.png "AD’s Reading Room: 6 unmissable reads for the well-versed design enthusiast")
Louis Vuitton Skin: Architecture Of Luxury
Louis Vuitton has teamed up with some of the world’s most talented architects, artists, and designers to create a global luxury “house”—quite literally. Brought together by noted architectural writer Paul Goldberger, this book looks at the fascinating designs of Louis Vuitton’s mesmerizing store fronts, from Paris to New York, Beijing to Doha. With six covers, the book delves into remarkable collaborations, from the iconic structure of the Frank Gehry-designed store in Seoul, which mimics his design for the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, to the water-like façade of the seven-floor store in Tokyo designed by Jun Aoki. Above all, the book honours the talent behind Louis Vuitton’s in-house architecture studio, led by the brilliant Nathalie Fremon, whose vision has truly brought the brand to life.
The Offbeat Sari: Indian Fashion Unravelled
In London’s Design Museum, The Offbeat Sari exhibition and book of critical essays edited by curator Priya Khanchandani boldly present the story of a “new generation, freed from post-colonial baggage”, who are fearlessly redefining and embracing the sari on their own terms. They are artists, activists, working women, trans people, and even men on the cutting edge of an internal revolution, expressing their pride through this ancient garment. From form and aesthetics to identity, material, and meaning, Khanchandani captures the essence of the sari, and by extension, India, in a cultural moment that is just seconds away from blowing up into a powerful movement.
Also read: Visual artist Bonseng Sangma’s surreal take on 7 exquisite jewels
India In Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress And Textiles On The Fashionable Imagination
Meticulously researched and constructed by Hamish Bowles—the editor-at-large of Vogue US, and editor-in-chief of World of Interiors—this book tells the story of a people who, rich in craftsmanship, were robbed of their traditions under the British colonial rule. Bowles is a historian at times, occasionally an editor, but ultimately he emerges as a futurist who envisions the significance of creative agency in shaping a new world. Today, India is beginning to reclaim its story, with design champions—among them Rahul Mishra, Sanjay Garg, Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and Ritu Kumar, each of whom has been interviewed—acting as a bridge between the past and the future.
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