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Idea Books

New Titles in Design & Gift

18 August 2025

Clu++er: Creativity + Collaboration in Fashion Education

Isbn 9789490521677
Publisher Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
Idea code 250651
€ 30.45

Creativity in fashion spans multiple dimensions, forming a continuum that education must deeply explore. This book advocates a practice-based approach to examining the connections between individual creativity and collaborative dynamics, as well as between spontaneous creation and industrial processes. Emphasizing material and construction—the foundations of fashion—it highlights their role in enabling personal expression and collaboration within creative and industrial systems. Through workshop-based projects, the book demonstrates how material and construction foster creativity and teamwork. It brings together students, educators, industry experts, and companies to explore fashion's possibilities. Conversations include insights from Walter Van Beirendonck, Lutz Huelle, Sara Sozzani Maino, and Colomba Leddi, among others.

192 p, ills colour & bw, 24 x 32 cm, hb, English

Proud South Craft

Isbn 9789462265462
Publisher Lecturis
Idea code 250599
€ 82.65

The revival of craft today reflects society’s desire for authenticity and tactility, complementing our modern mode of living. Yet craft also embodies our urgent need to affirm the power of humans over machines and artificial intelligence. Hence, the idea of an activist counterculture emerges, where the handcrafted can become a revolutionary movement. Curated by Lidewij Edelkoort and designed by Mariola Lopez Mariño, ‘Proud South Craft’ is the second volume in a series celebrating the creative forces of the new Global South. Through the expressive lens of contemporary craft, embraced as a transformative tool, it highlights textiles, ceramics, woodwork, basketry, stonework, and more.

464 p, ills colour, 18 x 25 cm, hb, English

Coastalvision: Heavily-saturated Tropicaliá by Ardneks

Isbn 9781735452128
Publisher Jordan, jordan Édition
Idea code 250017
€ 55.00

‘Coastalvision: Heavily-saturated Tropicaliá’ follows the artistic journey of the outsider artist Kendra Ahimsa (aka Ardneks) from 2011 to 2023. Presented through a series of interviews between Ardneks and radio announcers from around the globe, the story blends reality, fantasy, and candid nostalgia – just like the colourful and mind-boggling artworks Ardneks envisions. Interesting to note is how he engages with various religious deities and symbols, with cross-cultural references inspired by Islam (including Sufism), Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Ardneks has also attracted the attention of internationally acclaimed bands, leading to original artwork for local concert posters.

360 p, ills colour & bw, 17 x 25 cm, pb, English

The Last Basket Makers from Risa. Crafting a plural kinship along tradition

Isbn 9789083499307
Publisher Set Margins'
Idea code 250603
€ 24.00

From a local tradition coming out of a small historical world, to a tradition involved in a vast queer-wordling of making, 'The Last Basket Makers from Risa' refers to a lineage of artisans producing the enigmatic Hedared basket – from Lennart, the basket's first "last maker" – to Lennart's great-grandson, Fahdel Mourali. This is his report on an open-ended process of identifying and crafting the material of kinship.

368 p, ills colour & bw, 12 x 19 cm, pb, English

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2024

Isbn 9783909928972
Publisher Federal Office Of Culture Bern
Idea code 250585
€ 35.10

Today, producing a book involves coordinating numerous resources and working within strict structural and economic constraints. This makes the publishing chain vulnerable, particularly for independent houses and local printworks. The task at hand is to preserve and strengthen Switzerland’s publishing ecosystem while supporting cooperation beyond its borders – a continuing dialogue with European countries, but also those further afield. Recognising books which appeared in 2024, this catalogue of competition winners casts a spotlight on collaboration between the different professions in bookmaking: graphic design studios, publishing houses, and printers.

208 p, ills colour & bw, 23 x 18 cm, pb, French/English

How Many Female Type Designers Do You Know?

Isbn 9789083532547
Publisher Set Margins'
Idea code 250645
€ 27.50

This book surveys the past and present of women working in typography. The first section looks at the statistics, data, and an overview of the field apropos of gender, supplemented with biographies of female type designers that worked in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These women contributed to the industry significantly, but are rarely mentioned. The second part of the volume comprises a series of interviews with 14 women that are either currently working as type designers or are in other ways involved in the field of type design: Gayaneh Bagdasaryan, Veronika Burian, Maria Doreuli, Louise Fili, Martina Flor, Loraine Furter, Jenna Gesse, Golnar Kat Rahmani, Indra Kupferschmid, Briar Levit, Zuzana Licko, Ana Regidor, Fiona Ross and Carol Wahler

320 p, ills colour & bw, 12 x 21 cm, hb, English

Revue Faire 52: A Mode of Representation: 3D

Isbn 9791095991540
Publisher Editions Empire
Idea code 250602
€ 21.50

To be interested in 3D is to engage with the broad and complex field of image synthesis, or computer-generated imagery (CGI), which spans various fields and contexts of application. Initiated in the United States in the 1970s, research into three-dimensional representation was largely funded by the US military and the film industry, most notably director George Lucas. This issue explores the vast topic through a combination of critical texts and a visual essay by 3D artist and AR creator Harriet Davey. Various approaches are examined alongside some of the aesthetic and economic issues associated with the development of this now indispensable method of image production.

