NEW YORK — As self-purchases, coffee table books may seem like pricey indulgences, but as gifts they’re an easy way to please a connoisseur, hobbyist or wannabe.
Usually image-driven, often encyclopedic, consider one of these:
Fashion
“Joe Eula: Master of Twentieth-Century Fashion Illustration,” introduction by Cathy Horyn, image curation by Melisa Gosnell and Dagon James: An odyssey in sketches by the legendary fashion illustrator Joe Eula. He was there for Yves Saint Laurent’s first Dior show in 1958 and, over five decades, also worked as a costume designer, stage director and creative director at Halston. Quotes culled from interviews included. Harper Design, $85.
“Study of Pose,” by Steven Sebring and Coco Rocha: Rocha, a dancer-turned-supermodel, is known as the “Queen of Pose” in fashion. Here she strikes 1,000 of them for the photographer, filmmaker and digital innovator Sebring. Each page is one numbered black-and-white photo showing Rocha in a simple dancer’s leotard and tights. And she did it inside Sebring’s famous “Rig,” an igloo-like contraption fitted with 100 cameras that shot her from numerous perspectives, all of which will be included in a companion app. Harper Design, $60.
“Cartier in the 20th Century,” by Margaret Young-Sánchez, Pierre Rainero, Stefano Papi, Janet Zapata, Martin Chapman and Michael Hall: Glamorous and droolworthy 272-page history organized by theme in text and photos, with archival shots of Elizabeth Taylor and various royalty. In a slip box from The Vendome Press, in association with the Denver Art Museum, $75.