Reading list

Circular Materials: Innovation and Reuse in Design and Architecture by Joe Gibbs is a timely visual guide to one of the most important shifts in contemporary creative practice: the move from linear production to circular thinking.

The book brings together projects in fashion, design, interiors and architecture that work with production waste, recycled and upcycled materials, and other forms of resource reuse. Rather than treating sustainability as a limitation, the examples show how material constraints can become a source of invention, texture, form and new aesthetic language.

For young designers, architects, artists and makers, Circular Materials is useful because it connects environmental responsibility with practical visual inspiration. It encourages readers to ask where materials come from, what histories they carry and how discarded or overlooked resources can be transformed into objects, spaces and systems with new value.

Find out more about Circular Materials: Innovation and Reuse in Design and Architecture by Joe Gibbs →

Making Space: Interior Design by Women by Jane Hall is a global survey of 250 women who have shaped interior design from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day.

The book looks at interior design not as a secondary or decorative discipline, but as a powerful field where ideas about identity, comfort, work, domestic life, public space, taste and cultural change are constantly being negotiated. Through a wide range of historical and contemporary examples, it highlights the creative contribution of women whose work has often been overlooked or placed outside the traditional architectural canon.

For students of design, architecture and visual culture, Making Space offers an important reminder: interiors are never neutral. They influence how people live, move, gather, remember and express themselves. The book is both an inspiring visual reference and a valuable contribution to a broader conversation about authorship, representation and the spaces we choose to call our own.

Find out more about Making Space: Interior Design by Women by Jane Hall →

Textilepedia is an extensive textile dictionary that covers all essential fabric knowledge, making it the ultimate reference for anyone involved in the fashion industry. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a beginner, this book simplifies the complex world of textiles with a perfect blend of text and imagery. It includes everything from fibers, yarns, woven, knits, non-wovens, laces, leathers and furs, finishing, and more. Textilepedia helps you navigate through different types of materials, understand finishing options, and make informed decisions about fabric selection.

Textilepedia is designed to be the go-to resource for all aspects of fabric selection. It provides comprehensive information on fabrics, understanding varying textures from rough to soft, and evaluating breathability and drape. E.g. the book explains why fabrics have different widths, what makes a fiber or fabric elastic, which fabrics are best for printing, and the sustainability of natural fibers. Packed with essential information about textiles, Textilepedia benefits a wide range of roles within the fashion industry, from designers to product developers.

Find out more about Textilepedia: The Complete Fabric Guide by Fashionary →

Since its founding in 1913, Vanity Fair has chronicled the evolution of the modern era, spanning the Jazz Age, the Depression, the Reagan era’s economic boom, and the visually saturated Information Age. The magazine has done so through its distinctive blend of wit, imaginative storytelling, and high-caliber literary content, complemented by striking visuals created by some of the most acclaimed photographers, artists, and illustrators of their time.

Edited by Graydon Carter, the lavishly produced book offers a decade-by-decade exploration of the world as seen through the lens of Vanity Fair. It highlights the magazine’s unique editor, Frank Crowninshield, and its groundbreaking launch during the Jazz Age. The book also delves into the magazine’s controversial resurgence in 1983 and chronicles the storied history of the iconic Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

Find out more about Vanity Fair 100 Years: From the Jazz Age to Our Age by Graydon Carter →

This exceptional book, based on an exhaustive review of the company’s records, highlights Louis Vuitton’s lasting commitment to exquisite design. It features an impressive array of historical artworks, product sketches, and groundbreaking advertising campaigns.

The narrative delves into the lives and legacies of Louis Vuitton’s first three leaders: the founder, Louis, who invented the modern trunk; his son, Georges; and his grandson, Gaston.

The updated edition includes new perspectives on a diverse range of designs, encompassing ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, jewelry, and even automobiles. With 20 additional pages and revised content throughout, it offers a comprehensive view of the brand’s contemporary history through fresh text and photographs.

Find out more about Louis Vuitton: The Birth of Modern Luxury by Louis Vuitton →

Originating from the highly acclaimed and groundbreaking three-volume Phaidon Design Classics, this new book presents 1,000 of the world’s greatest objects in one large-format volume – from everyday items by anonymous creators to lauded pieces by the likes of Charles and Ray Eames, Charlotte Perriand, Dieter Rams, Richard Sapper, Hans J. Wegner, and Florence Knoll.

Carefully revised to bring every detail up to date, and with the addition of 100 new items that highlight designers from a diverse variety of backgrounds (including a greater number of female designers) and products from the last 15 years, this collection of the world’s greatest product design is more comprehensive, compelling – and relevant – than ever before.

