Fantasylands
“Studio 54” by Ian Schrager, (Rizzoli, 396 pages, $75)
When it comes to the celebrity high life of the 1970s, no lives were higher (in many senses of the word) than those being lived at New York hot spot Studio 54. Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger, Halston, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Truman Capote, Elizabeth Taylor: The VIP list on any night read like the pages of Who’s Who. The photographs and remembrances by co-owner Ian Schrager capture the hedonistic magic of this quaalude Xanadu of the past.
“Ettore Sottsass” by Philippe Thomé (Phaidon, 492 pages, $53)
Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass was one of the masterminds who gave the 20th century its look. From his iconic design for the Olivetti typewriter on the book’s cover to his role as one of the architects behind the 1980s Memphis Group (a bold, imaginative design philosophy currently getting a second look), Sottsass’ work continues to look like the future, even if it was created 30 years ago. The book is a companion to an exhibition mounted this summer at the Met Breuer in New York.
“Fiorucci” edited by David Owen (Rizzoli, 184 pages, $45)
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Milanese fashion label (and its just-announced relaunch), this book takes a look back at how the New York Fiorucci boutique defined the neon style of the post-punk 1980s. More than just a store or a label, Fiorucci was a cultural destination, as filmmaker Sofia Coppola attests in her foreword.
“At Home at Highclere: Entertaining at the Real Downton Abbey” by Lady Fiona, the Countess of Carnarvon (Rizzoli, 288 pages, $37.50)
For anyone still suffering from the end of British period drama “Downton Abbey,” this book about the actual estate is the cure. The current lady of the manor house opens up Highclere’s archives to let readers see how grand country weekends were held a century ago for guests that included royalty and prime ministers. In addition to sumptuous photos of the familiar drawing rooms, halls and bedrooms the fictional Crawley family occupied, Lady Carnarvon explains the finer points of Edwardian entertaining etiquette, shares examples of historic menus and offers tips for bringing a little Highclere style to your next soiree.
“The Faerie Handbook” by Carolyn Turgeon (Harper Design, 240 pages, $35)
It’s been a big year for mythical creatures, from unicorns and their limited-edition Frappuccinos to mermaids and their trendy hair. Now, the editors of Faerie Magazine invite young and old to explore the world of faeries in this intensely visual volume. Divided into four sections — Flora and Fauna; Fashion and Beauty; Arts and Culture; and Home, Food, and Entertaining — “The Faerie Handbook” takes readers into an enchanted realm that will make you clap your hands with belief.