assouline

How Savvy a Traveler are You? Take the Condé Nast Test and See

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

"The Conde Nast Traveler Where Are You?" is a coffee-table extravaganza based on the travel magazine's monthly contest.

Readers in every issue since 1993 are challenged to identify a secret international location. Each page is a puzzle ranging from desolate deserts and scintillating cities to architectural icons and undersea wonders shot from a glass-bottom boat.

There are no dead giveaways.

The clues are there for those with good visual memories who have been around the world more than once. And for those who haven't, you can still test your travel savvy.

One invitation to figure out where a photo of an earth and stone structure was shot begins like this: "You are looking into a spiral pit, one of a series dug into the ground by a pre-Christian civilization." Another begins: "You are standing in a former watchtower...surveying a town that has looked this way for five hundred years."

You won't have to wait a month to get the answers as in the travel magazine's "Where are you?" page as they are listed in the back of the book ($65).

Tags: Assouline, books, conde nast, conde nast traveler, The Conde Nast Traveler Where Are You, travel guide

A Peek Inside the Plaza Hotel in New York (with Video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Video

The Plaza Hotel recently reopened the newly renovated Palm Court.

Luxist recently sat down with Shane Krige, general manager of New York's famous Plaza Hotel, to discuss (see video below) and view the newly renovated landmark building across from New York's Central Park.

The hotel, which will celebrate its 103rd anniversary in October, underwent a complete restoration which cost more than $450 million. Every guest room was completely renovated and provide elegant accomodations inspired by the richly decorative style of Louis XV. Every guest bathroom is finished with inlaid earth stone mosaics in floral motifs and 24-carat gold plated faucets and accessories.

The Royal Plaza Suite, as seen in the video, is a magnificient three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite accessed by private elevator and located in a private area of the hotel overlooking Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. The exquisitely designed living room features a grand piano while the gracious dining room seats up to 12 guests. There's even a wood-paneled library stocked with titles hand-selected by Prosper Assouline, the founder of Assouline, the luxury book publisher. The state-of-the-art kitchen outfitted with Viking appliances is ideal for guests who travel with a personal chef.

As part of the restoration, the Palm Court was returned to its original design not seen for years. Its newly launched afternoon tea service is not to be missed. Known as the heart and soul of The Plaza, the Palm Court is a vast landmark space bordered by mirrored doors, fleur-de-peche marble columns and crowned with a domed yellow-and-green skylight. The $6.5 million restoration included the re-creation of the original 1,800 square foot stained-glass lay light that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The airy, romantic space within the legendary hotel is nothing short of breathtaking.

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, awards-main, luxist-awards, Plaza Hotel, Prosper Assouline, Shane Krige

Entertaining 101 for 2011

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining

A good place to start when planning a successful dinner party is with special cocktails, specifically a vintage cocktail which is both glam and delicious. A little nostalgia always works and vintage cocktails set the stage for an evening of surprises culinary and otherwise. You could consider Gin Fizz, a Brandy Alexander, or even a Hemingway Daiquiri (white rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and fresh lime juice). Memory- lane cocktails as professional bartender Brian Van Flandern explains in his new book Vintage Cocktails (www.assouline.com) capture an earlier time, the era of the Rainbow Room and the Stork Club. His book is crammed with recipes from the 30s and 40s when bars were smoky and bartenders wore tuxedos.

Tags: Assouline, awards-main, Daniel Levy, decor-pedia, entertaining, Ina Garten, Kim Seybert, luxist-awards, Michael Egan, porcelain dinnerware, Richard Sax, Sarabeth Levine, Vietri

Continue reading “Entertaining 101 for 2011”

An Inside Look at Paris' Famed Flea Markets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Art, Books

