Design

A history of design that is often overlooked—until we need it

Have you ever hit the big blue button to activate automatic doors? Have you ever used an ergonomic kitchen tool? Have you ever used curb cuts to roll a stroller across an intersection? If you have, then you’ve benefited from accessible design—design for people with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. These ubiquitous touchstones of modern life were once anything but. Disability advocates fought tirelessly to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities became a standard part of public design thinking. That fight took many forms worldwide, but in the United States it became a civil rights issue; activists used design to make an argument about the place of people with disabilities in public life.

In the aftermath of World War II, with injured veterans returning home and the polio epidemic reaching the Oval Office, the needs of people with disabilities came forcibly into the public eye as they never had before. The US became the first country to enact federal accessibility laws, beginning with the Architectural Barriers Act in 1968 and continuing through the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, bringing about a wholesale rethinking of our built environment. This progression wasn’t straightforward or easy. Early legislation and design efforts were often haphazard or poorly implemented, with decidedly mixed results. Political resistance to accommodating the needs of people with disabilities was strong; so, too, was resistance among architectural and industrial designers, for whom accessible design wasn’t “real” design.

Bess Williamson provides an extraordinary look at everyday design, marrying accessibility with aesthetic, to provide an insight into a world in which we are all active participants, but often passive onlookers. Richly detailed, with stories of politics and innovation, Williamson’s Accessible America takes us through this important history, showing how American ideas of individualism and rights came to shape the material world, often with unexpected consequences.

Unique Features

• Inside tips and tricks from a CNC professional with a broad background of art, engineering, architecture, and teaching.
• In-depth discussions of using Fusion, the design environment and basic drawing tools, and CAD, the manufacturing environment, as well as creating programs for running on CNC machines.
• An affiliated website, www.cncbeginner.com, is perfect for visual learners, with helpful online video tutorials, color photographs, and graphs seen in the book with more detailed explanation.

Intersectional Design drives innovation while supporting social justice and environmental sustainability. It's about getting the design right for people across all of society—from the very beginning.

Intersectional Design considers overlapping or "intersecting" factors—including gender, ethnicity, age, geographic location, etc.—that interact to shape a person's or a group's experience and social opportunities as a starting point for a more inclusive design approach.

The Intersectional Design Cards feature 12 intersectional factors, 4 design levels, and 16 case studies. The case studies tell the story of intersectional design—from inclusive crash test dummies, to voice assistants, to social robots, urban design, medical technologies, smart mobility, water infrastructure, marine science, and more.

What we make, makes us. This is the central tenet of Artful Design, a photorealistic comic book that examines the nature, purpose, and meaning of design. A call to action and a meditation on art, authenticity, and social connection in a world disrupted by technological change, this book articulates a fundamental principle for design: that we should design not just from practical needs but from the values that underlie those needs.

Artful Design takes readers on a journey through the aesthetic dimensions of technology. Using music as a universal phenomenon that has evolved alongside technology, this book breaks down concrete case studies in computer-mediated toys, tools, games, and instruments, including the best-selling app Ocarina. Every chapter elaborates a set of general design principles and strategies that illuminate the essential relationship between aesthetics and engineering, art and design.

Ge Wang implores us to both embrace and confront technology, not purely as a means to an end, but in its potential to enrich life. Technology is never a neutral agent, but through what we do with it—through what we design with it—it provides a mirror to our human endeavors and values. Artful Design delivers an aesthetic manifesto of technology, accessible yet uncompromising.

◙ Our Blooms & Beetles art from one of our favorite illustrators, Flora Waycott.

◙ Flora Waycott is an illustrator and artist from England, currently living and working in Australia. She incorporates elements of nature, everyday objects, and tiny details in her work, with a sophisticated, yet playful style influenced by a childhood spent in Japan.

◙ 500-piece jigsaw puzzle

◙ Durable, compact, 2-piece box. Gift box: 7.8 x 6 x 2 inches

◙ Completed puzzle: 14 x 19 inches

◙ teNeues NYC Stationery keeps up with fun and games at home with our museum-quality printed 500-Piece Puzzles. Our 500-Piece Puzzles feature full-color artwork, expertly-printed with nontoxic inks on sturdy, puzzle grey board.

A beautiful collection of twenty pull-out frameable prints featuring iconic vintage illustrations from Elsa Beskow's best-loved books.