96 p, ills colour & bw, 22 x 30 cm, pb, French/English

The Design Comedy: The Descent Through Inferno

Isbn 9789083499369
Publisher Set Margins'
Idea code 250644
€ 17.55

Design is a hellmouth of disappointment and a harrowing pit of professional failure. In this paraphrase of Dante’s 'Divine Comedy', Otto von Busch, a pitiful design professor, searches for the design workshop at Parsons. Proving inaccessible, the lost professor falls into despair. However, a recently fired workshop technician, Virgil, appears to know the way. They descend the crumbling corridors of design’s collapse, through the ruins and anguish of broken promises, failed research, self-absorbed design theorists, and hypocritical designers, to the very nadir of design’s inferno.

112 p, ills bw, 11 x 21 cm, pb, English

(Almost) Missed

Isbn 9789526528656
Publisher Other Editions
Idea code 250590
€ 24.00

This photo book chronicles an orange pillar in a shopping centre car park over the span of eighteen months. Through subtle damage, quiet repairs, and successive coats of vivid orange paint, it gradually transformed into an accidental monument - a silent witness to unnoticed moments, daily rituals, and the gentle passing of time. What if the things we overlook are the ones that speak the most? And maybe imperfect is just another word for alive?

112 p, ills colour & bw, 12 x 21 cm, pb, English

The Simonis - Collecting Printed Matters from Cyprus

Isbn 9789963642380
Publisher Moufflon Books
Idea code 250586
€ 26.15

As is often the case with former colonies, the visual communication language of Cyprus evolved as a pastiche of historical advances, past colonial “debris” and trends, xenomania, and local idioms. Independence in 1960 transformed and enriched its local visual identity. ‘The Simonis’ engages the largely unexplored history of visual communication in Cyprus by focusing on the graphic design archive of George Simonis (1934–2021). This includes his personal work as a designer in Cyprus from the 1960s until the end of the 20th century. The book connects Cyprus to the broader international graphic design conversation, while also serving as a scrapbook of shared memories.

256 p, ills colour & bw, 14 x 22 cm, pb, English

Bye Bye Binary, N° 01 (French only)

Isbn 9782931110126
Publisher Surfaces Utiles
Idea code
€ 14.80

The magazine of Bye Bye Binary, the Franco-Belgian collective whose field of experimentation and research is inclusive and post-binary language and writing, explores new graphic and typographic forms adapted to the French language, in particular through the design of typefaces, the creation of ligatures, median points, linking elements, and symbiosis. Offering writings that are situated, by the people concerned, is essential if we are to build up a living archive of a typographic practice that makes minority groups visible. This movement continues to grow, despite the accusations of those who hold the power to decide what is legible, and therefore what is visible. Bye Bye Binary thus fuels the debate on the political charge of graphic design, language and the representation of bodies and identities.

144 p, ills colour & bw, 11 x 18 cm, pb, French

Gaston Bideau - 96 moutons

Isbn 9782377510917
Publisher Lendroit Editions
Idea code 250525
€ 14.00

In '96 moutons', Gaston Bideau presents a selection of drawings he asked friends, acquaintances, and strangers to draw for him, with one simple request: draw me a sheep. '96 moutons' is a selection from several hundred drawings of a series of more or less confident but always poetic and funny drawings. The Serial Pictures collection invites artists working on series of images (drawings, photographs, texts, etc.). These small artists' books will over time form a collection dedicated to exploring the book as a space for display in its own right.

72 p, ills colour & bw, 10 x 15 cm, pb, French/English

Redstone Diary 2026: Imagining

Isbn 9781739597634
Publisher Redstone Press
Idea code 250311
€ 16.50

What is a world without imagination? After all, it makes the world go around. It is the mother of invention as well as the engine of fabrication. It can disrupt, revise, and refashion. It possesses immense destructive power, yet creation is impossible without it. From ancient machines to measure our reality to works of fantastical fiction and hallucinatory images of the incomprehensible, ‘Imagining’ is a call to action for dreamers, artists, and makers. With an introduction by the English author Julian Barnes, the diary includes a child’s cautionary tale, William Blake’s angels, spectral photography, a poem from Emily Dickenson, philosophical cautions, lyrics by John Lennon, and more.

