World According To – serie

A collection of legendary British artist David Hockney's insights into art, life, nature, creativity and much more. 'I've always been a looker ... that's what artists do' This anthology of quotations by David Hockney follows in the successful format of 'The World According to' series. Ranging across topics including drawing, photography, nature, creativity, the internet and much more, The World According to David Hockney offers a delightful and engaging overview of the artist's inimitable spirit, personality and opinions. From everyday observations - 'The eye is always moving; if it isn't moving you are dead' - to artistic insights such as 'painted colour always will be better than printed colour, because it is the pigment itself', as well as musings on other image makers, including Caravaggio, Cezanne and Hokusai, Hockney has a knack for capturing profound truths in pithy statements. Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, Hockney attended art school in London before moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s. There, he painted his famous swimming pool paintings, and since then has embraced a range of media including photocollage, video and digital technologies. In a 2011 poll of more than 1,000 British artists, Hockney was voted the most influential British artist of all time. Presented as a beautifully designed and attractive package, illustrated with works of art from throughout Hockney's career, this is the perfect gift for art lovers everywhere.

A compact, illustrated collection of Henri Matisse's insights into art and life. In addition to being a formidable artist, Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was a prolific letter writer and regular contributor to many publications. Following in the successful format of ‘The World According to …’ series, this anthology of quotations unites Matisse’s thoughts and artworks to construct a unique view of the world, as seen through the eyes of one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. Covering topics ranging from fame – ‘An artist must never be … a prisoner of success’ – to war and occupation – ‘All is well here, but we see things that are hilarious and dreadful all at once’ – art – 'All colours sing together; they have the essential force of a choir' – and work – 'When you work to please other people, you achieve nothing' – The World According to Matisse paints a picture of a life as lively as it was rich. Beautifully designed and illustrated with works of art from throughout Matisse’s storied career, this is the perfect gift for art lovers everywhere.

French couturière Coco Chanel has achieved legendary status across the world and continues to captivate young generations of fashion fans who eagerly collect and share her quotes, creations and insights. A close friend of some of the leading wits and writers of her days (from Jean Cocteau to poet Pierre Reverdy), Coco Chanel was fierce and uncompromising in her pronouncements on fashion (‘Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity’; ‘Elegance is refusal’; ‘Fashion changes, but style endures’), women (‘A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future’; ‘Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman’) and life (‘The best things in life are free. The second-best are very expensive’). Much like her successor, Karl Lagerfeld, she never shied away from controversy, declaring one day of her detractors: ‘I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all’. Presented in a beautiful package and accessible format, The World According to Coco is the perfect gift for fans of fashion in general and Chanel in particular.

An elegant collection of Christian Dior’s maxims on style, women and inspiration, presented in a fashionable gift format. Credited with creating some of the most luxurious and spectacular haute couture pieces of all time, Christian Dior became a fashion icon overnight in 1947 with the launch of his ‘New Look’ - sumptuous hourglass silhouettes that provided a welcome tonic to the austerity of wartime. Its wild success, and the global fame that ensued, was built on the designer’s subtle understanding of fashion, couture, style, elegance and women - a perspective and insight best revealed in Dior’s own words, which are gathered here for the first time. Rightly described as the ‘Designer of Dreams’ in the recent blockbuster exhibition on the house of Dior that attracted millions of visitors the world over, Christian Dior was an unrivalled arbiter in the world of high fashion. Dior was generous with his advice on all things, from style and how to dress (‘No elegant woman follows fashion blindly’, he once declared), to his insights into the creative process, invaluable for any budding designer. Presented in a beautiful package and accessible format, The World According to Christian Dior is the perfect gift for fashion fans, publishing on the occasion of the house’s 75th anniversary.

A stylish collection of legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent’s maxims on fashion, craft, women and inspiration, presented in an attractive gift format. Founded by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1962, shortly after the young couturier left his post at the helm of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent would soon become one of the most successful and influential haute couture houses in Paris. Introducing Le Smoking, the first tuxedo suit for women, in 1966, Saint Laurent also presented iconic art-inspired creations, from Mondrian dresses to precious Van Gogh embroidery and the famous Ballets Russes collection. The designer put the women who wore his clothes first (‘What’s most important in couture is the body we dress, the woman we dress, more so than the ideas we might have’) and was determined to change attitudes of the era (‘Fashion’s purpose was not only to make a woman look beautiful, but also to reassure them and to give them confidence’). He could be critical of the fashion industry (‘I adore clothes but I hate fashion’) and saw himself as a craftsman who perfectly understood his customer (‘I think there are three kinds of designers. The big ones, the real ones, and those who know how to strike a chord with a woman just by making a very simple dress, or a very simple suit’). Presented in a beautiful package and accessible format, The World According to Yves Saint Laurent is the perfect gift for fashion fans, capturing the essence of a true visionary.

A collection of quotes from Vincent van Gogh on art, love, nature, colour, ambition, friendship, future, sorrow and consolation. ‘There are so many people [...] who imagine that words are nothing. On the contrary, don’t you think, it’s as interesting and as difficult to say a thing well as to paint a thing. There’s the art of lines and colours, but there’s the art of words that will last just the same’ Vincent van Gogh For more than a century, Vincent van Gogh’s letters have been a source of inspiration to many. This book of quotes unites the exceptional and touching words of Van Gogh. Read his compelling thoughts on love, friendship, the comfort offered by art and literature, passion for work, the importance of ambition, dealing with setbacks and the beauty of nature.

Karl Lagerfeld is a modern master of couture. He is also famously outspoken: his wise, surprising statements pop up like offbeat news flashes. This collection of quotations pays homage to the legendary éminence grise of the fashion world. Lagerfeld’s pronouncements – on fashion, women, art, politics, love, and life high and low – are famously oracular, seized upon by fashionistas, acolytes and sages around the world. Created with the full approval of the designer himself, this cornucopia of Lagerfeld’s maxims is required reading for us all today as we negotiate the trickiest curves of modern life. Cultivated, unpredictable, provocative, sometimes shocking, Lagerfeld’s ‘bons mots’ are always impossible to ignore.