The book showcases celebrated names alongside the new stars of modern design, including Le Corbusier, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Isamu Noguchi, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Lani Adeoye, Faye Toogood, and Lindsey Adelman. Each entry is accompanied by beautiful imagery and a detailed description that offers a rich insight into the product, its history, and its maker, from the renowned Tulip Chair by Eero Saarinen to the much-loved Bird Zero e-scooter.

This handsome book is the perfect reference guide for design enthusiasts, industry professionals, and all those interested in the creative process.

Find out more about 1000 Design Classics by Phaidon Editors →

Explore interior-design masterpieces around the globe from the 1940s to today with this unique geographically arranged survey – discover iconic rooms in 9 continental regions in this ground-breaking survey spanning more than 50 countries

This unparalleled global survey features more than 400 of the most inspirational residential rooms from the past eight decades. With the work of icons of interior design past and present, such as Kelly Behun, Stéphane Boudin, Jacques Grange, Peter Marino, Brigette Romanek, Studio KO, Faye Toogood, Axel Vervoordt, and Kelly Wearstler, the more than 400 interiors featured in this innovative book also include a selection of fascinating and virtually unknown interiors from Australia, Africa, Asia, and beyond. From classic to contemporary, minimal to maximal, the homes included, together with the author’s insightful commentary, illuminate the design tropes unique to their location’s context, while others confound preconceived ideas of vernacular design to spectacular effect.

Find out more about Atlas of Interior Design by Dominic Bradbury →

The most exciting new buildings today are almost all environmentally aware, sustainable, and conceived to consume less energy than ever before. Discover the best examples of green projects from the Architecture Now! series in this handy Bibliotheca Universalis edition.

Celebrated architects like Frank Gehry and Norman Foster are presented alongside young up-and-coming creators from all over the world. Filled with plans, renderings of proposed projects, and stunning architectural photography, this is nothing short of an encyclopedia of eco-design.

From a water treatment facility to an art museum, luxurious holiday homes to commercial structures, these buildings all make a bold environmental statement. Being “green” means being aware of the responsibility in the construction and use of modern buildings; some solutions are as old as the history of architecture, while others are born of cutting-edge technologies. Explore these approaches and many more in this groundbreaking collection showcasing 100 of the world’s most innovative eco-friendly buildings.

Find out more about Green Architecture by Philip Jodidio →

Since the 1990s, fashion imagery has evolved from the aspirational and glamorous into an experimental genre created by interdisciplinary artists, art directors, and photographers. The domestic space or where we live has acquired a key role as an intimate setting for this kind of playful exploration, in which personal stories are told, and fashion shots gain authenticity. Illustrated interviews with or editorials on twenty-two established and newer image-makers offer exceptional insights into this phenomenon. Featured photographers include Corinne Day, Tierney Gearon, Clifford Prince King, and Tina Barney, to name a few.

For three decades, the fashion image has shifted its focus from high-end shoots to the idiosyncratic, Instagram-style practice of pictures taken at home. That home may be a house, apartment, or room—often, though not always, the antithesis of glamour and gloss. The Domestic Stage captures this fascination with the home as an “uncurated” setting for presenting an individual’s private life and relationships, and for professional commissions with edge. How this space merged with the fashion image is revealed through the words and work of twenty-two such image-makers. They include the pioneering Nigel Shafran; International Magic, who created virtual fashion shows with Martine Rose during the pandemic; and Carrie Mae Weems, whose 2024 Bottega Veneta campaign truly came “home”—to show A$AP Rocky enjoying time with his children. Each contributor’s commentary is candid and revealing, their images even more so. The result is a provocative new take on fashion photography and its transformation in recent years.

Find out more about The Domestic Stage – When Fashion Image Comes Home by Adam Murray, Charlotte Cotton →

Toshio Ban (Author), Tezuka Productions (Author), Frederik L. Schodt (Translator)

OtakuUSA Magazine, a respected authority on anime and manga culture, highlights this biography as “Top-notch… This one’s not just a must-own. It’s a must-actually-read-from-start-to-finish.” Their endorsement reflects a deep appreciation for the book’s detailed exploration of Osamu Tezuka’s impact on manga and anime. This recommendation comes from extensive expertise in the field, signaling the book’s value in understanding the medium’s foundational history. Otakus and Geeks also praises it as “heartwarming and inspirational,” emphasizing its appeal to those passionate about Tezuka’s legacy and the art form.

Find out more about The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime →