Henri Matisse’s ancestors had been weavers for generations: textiles, a key to his visual imagination, were in his blood. Although he was to outgrow every other influence, textiles retained their power for him throughout his life. His studio in Nice was a treasure house of exotic Persian carpets, delicate Arab embroideries, richly hued African wall hangings, and any number of colorful cushions, curtains, costumes, patterned screens, and backcloths.

This sumptuously illustrated book, which accompanies a groundbreaking exhibition at the Musée Matisse, Le Cateau-Cambrésis; the Royal Academy of Arts, London; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, explores for the first time Matisse’s relationship with the textiles that surrounded him from his earliest days. Charting how the fabrics he painted became the very fabric of his painting, the authors examine the ways in which one of the greatest pioneers in modern art history used what he called his “working library” of textiles to furnish, order, and compose his extraordinary works of art. Available to Purchase Now from Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and FacebookFanPage

Inspiring interiors that have a personal, handcrafted feel. This lavishly photographed interiors book shows how to leave behind design “rules” to create truly beautiful, original interiors. For more than twenty years, Kit Kemp has been at the forefront of the international design community, with her signature style that mixes contemporary elements with antiques and junk-shop finds, luxurious fabrics with printed wallpapers, and hand-finished detailing with collections of simple objects that create impact. She avoids taking design too seriously, playing with scale, color and pattern to create very personal, handcrafted spaces. Alongside the stunning images of room sets and detailed close-ups will be the inspiration behind Kit’s work and her tips for creating your own version of her style at home. Interiors are meant for living in, and the key is to create a space that is comfortable and beautiful and reflects who you really are. Available To Purchase From Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and FacebookFanPage

The Yves Saint Laurent: Pret-A-Porter Coloring, Activity and Inspiration Book is a new print edition dedicated to the work of the legendary Parisian designer. Set to be released through Net-a-Porter.com in May 2013, the book follows in the footsteps of the previously popular YSL Colouring Book and Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche Colouring Book. 

* * * *

A gorgeous tribute to the legendary shoe and accessories designs of Roger Vivier. Master designer Roger Vivier elevated both the form and decoration of ladies’ shoes during his sixty-year career. His innate Parisian style embodied a sense of perfection and craftsmanship, and his work was coveted by style icons from Elsa Schiaparelli to Jackie Onassis. Described by Yves St. Laurent as bringing to his work a “level of charm, delicacy, refinement and poetry unsurpassed,” he created the first stiletto heel for a ready-to-wear shoe line with the house of Dior in 1955. His shoes are legendary, and the tradition of his innovative spirit continues with the revival of the house by current designer Bruno Frisoni, who has updated Vivier’s concepts, bringing his own touch to signature shapes and embellishments (including the buckle pump made famous by Catherine Deneuve in Belle du Jour). This lavish volume celebrates the history of the venerated house and charts the current evolution of the fantastic haute-couture designs that keep Roger Vivier at the top of every well-dressed woman’s list. With gorgeous new photography of the house’s collection of vintage shoes, beautifully rendered sketches, and details of the amazing accessories coming out of Roger Vivier today, this book is as chic as the shoes that fill its pages. Available to Purchase from Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

Following her best-selling 2009 Assouline title, Gypset Style, travel writer Julia Chaplin explores the little-known enclaves of gypsy jet-setters around the world. From the Aeolian Islands in Italy to Lamu, Kenya; North Goa, India; and Jose Ignacio, Uruguay—Gypset Travel delves into the glamorous yet casual lifestyle of these bohemian wanderers through intimate photography and first-person anecdotes. Visit Amazon.com To Purchase Now.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

From humble origins, Kiki de Montparnasse became the muse of the most important artists of the Roaring Twenties. Many revolutionary artists of the early twentieth century flourished on Paris’s Left Bank, and Kiki, the Queen of Montparnasse, was the thread connecting them. Every image tells a fascinating story in this lavishly illustrated volume. Xavier Girard, former curator of the Matisse Museum, reveals the artistic, social, and historical events that created and surrounded the incredible artistic flowering of the mythical Montparnasse neighborhood after World War I. The volume is an oversize luxury edition in a slipcase. Available to Purchase on Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

WACU Girls is a book RDuJour discovered while reading a Spanish fashion blog earlier this week. The translations of reviews from Spanish to English have not been fully comprehensible however the book appears to be a guide to being a Worldly, Cool, Ambitious and Unique woman, as the cover reads, penned by the glamorous Fiona Ferrer Leoni, a blogger for Hola! magazine. The book is available to purchase on Amazon which non-Spanish speakers might want to do anyway because the cover is so cute . Visit Amazon.com to Purchase Now.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

A comedy of manners that serves as an insightful look at the lives of those in the upper classes. After two sisters, Laure and Marie, learn of their parents’ plan to sell the family’s summer retreat, L’Agapanthe, they devise a scheme for attracting a wealthy suitor who can afford to purchase the estate. Selling it would mean more than just losing a place to go during the summer—for the sisters, it’s become a necessary part of their character, their lifestyle, and their past.

L’Agapanthe, a place of charm and nostalgia, is the perfect venue to exercise proper etiquette and intellect, though not all its visitors are socially savvy, especially when it’s a matter of understanding the relationships between old money and the nouveau riche. The comedy of manners begins: with stock traders, yogis, fashion designers, models, swindlers, the Mafia, and a number of celebrity guests.

Laure—the witty, disarming, and poignant narrator—guides the reader through elegant dinners, midnight swims in the bay, and conversations about current events, literature, art, and cinema. The Suitors is an amusing insider’s look at the codes, manners, and morals of French high society. Available to Purchase from Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

This stylishly illustrated guide parses the visual vocabulary to understand, investigate, and interpret seminal fashions and styles. The perfect companion for fashionistas and anyone interested in a better understanding of how fashions and styles evolve, this is the first book of its kind aimed at a general audience. Both dip-in reference and stylish resource, it covers 200 years of fashion history, as well as ancillary subjects such as jewelry, accessories, and hairstyling, showing how different looks and styles are interconnected through time. Fashion is defined by the newest and very latest, yet fashion designers are constantly taking inspiration from the past. Well-known classics of yesteryear as well as more obscure designs and styles from the deeper past are constantly recycled and reinvented by the latest generation of designers and stylists. Identified in this handy volume are all the main fashion trends of the past 200 years, as well as how they relate to contemporary styles. From Neo-Classical to Gothic, Streamline Modernism to Punk, Military, and Designer Branding, this is perfect for anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of the little black dress or why the Chanel bag is known as the 2:55 bag. Available to Purchase from Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage

Lapo Elkann, Agnelli heir and founder of the Italian Independent brand, has published his first book, Lapo. Le regole del mio stile (roughly: The Rules of My Style). Launched earlier this month with a signing in Rome, the book offers Elkann’s advice and philosophies on the subject. In addition to the 192 print pages, interactive material for the iPhone accompanies the book, which has an English version in negotiation. Available to Purchase Now from Amazon.com.

* * * *

Shop the RDuJourStore Now ->  Store.RDuJour.com

Find RDuJour on : Twitter – @RDuJour and Facebook FanPage