Merrell Publishing

Some find the constant scrutiny an unwelcome intrusion; others use fashion as their secret weapon. Whatever their views, women in politics know they will be judged by how they dress more than their male counterparts. In Power Dressing, fashion journalist Robb Young offers an engaging perspective on the ability of style to influence the careers of women politicians and first ladies. Concise thematic chapters are interspersed with profiles of more than 50 serving and former women presidents, prime ministers, MPs, royals and wives from over 30 countries, ranging from such contemporary figures as Michelle Obama, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Angela Merkel and Queen Rania of Jordan to such iconic women as Eva Peron, Imelda Marcos and Margaret Thatcher. Featuring hundreds of photographs that shed light on political context, and quotations from prominent figures commenting on each woman's style, this fascinating book reveals the milestone 'fashion moments' as well as the unspoken rules of the political fashion game.

The cat's reputation and place in society have been subject to twists and turns of fate that are all reflected in art. While cats were deified by the ancient Egyptians, they were vilified by the medieval Church, before the Renaissance and Baroque periods saw their gradual rehabilitation. By the eighteenth century cats had become popular household pets worldwide. Generations of artists have treasured their contrariness and beauty, and while the cat does not always occupy centre stage in paintings, it always adds an extra symbolic dimension to a picture, or illuminates its meaning in an unexpected way. This sumptuously illustrated book examines the relationship between cats and humans from ancient times to the present, offering fascinating insights into the prominence of the cat in art in cultures worldwide. Thematic chapters explore in detail a rich and rewarding collection of paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures, creating a book that will have enduring appeal among art lovers and cat lovers alike.

A window provides access to two of life's essentials, light and air, but it is more than just a means to an end. Windows also have symbolic, expressive and architectural qualities that have for centuries inspired some of the world's greatest artists. In this engaging new study, Christopher Masters celebrates the multiple roles of the window in art through five key themes, from the window as a status symbol to its use as a provider of physical and spiritual illumination; from its employment as a literal window on the world outside the confines of a room to its function as a mirror, reflecting the emotions of the artist or the individuals depicted; and finally to the immense architectural variety of windows that animate interior and exterior scenes throughout Western painting. With superb reproductions of 90 works by major artists from Giotto to Banksy, and spirited analysis of the paintings' meanings, this is a remarkable exploration of an important but hitherto neglected subject in art history.

Until recently, analysis of the future was left to forecasters and trend experts. Today, however, designers and architects are playing an increasingly important role, creating products and environments that will change the way we live. Design Futures is a thought-provoking exploration of the radical directions that the creative industries are taking. Design expert Bradley Quinn reveals how a new generation of products, materials and surfaces will align design with such areas as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and nanotechnology, reinventing the spaces in which we live and work, and how we experience the human body. Featuring interviews with renowned designers, architects and trend forecasters — among them Karim Rashid, Toyo Ito and Li Edelkoort — and over 250 illustrations of futuristic products and concepts, this is a unique guide to some of the twenty-first century's most compelling ideas.

Rich in symbolism and metaphor, and blessed with its own varied and dramatic palette, the garden has proved to be an extremely fertile source of artistic inspiration. In The Garden in Art, acclaimed art historian Debra N. Mancoff reveals the many different ways in which artists from all periods of history — from ancient Egypt to the present day — have employed the motif of the garden. Featuring more than 200 illustrations of both renowned and lesser-known works, the book approaches its subject thematically, exploring such topics as working gardens, the garden through the seasons and artists' gardens. Complete with a detailed timeline and a suggested list of gardens to visit, The Garden in Art is an absorbing and highly rewarding examination of the meaning and significance of the depiction of the garden.

In this captivating book, photographer Michael Kloth makes a passionate appeal to animal lovers everywhere with over 80 endearing portraits of shelter cats.

Selecting a pair of glasses can be a tricky business. With so many styles and labels available, the choice is as much about making a fashion statement as gaining perfect vision. Cult Eyewear is the first book to give an account of the world's top eyewear brands, from Ray-Ban to J.F. Rey, Persol to Polaroid, and from the 1780s to the present day. Neil Handley, an authority on the history of eyewear, selects more than 30 famous names that have enduring appeal and command a dedicated following, and discusses the history of each brand and its most iconic spectacles or sunglasses. The book also includes a concise illustrated introduction to the evolution of eyewear; innovative designs and historically important inventions; films and key personalities associated with particular designs or brands through the years; and other fascinating aspects of this global industry.

We'd all like a limitless budget for interior decoration, but few of us enjoy that luxury. We tend to fill our homes with a range of unrelated furnishings acquired over a number of years, and hope that somehow everything will work together. Tackling the tricky — and common — problem of combining furnishings of different styles and from various sources and periods, The Vintage/Modern Home demonstrates how to make the most of what you have in an achievable yet stylish way. Whether they are prized antiques, second-hand discoveries or high-street pieces, this indispensable book describes how to bring together old and new, inexpensive and precious with both subtlety and flair. Exploring examples of successful 'vintage/modern' looks in real homes, interiors expert Katherine Sorrell offers a wealth of creative solutions and practical tips, from using colour and texture to unify a scheme, to choosing the right accessories to make the maximum impact.

Photographer Traer Scotts portraits of dogs living in American shelters are endearing and heartrending, and make a passionate appeal to dog lovers everywhere. Some of the dogs subsequently found good homes; others were never adopted. The images reveal the strikingly intense emotion, dignity and even humor that Scott saw in each face, despite the dogs circumstances. By documenting the unique characters of just a few of the hundreds of dogs she has encountered in her volunteer work, Scott promotes awareness of animal welfare causes, and especially the need for more adoptive homes for abandoned dogs. This irresistible collection of portraits, now available in paperback, is a poignant and loving tribute to the true canine spirit.

