinctive virtuosic excellence. His aesthetic incorporates modern elements and luxuries; but historical architecture, particularly that of his native Florence, always informs his style choices. “Truth before all things” is the inspiration behind all Michele Bönan’s work, a mantra he manifests by carefully arranging the desires of his clients into their ideal environment, “translated with pure Italian flair.” Notable projects highlighted in this beautifully illustrated edition include the J. K. Place Hotels in Capri, Rome, and Florence; the Hôtel Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris; Palazzo Tornabuoni in Florence; Jagdgut Wachtelhof Hotel in Austria; and many more.
Ships August 9th

Leonardo Ferragamo is the son of eponymous luxury company founder Salvatore Ferragamo. He entered the family business at twenty and in 1976 created the shoes and men’s clothing and accessories departments. He was then in charge of the company’s international development in Europe, Asia, and South America. In 2000, he became CEO of Palazzo Feroni Finanziaria SpA, managing real estate and hospitality. Ferragamo is also founder and chairman of Associazione Partners Palazzo Strozzi, which works with the city of Florence to promote cultural activities and the arts.
Cesare Cunaccia is a writer, lecturer, curator, and journalist. He was editor at large for Vogue Italia and L’Uomo Vogue and the antiques consultant for Architectural Digest Italy. He has also contributed to the divisions of Architectural Digest in Germany, China, and Russia, as well as Connaissance des Arts, Opera magazine, and L’Oeil. Cunaccia has published a variety of books, particularly on the Italian artistic heritage, which have been translated into twelve languages.

Michele Bonan

Adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a profound and moving celebration of the transformative power of the blues and the artists who refuse to let society’s prejudices dictate their worth. The film takes place on a balmy afternoon in 1920s Chicago, where tensions rise between Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), her ambitious horn player (Chadwick Boseman), and the white management determined to control the legendary “Mother of the Blues.”
This stunning companion book offers a visual and narrative tour through the rich and multifaceted history behind Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. We’re introduced to August Wilson, the legendary playwright who excavated Ma Rainey’s story and gave new life onstage; to Denzel Washington and Todd Black, the producers charged with shepherding Wilson’s plays to the silver screen; to George C. Wolfe, the director who has brought a fresh, visionary eye to an established classic, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who adapted Wilson’s script with great care; to the seasoned actors who portray the memorable cast of characters; and of course, to Ma Rainey herself—the real-life blues singer whose music helped transform the industry.
Featuring film stills, set photography, quotes from the cast and filmmakers, a Foreword by Wolfe, and an incisive text by award-winning author Samuel G. Freedman, this monograph takes readers behind the scenes and examines the making of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom as a celebration of August Wilson’s life and work. Through interviews with Wolfe, Washington, Davis, and the rest of the film’s cast and creative team, Freedman situates the making of this great film as the story of how a legacy is carried forward.

Samuel G. Freedman is an award-winning author, journalist and professor. The author of eight books, he has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for The Inheritance, and the National Book Award for Small Victories, and he has won the National Jewish Book Award for Jew vs. Jew, and the New York Public Library’s Helen M. Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism for Upon This Rock. As a columnist for The New York Times, he received national awards for his coverage of both religion and education. In 2012, he was honored by Columbia University for his excellence in teaching. Freedman began writing about August Wilson in 1984, when he interviewed him for The New York Times after the triumphant premiere of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. He went on to profile both Wilson and his longtime theater director, Lloyd Richards, for The New York Times Magazine. When the Theater Communications Group published the definitive set of the American Century Cycle plays in 2007, Freedman wrote the introduction to Fences.