The picture books of Swedish author-illustrator Elsa Beskow (1874-1953) have been loved by adults and children alike for more than 100 years. From flower folk to curious elves, loving families to adventurous children, the prints showcase Elsa Beskow's classic whimsical style and celebration of nature.

• Includes iconic illustrations from Around the Year, Children of the Forest, The Flowers' Festival, Peter in Blueberry Land, Woody, Hazel and Little Pip and many more.
• Illustrations are printed on sturdy, high-quality card, using plant-based inks
• Add vintage artwork to a nursery, living room or bedroom: each illustration can be pulled out and framed
• The full-color prints, a selection of portrait and landscape images, are designed to fit in a 11x14 inch frame with mount or 8x10 inch frame without a mount.
• Sprinkled with quotes and line drawings as well as interesting information about Beskow's life and work
• This gorgeous gift book will appeal to Beskow collectors and new fans alike.=li>

The Elsa Beskow collection, available in English from Floris Books, includes beautiful picture books, mini classics, box sets, an annual calendar and more.

'Norman Parkinson will never go out of style'
VOGUE

Meet the man who invented style. Through his beautiful photographs for British, American, French and Australian Vogue magazines, Norman Parkinson defined the way we saw fashion in 20th century, from the New Look of 1950s Paris to the Swinging Sixties in London.

The breathtaking book collects hundreds of Parkinson's greatest photographs taken for Vogue magazine, gathering pioneering fashion shoots, iconic cover images, royal portraits, celebrity pieces and more.

Accompanied by detailed captions and features on key models and collaborators – from Grace Coddington and Jerry Hall to Iman and HRH Princess Anne – STYLE: Photographs for Vogue is a sublime, glamorous tribute to an eternally stylish magazine and the dazzling vision of a man who shaped the face of fashion across six decades.

A new survey of the life, creative spirit, and career of Robert W. Ebendorf, one of America's most important artists in the field of found-object jewelry and metalwork.

Robert Ebendorf (b. 1938) has been one of the most influential artists in the studio jewelry movement from its beginning in the 1960s to today. His work combines exceptional craftsmanship, acquired through traditional training in gold- and silversmithing, with the inventive use of found objects and other alternative materials such as acrylic and ColorCore. Objects of Affection traces his development from the Scandinavian modernism of his early work to his first use of found objects such as tintype photographs in the 1960s; juxtapositions of colored acrylic and precious metals in the 1970s; use of found newspaper and other textual elements in the 1980s; his pivotal incorporation of animal parts in the 1990s; and the remixing and further development of many of these approaches in the twenty-first century.

Unique features of this highly collectable volume are its special focus on Ebendorf’s work of the last two decades, his friendship with collectors Ron Porter and Joe Price, and his activities during his time in North Carolina. Also of note are the inclusion of selected works by graduates and faculty of East Carolina University (ECU) jewelry program that Ebendorf led from 1997 to 2016; preparatory sketches by Ebendorf; and collages included by him in many of the letters and postcards he has written over the course of his career. Many of these letters feature printed ephemera, in addition to sketches. And it is this ephemeral and archival aspect of the PorterˑPrice Collection which sets it apart from other publications on Ebendorf’s work.

Since it is now clear that in the future many raw materials will only be available to us in limited quantities, scientists have for some time been conducting intensive research into possible alternatives. Sustainability is the order of the day and the magic word for a better future in politics and industry. Moreover, environmental consciousness and a penchant for thinking in terms of material cycles have caught on with consumers: the use of environmentally compatible materials and production methods is desired, even taken for granted by the client.
Designers and architects thus have a special role and responsibility. For they are the ones who decide what materials will be used on their projects and thus wield enormous influence on the sustainability of our product world. At the same time, we are dealing with a flood of new materials, which calls for specialized knowledge of their properties, their possible use, and their handling. Material Revolution bridges the gap between research and industry on the one hand and designers and architects on the other by offering a systematic overview of the currently available sustainable materials and providing the reader with all the information he or she needs to assess a new material’s suitability and potential for a given project. Along the way, it examines natural and biodegradable materials, while also presenting materials with multifunctional properties and the potential for diminishing energy requirements.

From Carrie Bradshaw to Grace Jones, and from Nicki Minaj to Blair Waldorf, New York is the fashion 'it girl' capital of the world.