Forget the Louvre and the Champs Elysées – compulsive collectors, experienced bargain hunters, bewildered tourists, timid first-timers, specialists in the one-of-a-kind item, treasure seekers, Japanese fashionistas, incognito celebrities and couturiers from countries around the globe all travel to Paris' famed flea markets of St. Ouen for inspiration and fabulous finds. Antiquaires: Paris Flea Markets by Laure Verchere with gorgeous photographs by Laziz Hamani, new from Assouline, showcases highlights from the hundreds of diverse dealers there that make up the largest marketplace of secondhand furniture, clothing, books, housewares, curiosities, antiques and art objects in the world. The stalls outside the city's Porte de Clignancourt which once played host to farmers and ragpickers today house highly curated collections and attract up to 150,000 visitors each weekend. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Antiquaires: Paris Flea Markets

Tags: antiques, Assouline, books, coffee table books, Decor, France, furniture, Interior design, Louvre, Paris, photography, travel

New Book Celebrates The Legacy of Cecil Beaton

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

Famed photographer Cecil Beaton didn't just shoot pictures for Vogue and Vanity Fair, he also mingled with the cream of 20th century society. And he kept notes. Cecil Beaton kept diaries and also amassed dozens of scrapbooks now held by Sotheby's London. A new book from Assouline reveals these scrapbooks to the public. The 400 pages contains 600 images including his own prints and clippings from magazines, newspapers, and playbills, it's an assemblage of a fabulous and well-lived life. The book was assembled by James Danziger, the Director of Photography at the London Sunday Times Magazine, features editor of Vanity Fair, and director of Magnum New York. It goes on sale next week and sells for $250.

Tags: assouline, cecil beaton, coffee table books

Inside the Homes of American Fashion Designers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Decor, Books, Celebrity Design, Architecture & Design

Assouline has released the latest luxe edition in its American Fashion series, dedicated to the top-drawer designers who are members of the prestigious CFDA. American Fashion Designers at Home showcases the personal spaces of more than 100 fashionistas, including Diane von Furstenburg, Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowley and Kate Spade. While some designer dwellings are extensions of the sensibilities embodied by their apparel collections, others exhibit a marked contrast. The domiciles range from studio apartments to sprawling estates, but all are linked by a keen aesthetic sense. Included are Carolina Herrera's grand Louis XV–influenced New York apartment; Betsey Johnson's girly glamourpuss garret; Ralph Lauren's luxuriously rustic Colorado ranch; Donna Karan's tranquil Turks & Caicos getaway; Tommy Hilfiger's over-the-top Greenwich mansion; Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa's ultra-modern Manhattan aerie; and Johann Lindeberg's converted Greenwich Village factory (on the book's cover, above). Check out the gallery for a preview of Randolph Duke's Hollywood spread (which he recently sold for $5.3 million), David Chu's chic digs and more.

Gallery: American Fashion Designers at Home

Tags: Assouline, books, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, CFDA, coffe table books, Colorado, David Chu, decor, designer, Diane von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, estates, fashion, fashion design, fashion designers, Greenwich Village, interior design, Kate Spade, New York, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Randolph Duke, Turks Caicos

'Watches: The Ultimate Guide', New Edition

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Books

French horology specialist Fabienne Reybaud's brilliant book Watches: The Ultimate Guide quickly sold out when first published by Assouline in 2006. Now the luxury publisher has brought out a new, updated edition covering developments in the watchmaking world and market in the intervening years. Ranging from pocket watches to limited edition Patek Philippe timepieces that routinely fetch millions at auction, Reybaud shares her knowledge of the watch industry from the history of production through different means of mechanization, collecting, and selling in a lavishly-illustrated volume. In addition to chapters on every major watchmaker, an horological glossary and a price guide, there's an indispensable index of retailers, auction houses, repair shops and specialists.

Tags: Assouline, books, coffee table books, France, horology, Patek Philippe, pocket watch, timepieces, watches, watchmaker

Assouline Fields Polo Team at the Ambassador's Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Sports, Books

Last fall luxury imprint Assouline published the ultimate book on the aristocratic sport of polo. This season they went one step further and fielded a polo team of their own at the 71st Annual Ambassador's Cup at the Mashomack Polo Club near Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York. The imprint's founders Prosper Assouline and wife Martine (above) flew in from Paris to cheer on their players, dressed in matching Assouline polo team shirts. Matches took place Sept. 24 – 26 with representation from countries including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Peru, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States. In addition to Assouline, other well known firms fielding teams in the event, run under the auspices of the Federation of International Polo (FIP), included Berluti shoes, Hunter boots, Hermes, Beretta, The Carlyle Hotel and Moncler, with the Hunter team emerging triumphant.