George C. Wolfe is a renowned director and playwright of theater and film—and five-time Tony Award winner—who has firmly established himself as one of America’s most important and influential cultural voices. With the ability to deftly command both the worlds of stage and film, Wolfe most recently directed the highly anticipated feature film adaptation of August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman for Netflix. A master storyteller, Wolfe first gained critical acclaim in 1986 for his penning of the off-Broadway production of The Colored Museum, and went on to adapt and direct several award-winning off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including the original production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Angels In America-Millennium Approaches, for which he would win his first of five Tony Awards, and its follow-up production Angels in America: Perestroika. In addition to his extensive stage and film work, George C. Wolfe was appointed to President Obama’s Committee for the Arts and the Humanities, and is a Chief Creative Officer of the Center for Civil and Human Rights. From 1993-2005, he served as producer of New York’s famed Public Theater Shakespeare Festival, and was named a “Living Landmark” by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

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 of OCAT Contemporary Art Terminal in Xi’an.
While readers will come away from Chinese Art with a nuanced understanding of Chinese culture, the volume is also a work of art in its own right—a must-have collectible for any devotee of Chinese art and culture. Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking—the oversized volume is hand-bound using traditional techniques, with several of the plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper and housed in a luxury silk clamshell.
Complimentary white gloves and a signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection

Adrian Cheng is a prolific and dedicated collector of contemporary Chinese art, and a powerful force on the global art scene. In 2020, the journal ArtReview ranked him twelfth in its list of the 100 most influential people in the art world. That influence is due in part to his K11 Art Foundation, a non-profit organisation that promotes emerging artists internationally. Cheng also holds positions with some of the world’s leading art institutions, among them the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Met in New York, and the Royal Academy in London.
John Dodelande has been growing his collection since his early twenties, and owns works by many of China’s most significant living artists. Traveling to meet those artists in person is a crucial part of his method. "I know them all," he says. "To be in their studios, observe their body language, and feel their internal force – that helps me make sense of the art." He is convinced that art, as a universal language, is one means to forge a new Silk Road, a meaningful web of connection between East and West.

Chinese Art: The Impossible Collection

Wall Art & Decor

“The Hamptons” is synonymous with luxury. Simply mentioning the name conjures images of poolside soirées, grandiose waterfront estates and endless days on the beach socializing with the upper echelon. But before this famed peninsula became the summer haunt of the glitterati, its forty miles of rolling sand dunes provided the perfect landscape for English settlers. Once New York high society caught wind of the charming hamlets and salty air, its members—from the Fords to the Vanderbilts—soon turned The Hamptons into a summer oasis. Next came the creatives seeking solitude, a place to write and sketch, away from the urban cacophony. John Steinbeck in Sag Harbor. Jackson Pollock in the Springs. And Andy Warhol in Montauk. Now, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Calvin Klein, Madonna, Alec Baldwin and Martha Stewart all enjoy Hamptons homes. They may come from different realms, but what’s one thing all Hamptonites, honorary or official, can agree on? The locale boasts a unique allure—one that morphs to meet the desires of its next seasonal guest or lifelong dweller.
Hamptons Private invites readers to peek behind the manicured hedges in Amagansett, charter a yacht off the shore of the Springs, experience the surfer’s haven that is Ditch Plains and attend a polo match in Bridgehampton. Each page envisions the quintessential leisure of The Hamptons and showcases the unique quality of light that artist Willem de Kooning dubbed a “miracle.” One can almost hear the thwock of tennis balls at The Meadow Club, the whisperings of exclusive parties, the rhythms of seaside music at The Surf Lodge—even the first bite of a lobster roll at Lunch. The Hamptons, at once a retreat to nature and a hot spot for A-listers, exudes a boho-chic spirit reflected in its beautiful people and sublime surroundings.

Dan Rattiner, a cartoonist, photographer and award-winning writer, fell in love with The Hamptons when he moved to Montauk at sixteen years old. He’s been a resident of the East End ever since. Rattiner founded the popular Dan’s Papers, a free weekly publication, at age twenty. He’s also worked at The New York Times and hosted a weekly radio show called “The Hamptons Report” for WQXR. Rattiner’s books include In the Hamptons, In the Hamptons Too, In the Hamptons Forever and Still in the Hamptons.

Hamptons Private

Luggage & Travel

Our medium Canvas Tote is sized to fit titles from our Memoire, Icon, Classic, and Legends collections. Luxury canvas material securely holds multiple books. L 20.5in, W 6in, H 12in Books not included.