Home of both laid-back street style and the luxury of the MET Gala, New York has earned its reputation as one of the most stylish capitals in the world. From the eclectic looks of Brooklyn to chic Manhattan elegance, it is a city that hums with style. This instalment of the beautiful Little Books of City Style series will explore the fashion history of the city that never sleeps, providing an exquisitely illustrated guide to dressing like a Native New Yorker.

This richly illustrated entry in the stylish series tells the story of groundbreaking designer Christian Dior and the fashion house he founded.

Christian Dior's spectacular rise to the upper echelons of Parisian haute couture is one of the most compelling stories of twentieth-century fashion. An art gallerist with a contemporary vision, Dior’s debut collection invented the “new look” silhouette and revolutionized the way women dressed, shopped, and saw themselves. The House of Dior’s unique style blended the traditional, artisanal skills of the French fashion house—tailoring and intricate embellishment—with a modern sensibility. Dior himself helmed the company for only a decade, but it has flourished under the creative direction of some of the most storied names in fashion. Currently, Maria Grazia Chiuri steers the brand as it stays true to its identity—of opulence, femininity, drama, and what Christian Dior called “the complete look,” from garments to perfume and shoes. Little Book of Dior tells the story of Christian Dior’s early life, the brand’s inception, the triumphs of the couture collections on the catwalk and the red carpet, and the brand’s journey after the death of its founder.

"Haute couture is like an orchestra, whose conductor is Balenciaga. We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives." - Christian Dior

Through stunning images and captivating text, Little Book of Balenciaga depicts the work and life of Balenciaga the couturier. Fashion historian Emmanuelle Dirix examines his legacy both through tracing the Maison's artistic direction after his death, and the generations of designers influenced by the master himself.

The Color of Fashion is a stunning coffee table book with fascinating stories of fashion woven throughout history with COLOR.

Whether it's mellow yellow, in the pink, feeling blue, or green with envy, COLOR is so entwined with our emotions that there are countless expressions and song lyrics devoted to it. But what meaning does color have in what we wear? What does a green dress convey when worn to a cocktail party, what significance does a white trouser suit have when worn by a female politician, and why does a woman in red command attention?

The Color of Fashion delves into the significance of color in dress and explores how the symbolism has shifted over time. Think of how black transitioned from a color of mourning to the ultimate in elegance, how millennial pink has defined the Instagram generation, and beige, once a sophisticated favorite of Chanel, now reflects the normcore subculture.

Featuring images of iconic colorful moments in fashion history - including Jennifer Lopez in green Versace, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez in white tailoring and Audrey Hepburn in that Little Black Dress - this book is an essential read and coffee table book for fashion lovers everywhere.

This monograph on Coco Chanel chronicles the life and legacy of one of history's most influential couturiers. From her early forays into millinery, through her revolutionary inventions in sportswear and jersey fashions for women, through the classics that have made her name, such as the Chanel cardigan jacket and the little black dress, to the global empire the brand is today under the helm of Karl Lagerfeld, this beautifully illustrated monograph offers a fascinating account of Chanel's evolution and innovation.

Detailed photographs and sketches of her designs, along with fashion photography and catwalk shots, pay tribute to one of the world's most highly regarded fashion houses and the woman behind it.

Studio Aisslinger's interiors are just that -- every detail of the spaces is its own masterpiece, as well as an inherent part of a bigger picture. Exploring legendary German designer Werner Aisslinger’s original approach to public spaces, Spatial Storytelling delves into the concepts behind the office, hospitality and living interiors that are both playful and functional. From workplace hammocks to semi-private cosy nooks in a hotel lobby, these spaces are a combination of creativity, pragmatism and elegance that surprise with every turn of the page.

Street fashion and urban culture have come a long way from humble beginnings in the ‘90s. From disparate local scenes in Japan, Europe, and the US, the youth-driven movements of hip-hop, punk, and skateboarding have finally infiltrated high fashion.

Brands are now eager to collaborate with the icons of music and art who are leading this creative crossover. Customers will stand in line for hours to be the first to own exclusive pieces designed by the likes of Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and Tom Sachs.

Based in New York, Berlin, and Tokyo, lifestyle publication Highsnobiety is at the forefront of this global phenomenon. The Incomplete immortalizes the stories of brands ranging from Supreme to COMME des GARÇONS. Alongside the most influential designers and tastemakers, Higsnobiety highlights the pieces and brands in men’s fashion which have stood the test of time.