Gallery: Assouline Polo at the Ambassador's Cup

Tags: Assouline, Beretta, Berluti, books, Carlyle Hotel, coffee table books, equestrian, France, Hermes, horses, Hunter, Mashomack Polo Club, Moncler, New York, Paris, polo, Prosper Assouline, Rhinebeck, sports

Assouline Launches Spain Destination Guide

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Chefs often know more than just where to get a good meal, they are connoisseurs of life. So it makes sense that the Luxury Collection Destination Guides from Assouline and the Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts include a passage and recipe from a celebrated chef. The second issue of the destination guide is being released this month. The Spain guide features celebrated chef José Andrés unlocking the secrets of his country. The Spain guide provides tips including where to find the best Spanish bullfighting costume designer or the best Flamenco school. Spain is also the location of four of the Luxury Collection properties.

As we mentioned earlier this year, other chefs in the guide include Mario Batali for Italy, Francis Mallmann for Argentina and Charlie Palmer for the U.S. There are a total of six guides photographed by the Luxury Collection's Global Explorer Andréa Fazzari and packaged in a vintage inspired travel box. In addition to being available in guest rooms worldwide, these Destination Guides will also be offered as a complete set of six in a unique gift box at Assouline Boutiques in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, as well as at www.luxurycollection.com/assouline and other major retail stores for $140.

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, destination guide, Luxury Collection, Travel Guides

New Assouline Book Celebrates Tommy Hilfiger

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books, Men's Style

Tommy Hilfiger gets the Assouline treatment in a new luxury book that celebrates both the man and the brand. The new luxury book takes a look at 25 years of Hilfiger fashion. The special edition from Assouline's Ultimate Collection uses a photo-album format to capture the essence of a designer and his all-American style.

"This book is a culmination of my life's work, sharing some of my innermost thoughts throughout the years," said Tommy Hilfiger. "The Tommy Hilfiger brand has existed for 25 years, but I've been designing all my life. This book is the equivalent of me telling a friend about my family, how I got to where I am today, and where I want to go from here. My hope is that everyone has as much fun reading it as I did making it."

The book measures 14 x 17 inches and has144 pages with more than 200 illustrations, 65 of which are tipped in by hand. The book comes in a linen clamshell presentation box with an embroidered flag logo with gold stitching. It is a limited edition of 1,000 and each one sells for $550.

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, coffee table book, coffee table books, luxury books, Tommy Hilfiger

Assouline: Designer Chic at the Plaza

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books, Luxury Shopping

Tucked away on the mezzanine level of New York's Plaza Hotel is a beauty of a boutique. Assouline,best-known for superb coffee table books that you actually want to read not just admire, is a treasure trove of art, design, fashion, and photography books. If you have ever wondered how Ralph Lauren, Donna Karen, and some 100 other top American designers live, new this fall from Assouline is American Fashion Designers at Home by Rima Suqi. Another stellar publication for fashionistas who yearn or own one of the best Swiss timepieces is Piaget by Franco Cologni. He documents why this Swiss watch company has maintained its pre-eminence since its founding in 1874.

Gallery: Assouline at The Plaza

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, fashion designers, house gifts, Marcel Proust, new york city real estate, new york city shopping, Oscar Niemeyer, plaza, plaza hotel, trend setters, wedding gifts

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EXCLUSIVE: Posh Publisher Prosper Assouline's Ten Essential Luxuries, Part I

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Gadgets, Books, Men's Style, 10 Luxuries

Luxist readers will be familiar with the beautiful and stylish books published by French imprint Assouline; perhaps less so with the man who founded and runs the company. A master of savoir faire, Prosper Assouline is known for merging the modern and the classical in publishing and creative design. The former artistic director of several French fashion magazines, Prosper's resumé includes creating and launching his own magazine, and the founding of a creative agency specializing in branding and advertising in the late 1980s. With a vision of true luxury in print, he founded Assouline Publishing with his wife, Martine Assouline, in Paris in 1995, creating a world of exclusivity in books and brand identity. Under the direction of Prosper, Assouline has invented a visual language that is internationally recognized for its excellence.