This book presents more than 70 of Angie Lewins exquisite prints, wood engravings, linocuts, sketches, paintings and collages.

The perfect companion to Merrell's bestselling Dream Gardens (Sunday Times Gardening Book of the Year), Dream Gardens of England is a beautifully designed sourcebook of 100 gardens of all styles in all parts of the country. It presents a wonderful variety of garden-design ideas, ranging from modern sophistication to lush romanticism, and from small city plots to large gardens in breathtaking rural locations. Each garden is photographed to show all its key features and essential details, while concise descriptions offer a rare insight into the aims and achievements of some of today's leading gardeners. With captions identifying the plants depicted, this book is an invaluable source of information and inspiration.

Showcasing new projects of all types worldwide by both established and emerging practices, Architecture 10 is essential reading for anyone interested in recent developments in contemporary architecture. This authoritative book is the official guide to the work of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and all RIBA Awards presented in 2010. The featured awards include the prestigious Stirling Prize, given to the architects of the building that has made the greatest contribution in the past year to the evolution of architecture and the built environment, and the Royal Gold Medal, conferred on a distinguished architect in recognition of a lifetime's work. Also included are reflections on 'A Year in Architecture' by the RIBA President, the RIBA International and Honorary Fellowships, the RIBA President's Medals Student Awards, and the Housing Design Awards.

This major new study of avant-garde Japanese fashion, from the early 1980s to the present day, features designers include such international masters as Rei Kawakubo,Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Jun Watanabe, as well as a new generation of radical designers, such as Jun Takahashi.

For more than 5000 years, artists have created an extraordinary array of captivating images of the dog — the animal that has enjoyed the closest and most intriguing relationship with man. This beautiful book, available for the first time in an unabridged compact edition, features works from all over the world, ranging from the earliest African rock paintings to the groundbreaking work of contemporary artists. It explores the various roles the dog has played in both art and society, including its depiction as a symbol of fidelity and romantic love; as a prized possession, vaunting its owner's power and wealth; as a loyal pet; as a mythological being, travelling between the lands of the living and the dead; as a religious image of purity, or dissolution; and as an indispensable working and hunting companion. A vividly written text is accompanied by glorious images that capture the soulful, beguiling and dynamic character of man's best friend in its diverse incarnations, from protector to predator, dark force to deity.

Award-winning aerial photographer Jason Hawkes offers a dramatic, night-time perspective on one of the worlds most iconic locations. From the vantage point of a helicopter, Hawkes captures the magical, almost abstract quality of such familiar sights as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and the Empire State Building as seen after dark, as well as revealing some of New Yorks less well-known vistas.

This brand new title in the definitive Car Design Yearbook series features all the new cars launched worldwide from April 2007 to March 2008. Also included are profiles of the industry’s leading designers, a full technical glossary and a list of all the motor shows in the year ahead. For the seventh yearbook, Stephen Newbury and Tony Lewin consider ‘intelligent’ vehicle-sensing technologies that interact with the driver and the environment, such as collision-avoidance systems, and explore the design methods that India’s Tata Motors has employed to achieve its 100,000 rupee (£1275) Nano car.

London boasts more statues than any other city in the world, commemorating the achievements of a huge range of public figures. This elegant survey presents more than 80 of the best and most interesting statues throughout the capital, from Boudicca near the Houses of Parliament to Bobby Moore at Wembley Stadium. Stunning images by renowned photographer Dennis Gilbert capture perfectly the scale and intricacy of these works in bronze and stone, while Ronald Asprey's texts offer a compact biography of each celebrated individual, along with a commentary on the statue itself and its artist. Also featuring gazetteers of 100 additional notable statues and of multi-statue buildings around London, as well as a section on remarkable individuals who have yet to be commemorated, this magnificent book provides fresh insight into some of the city's greatest monuments.

From its inception as a motor-racing team in the late 1920s to its position today as one of the worlds leading car manufacturers, Ferrari has produced some of the most alluring machines ever to grace both the racetrack and the road. Now in an unabridged compact edition, this beautifully presented book showcases 40 of the most significant Ferraris from the marques history.

Born in Brooklyn in 1960, Jean-Michel Basquiat was only twenty-seven when he died, his meteoric and often controversial career having lasted for just eight years. Despite his early death, Basquiat's large and powerful oeuvre has ensured his continuing reputation as one of modern art's most distinctive and eloquent voices. Borrowing from graffiti and street imagery, cartoons, mythology and religious symbolism, Basquiat's drawings and paintings explore issues of race and identity, providing social commentary that is shrewdly observed and biting. This book examines and celebrates the achievements of one of the most original artists of the late twentieth century.

An essential guide to sustainable building, decorating materials and techniques. Features thirty case studies from around the world.

The easy-to-use, authoritative, alphabetically arranged reference lists synonyms, related and contrasted words, idiomatic equivalents, and antonyms provides a concise definition and usages examples for each main entry.

Subtitled, inspirational Interiors From 100 Homes. A sumptuous sourcebook for sparking new ideas, clearly organised by room, and focusing on colour, pattern, furniture and more.

This new title in The Car Design Yearbook series features all the new cars launched worldwide from April 2008 to March 2009. This year's edition marks the launch of the Car Design Yearbook Awards, which nominate winners in the categories Best Concept Car, Best Production Car, Best Interior, The Environmental Award and Designer of the Year. For the eighth yearbook, Stephen Newbury and Tony Lewin also explore how tricks of the fashion trade — colour, texture, lines, patterns, shapes and seams — are used in the car industry, and consider the many varied facets of door design.

Features 100 inspirational country homes from around the world. Comprehensively illustrated with 800 photographs from a world renowned photographer.