The nuanced realm of Nordic design has two personalities. On one side, there sits the open, light, friendly, and democratic constituent. And, on the other hand, is its moody counterpart: sleek and sophisticated; timeless and traditional; and deeply rooted in the sensations and juxtapositions of nature. 

Within the lines of tile-covered roofs born from the existence of nearby clay deposits and large windows that let in light during the shorter winter days, insight into this special thread of skilled craftsmanship awaits. Scandinavia Dreaming presents dazzling interiors, architecture, and products that show the richness, variety, and intensity of contemporary Nordic spaces.

The projects within Scandinavia Dreaming translate to any four walls and readily invite transformation from page to reality. Told through anecdotes from those who live in them and from those who exist in other sectors of the creative community, Scandinavia Dreaming tells of a design school that has a worldwide reputation for its effortless combination of classical restraint and warm materials.

Discover the richness of contemporary creative culture from Ukraine with the best in interior design, architecture, art, photography, and fashion.

In the last decade, Ukraine has emerged as a hotbed of contemporary creativity, showcasing impressive contributions in fields such as interior design, fashion, architecture, photography, and art. The young Ukrainian creatives blend traditional crafts, materials, and aesthetics with a modern, cosmopolitan outlook.

Ukraine Rising is a book that celebrates the best of contemporary Ukrainian culture through compelling photography and insightful writing. It showcases the work of top creatives and features expert essays that offer a glimpse into the vibrant people, projects, and innovation the country has to offer. This collaboration with Ukrainian publisher Lucia Bondar is a testament to the creative spirit and energy of Ukrainians and a promise for a better future.

This is Dieter Rams’s 808-page book about his work, back in print in its original form with a PVC softcover and slipcase. The relevance of famous Braun designer Dieter Rams in ­modern design remains unbroken.

In his more than 40 years at Braun, Rams established himself as one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. True to the principle of “less but better” his elegantly clear visual language not only defined product design for generations, but also our fundamental understanding of what design is and what it can and should do. Less and More offers boundless inspiration for anyone interested in the aesthetic and functional aspects of applied design.

Endlich wieder erhältlich: das Referenzwerk zu Dieter Rams, der wie kein Zweiter das deutsche Produktdesign der Moderne prägte und zu globaler Wirkung brachte. Nach der Devise „weniger, aber besser“ orientierte er sich immer an Sinn und Zweck und schuf damit auch ästhetisch neue Maßstäbe. In über 40-jähriger Tätigkeit bei Braun hat sich Dieter Rams als einer der wichtigsten Designer des 20. Jahrhunderts etabliert.

Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams dokumentiert sein Schaffen. Begegnungen mit Produkten und Gedanken von Dieter Rams werden zu Schlüsselerlebnissen für alle, die sich an ästhetischen wie funktionalen Aspekten gut gestalteter Gebrauchsgegenstände erfreuen. Seine klare, elegante visuelle Sprache hat für ganze Generationen das Verständnis davon, was Design ist und leisten kann, geformt. Berühmt wurde Dieter Rams auch mit seinen Thesen, heute so relevant wie damals: Gutes Design ist innovativ, verständlich, ästhetisch und macht ein Produkt brauchbar. Gutes Design ist unaufdringlich, ehrlich, langlebig, konsequent bis ins letzte Detail und umweltfreundlich. Gutes Design ist so wenig Design wie möglich. Less and More erfasst dieses Designverständnis: mit Hunderten von Produktabbildungen, Skizzen, Vorstufen und Modellen der weltberühmten Braun-Stereoanlagen und -Rasierapparate, der Möbelsysteme für Vitsœ. Dieter Rams’ beispielloses Werk erfährt hier eine zeitgemäße Neubewertung; Texte internationaler Experten setzen die Arbeiten in aktuellen Bezug.

Multiply serves as a definitive guide for creating meaningful, elegant and timeless brand identities.

Chapters on Discovery, Direction, Typography, Photography, Illustration, Design, Digital Physical provide an insightful step-by-step approach on how to develop the various visual elements that define a contemporary brand in various media, channels, and activations. Through the expert eyes of Mario Depicolzuane and a close-knit community of industry-leading designers, creative directors, and tastemakers, the book will explain how to develop a brand's world and to design with grace, rationality, thoughtfulness, and intuition.