After establishing the imprint as the world's most renowned publisher of high-quality illustrated volumes on fashion and style, Prosper opened an office in New York in 2001, which became the brand's international headquarters. In the past 15 years, Assou has published over 750 titles across international markets ranging on subjects including art, architecture, design, fashion, gastronomy, photography, travel and viticulture. The first collection of monographs on the history of fashion, art, and design, Assouline's Memoire series, includes over 250 titles on such legendary names as Azzedine Aläia, Chanel, Charles James, Dolce & Gabbana, and Marc Jacobs. Assouline creates products that stand alone as objets d'art; they have a beauty and a point of view that make them desirable to own and incorporate into the most discerning collections. Click through to the gallery to see Part 1 of Prosper's 10 essential luxuries, from hats and yachts to bars and cars, and find out what makes them a must.

Gallery: Posh Publisher Prosper Assouline's 10 Luxuries, Part I

Tags: architecture, art, Assouline, books, Chanel, coffee table books, design, fashion, France, Paris, photography, style, yacht

Fancy Color Diamond Book Explores The World Of Rare Colored Diamonds

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Books

The last few years have seen the prices of colored diamonds hit new highs. These rare beauties get their full due in the Fancy Color Diamond Book a new publication from Assouline. The book is a 231-page book that combines the lush imagery of a coffee-table book with solid information on the world of colored stones. It serves as a reference both for professionals and interested consumers. The book is written by Eden Rachminov, one of the world experts on fancy color diamonds and a third generation diamantaire. He began the project as a service to his clients and spent two and a half years to write and research the book.

The Fancy Color Diamond Book explores the full range of fancy colors of diamonds discussing issues of grading, clarity and the role of fluorescence in determining the value of fancy color diamonds.The book includes a Fancy Color Diamond Value Scale Comparison and is full of beautiful photographs and illustrations. It sells for $220.

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, colored diamonds, diamond, diamonds, fancy color diamonds

Assouline Launches Luxury Collection Destination Guides

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Holiday Guides, Books

Luxe publisher Assouline has come out with a passport to the prestigious Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts in the form of limited edition set of guidebooks. The Luxury Collection Destination Guides unlocks the charms of six destinations – Italy, Greece, Argentina, India, Spain, and the United States. The Luxury Collection's world-renowned concierges act as your personal guide, offering an insider view of each locale's most unique restaurants, boutiques, and cultural sites. Each book features a passage and recipe from a celebrated chef including Mario Batali for Italy, Francis Mallmann for Argentina, José Andrés for Spain, and Charlie Palmer for the U.S. Curated by Assouline, the collection is beautifully photographed by the Luxury Collection's Global Explorer Andréa Fazzari and packaged in a vintage inspired travel box. The guides will be exclusively offered as a complete set at Assouline Boutiques in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, as well as www.shopassouline.com and other major retail stores for $140.

Tags: Argentina, Assouline, books, Charlie Palmer, Greece, guidebook, India, Italy, Luxury Collection, Mario Batali, restaurants, Spain, The Luxury Collection, travel

Assouline + Cole Haan Bookbag

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags, Books

Book publishing extraordinaire Assouline and Cole Haan teamed up to create a sophisticated and refreshingly carefree tote fittingly named The Bookbag ($450). Adorned with Assouline's trademark Didot font on both sides, the slim structured tote is perfect to carry books, magazines and a laptop. Or if you are part of the lucky ones out there who got an iPad, you can just slip that in with room to spare. I love that the design doesn't favor a male or female, allowing both sexes to wear it. The interior is lined with canvas and zippered pockets for your smaller items. Also available in black and brown.

Source

Tags: assouline, bookbag, cole haan, leather, leather bag, tote