ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

A sumptuous monograph tracing the life and legacy of fashion luminary Oscar de la Renta. In October 2014 one of the fashion world’s champions, Oscar de la Renta, passed away, a great loss brightened by the innumerable successes of his half-century reign. The acclaimed fashion designer dressed first ladies from Kennedy to Obama, and celebrities from Beyoncé to Sarah Jessica Parker. Renowned for his unique charm, impeccable taste, and original lifestyle, he married the highest standards of French couture with the ultimate motivation that women must look and feel beautiful. In this intimate volume, longtime editor and friend André Leon Talley recounts de la Renta’s journey through nearly 70 iconic dresses, mainly made for private clients, accompanied by fascinating stories of the exquisite craftsmanship and the legendary friends that brought each gown to life. Born in the Dominican Republic in 1932, de la Renta left for Madrid at nineteen to study art, where he rose to prominence as a sketch artist for newspapers and fashion houses. From his apprenticeship under Cristóbal Balenciaga to his eponymous collections, the designer’s simple lines elevated with a flamenco dancer’s flourish reflect his deep connection to his roots and his commitment to transcendence through beautiful garments.

The inimitable style of renowned French interior designer Madeleine Castaing, chronicled in-depth for the first time. While many were drumming to the beat of modernism in the early- and mid-twentieth century, French antiquaire and decorator Madeleine Castaing created her own look that was a unique blend of neoclassicism, Proustian romanticism, and pure wit. Her distinctive aesthetic vision has inspired tastemakers on both sides of the Atlantic, and her devotees--both then and now--are legion. Ocelot carpeting, opaline blue, "coolie" lampshades, and an eclectic mix of neoclassical furnishings ranging from English Regency to Napoleon III all formed part of the vocabulary of "le style Castaing." This lavishly illustrated volume--the first on her work--explores in-depth the elements of her style, and examines how she crafted interiors so emotive that visitors felt that they had stepped into a Balzac novel or a Proustian recollection. Her entire life and career are chronicled, from her early years in Montparnasse, the epicenter of artistic activity in Paris, to her incomparable country house Leves and her legendary shop on rue Jacob in Paris.

This monograph details thirty-four major architectural works from Valode and Pistre, including commercial, retail, industrial, and cultural projects. Founded in 1980 by its current directors Denis Valode and Jean Pistre, Valode and Pistre Architects is a highly sought-after architecture and design firm based in Paris. Their predominantly large-scale projects are distinguished by their high degree of diversity from the Contemporary Art Museum of Bordeaux to the L Oreal factory and more recently the T1 Tower La Defense in Paris. Their innovative designs for the Beaugrenelle Center on the Front of the Seine won the Global Award for Excellence in 2015 for its approach to urban development. The book features works such as the Renault Technocentre near Paris, Las Mercedes business park in Madrid, and a group of hotel towers in Beijing. The book also looks at future projects that were recently awarded to Valode and Pistre a new Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center and three stations of the Grand Paris Express transit line.

In her first book, noted hostess Stephanie Booth Shafran shares her secrets for planning and giving brilliantly executed parties at home. Taking at-home entertaining to an entirely new level, sophisticated L.A. hostess Stephanie Booth Shafran--recently named by the Salonniere as one of the top hostesses in Los Angeles--has a gift for celebration. From the table settings to the decor to the color-coordinated menus, every party she hosts showcases a myriad of inspired elements. In her first book, she shows readers how to set the stage for eight parties, from an elegant housewarming in her Jeffrey Bilhuber-decorated home to a classic California pool party to a festive Christmas brunch. She also shares advice on palette creation--blue and white for a ladies' charity luncheon, and deep burgundies for a gentleman's wine and cigar party. Each chapter ends with tips for that theme, whether it is entertaining alfresco or having parties for a charitable purpose. Shafran also includes a guide to her party essentials: inspiration, invitations, flowers, tablescape, linens, seating, the bar, and select recipes