Nicky Haslam: A Designer's Life

In this unique and very personal book, Nicky Haslam recounts the diverse inspirations that have shaped his life and work.  The designer, who is renowned for his chic, opulent and often flamboyant style, his artistic and literary pursuits, and the decor his has designed for some of the most illustrious parties, reveals the influences, associations and achievements of his career.

The third son of the diplomat William Haslam and Diana Ponsonby, a goddaughter of Queen Victoria, Nicky Haslam grew up in Great Hundridge Manor in Buckinghamshire and was educated at Eton.  After a period working for Diana Vreeland at American Vogue, he became the editor of Show magazine and then moved to Arizona to breed horses.  He returned to England in the early 1970s and began his career as an interior designer in earnest, setting up his company NH designs in the late 1980s.

Written in a fresh and lively style, in Haslam's delightful prose, this book is a fascinating insight into the designer's glamorous and creative world.  Included are beautiful photographs by leading interiors photographers, evocative paintings and drawings by the designer and other artists, personal photographs, newspaper and magazine cuttings, invitations and notes - all of which paint a fascinating and inspiring picture his life and work.

Photographers

Both Cecil Beaton and Annie Leibovitz have photographed many of the same people and both these books offer a fascinating insight into their work  - 'Cecil Beaton, Portraits and Profiles' a wonderful combination of Beaton's photographic portraits and incisive observations from his journals and diaries; 'Annie Leibovitz, At Work' on how she made her pictures - written in her own words, she talks about the people she has photographed.

Books In Focus: India

'India, Living in an Ornate World' is James Welling's vibrant collection of photos of the country, following on from his exhibition 'Colours of India'.  Beautifully put together, James documents every day life in India with a particular focus on the brilliant colours that are an inherent part of the culture.

'India's Disappearing Railways, A Photographic Journey'  by photojournalist Angus McDonald, is a vivid documentation of India's narrow-gauge railways.  His photo essay documents the country from a unique standpoint and records a way of life in India that is slowly fading as modernisation takes over and the railways are converted to broad-gauge.

Rick Stein's 'India, In Search of the Perfect Curry' is a collection of over 120 recipes, uncovered during his journey through India whilst on the hunt for that elusive dish - the perfect curry.  On his travels he looks at Indian food in all it's complexities, discovering long-held cooking traditions as well as modern techniques and creating fragrant kormas, delicate spiced fish, slow-cooked biryanis and more.

'Mughal Architecture & Gardens' by Geroge Michell & Amit Pasricha is a fascinating study of the splendid monuments and gardens of the Mughal Emperors during the 16th and 17th century.  An indepth look at the stylistic developments under different emperors, and the origins of Mughal design and decoration, the book  also contains specially commissioned architectural plans and stunning colour photographs of the buildings still in existence.

All featured books are currently in stock.

Cleonice Capece: An Evening with the Author

On Tuesday 4th November, we are looking forward to our evening with Cleonice Capece, whose anticipated visual autobiography 'Fashion by Chance - 1960-1974' is now out.

'Fashion by Chance, 1960-1974' provides a vivid and richly documented account of her life working as a designer, during the years when the Italian fashion industry began to move away from haute couture towards pret-a-porter.  It is a fascinating personal insight of these pivotal years, and a beautiful a retrospective of Cleonice's own contributions during that time.  She was at the centre of the 'Made in Italy' philosophy - beautiful products that were both designed and crafted in Italy and were for the first time readily available.

Please do come along and meet the author on Tuesday 4th from 6-8pm at Potterton Books, 93 Lower Sloane Street, London. SW1W 8DA.

RSVP: shop@pottertonbookslondon.co.uk