The empire of scent: explore the realm of perfumes, smells, and aromatic incense to reveal the enduring allure of fragrance.

Scents are linked with our most cherished memories—life without the ability to smell is unimaginable. Dive deep into the essentials of olfaction; open up the psychology and science of smell, discover the key fragrance families, and come to understand the historical and cultural ramifications that make the multi-billion dollar perfume industry what it is today. The Essence reveals the power of scent and fragrance to captivate—introducing key global locations, from the lavender fields of Provence and the laboratories where perfumes are created, to incense factories in India. The Essence introduces the trailblazers shaping the future and the vital role that technology and scented products will play in the 21st century, making the book an inviting read for fragrance novices and connoisseurs alike, opening up a new and fragrant world.

The world of contemporary mapmaking is brought up-to-date in this revised and expanded edition of a best-selling book.

For centuries we have used the tools of cartography to represent both our immediate surroundings and the world at large—and to convey them to others. In our age of satellite navigation systems and Google Maps, personal interpretations of the geography around us are becoming even more relevant. A new generation of designers, illustrators, and mapmakers have been discovering their passion for various forms of illustrative cartography and A Map of the World is a compelling collection of their work. This updated edition contains even more examples of their output, ranging from detailed representations to personal, naive, and contemporary interpretations.

The new edition of the benchmark work originally published by the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation and Jo Klatt. 

Few product designs have the staying power of creations by Dieter Rams. Almost everything produced by one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century is today considered a classic. This new and revised edition of Less but Better shows once again why Dieter Rams’s approach to design will be relevant for the foreseeable future Ideas of what can and must be achieved by good design are in a constant state of flux as a result of cultural and technological developments. Dieter Rams, however, came up with ten principles that advocate for a purist, almost imperceptible design. 

These principles are still considered timeless fundaments of design theory and practice today: 

• Good design is innovative. 
• Good design makes a product useful. 
• Good design is aesthetic. 
• Good design helps a product to be understood. 
• Good design is unobtrusive. 
• Good design is honest. 
• Good design is durable. 
• Good design is consistent to the last detail. 
• Good design is environmentally friendly. 
• Good design is as little design as possible. 

The new The Brand Bible series is dedicated exclusively to the most iconic handbag models from the most important designers. Each bag is not only a fashion object, but also a symbol of style and status. With stunning photography and in-depth insights into the creative vision behind the designs, as well as anecdotes about the stars who made the bags famous, this illustrated book series is a must-have for any fashion enthusiast. Hardly any handbag is as coveted as the Birkin or the Kelly Bag from Hermès. 

In addition to these icons, Hermès: Bags also includes numerous other models from the traditional brand.

Monocle’s latest book unpacks what makes a perfect shopping experience and offers tips on how to launch, design and run your own store. A must-have guide.

The world of retail has never been so ­challenged thanks to a mix of e-commerce, unimaginative brand owners and greedy landlords. Yet while many stores have ­stumbled, a new generation of storekeepers and department store owners is arising. Is this the dawn of a new, independent age of bricks and mortar retail?

Since launch the retail world has been one of the pillars of Monocle’s editorial ­coverage. On their travels around the world, the magazine’s editors are constantly looking for well-designed fit-outs, the people setting new benchmarks in service and the stores offering the smartest product mix.

At the heart of all this is an understanding that a memorable shopping experience relies on a delicate balance of an inviting space, a warm welcome and a sense of discovery (not to mention covetable products)—but an understanding, too, that shops and shopkeepers play an indispensable role in creating lively neighbourhoods and vibrant high streets.

This new book from Monocle reveals the global media brand’s 100 favourite shops worldwide, from the independent fashion boutique to the department store that takes up a city block. It also offers a few top tips and advice on how to launch and run your own retail venture, as well as a collection of sharp essays and snappy interviews. The Monocle Guide to Shops, Kiosks and Markets is a handbook for any aspiring shopkeeper, stocking a wealth of insight and inspiration.

The new The Brand Bible series is dedicated exclusively to the most iconic handbag models from the most important designers. Each bag is not only a fashion object, but also a symbol of style and status. With stunning photography and in-depth insights into the creative vision behind the designs, as well as anecdotes about the stars who made the bags famous, this illustrated book series is a must-have for any fashion enthusiast. 

Chanel: Bags includes the classics, such as the 2.55 as well as street style favorites like the Boy in all their colors and formats.