160 p, ills colour & bw, 17 x 25 cm, pb, English

Day One to One Day planner 2026

Isbn
Publisher Julie Joliat
Idea code 250245
€ 29.10

The 2026 Day One to One Day planner has been streamlined to offer a visually clear layout, with dedicated space to organize tasks and notes. It keeps things practical while adding a touch of surprise: Each week features a playful sentence with blanks to fill in, encouraging self-reflection. It can also spark conversations or simply bring a laugh—like when discovering the weirdest thing one is really good at. With its structured layout and plenty of room for to-do lists on the left page, this planner will be a witty and faithful companion throughout 2026.Contains weekly and monthly overviews, yearly overview 2025-26, project planner, blank pages. It is printed in Germany, in the most sustainable possible way - colours supplied randomly.

192 p, ills bw, 12 x 19 cm, pb, English

Date Me Happy - Undated Planner

Isbn
Publisher Julie Joliat
Idea code 250246
€ 29.10

Date Me Happy is designed to bring a touch of positivity to each week. Each spread includes an illustration alongside a word—serving as a thoughtful prompt to start the week. A mood tracker and a reflection question provide space for self-awareness, making planning both engaging and purposeful. This undated planner offers more writing space compared to the dated version, allowing room for notes, thoughts, or creative ideas. It can be used as a planner, journal, or both, and can be started at any time of the year. Created in collaboration with Redfries, whose colourful and dynamic illustrations enhance each page, this diary offers a fresh and inspiring approach to planning. It is printed in Germany, in the most sustainable possible way - colours supplied randomly.

192 p, ills colour & bw, 12 x 19 cm, pb, English

Fill Good Notebook

Isbn
Publisher Julie Joliat
Idea code 250247
€ 17.70

The 'Fill Good Notebook' is designed for versatility, offering extra space to jot down ideas, thoughts, or sketches while keeping everything organized and within reach. Its name reflects the spirit of creativity and self-expression, encouraging moments of reflection and exploration through “filling in the blanks.” Whether used for personal journaling, creative projects, or daily notes, this notebook is a stylish and practical companion. t is printed in Germany, in the most sustainable possible way - colours supplied randomly.

192 p, no ills/no text, 12 x 19 cm, pb,

Further Reading Print No.4: Learning Within, Learning Without

Isbn
Publisher Further Reading
Idea code 250038
€ 31.35

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to design. It is as much a practice as it is a methodology or way of thinking, a multifaceted discipline that moves with society’s progression. Throughout the creative process behind every design, learnings happen. Designers learn to adapt, adjusting their positions relative to the context. This volume spotlights self-organised, spontaneous, sporadic, and informal educational initiatives within the realm of creative practices, both historical and contemporary. The initiatives presented here show that any attempt to control a narrative and limit it to a single understanding risks stifling potential innovations that might arise from unexpected origins.

288 p, ills colour, 13 x 19 cm, pb, English

Double Take: On Luxury

Isbn
Publisher Further Reading
Idea code 250039
€ 17.75

‘Double Take’ is a series of publications with a focus on creative writing and other means of conveying ideas, highlighting particular subjects through various interpretations. The second issue seeks to explore the concept of luxury and the meanings ascribed to it by different people – whether that is based on life experiences, personal perspectives, or external factors out of our control. All that glitters may not be gold, yet still we somehow yearn for it. Contributions range from an experimental poetry made from “readymades” of apartment advertisements and meditations on togetherness to reflections on the value of inner peace.

128 p, ills colour & bw, 11 x 16 cm, pb, English

Further Reading Zine Series: Press Tab!

Isbn
Publisher Further Reading
Idea code 250040
€ 37.60

‘The Further Reading Zine Series: Press Tab!’ presents a vibrant anthology celebrating twelve neurodivergent Indonesian visual artists from Tab Space. Founded in 2022, Tab Space serves as a creative hub for artists with disabilities, fostering inclusivity and empowerment through art. This zine, in the form of a poster-zine, features twelve distinct sections, each spotlighting an individual artist. Boundless in format and interpretation, it combines 72 original risograph-printed artworks, short essays by Imaniar (Tab Space) and contemporary artist and writer Krishnamurti Suparka, and interactive sheets.

180 p, ills colour, 14 x 20 cm, pb, English

Notebook Plants and Vegetables

Isbn 9782380360516
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250632
€ 12.15

Since 1778 and its first catalogue, the Vilmorin-Andrieux publishing house has published extraordinary Albums for which it employed around fifteen painters trained in naturalist drawing at the Jardin des Plantes. Published between 1851 and 1861, this large folio of 28 plates of rustic flowers, vegetables, and fodder plants is the fruit of the fine and precise line of the watercolourist Élisa-Honorine Champin (1807–1871), assisted by Joséphine Coutance.

64 p, ills colour, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Notebook Japanese Algae

Isbn 9782380360837
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250633
€ 12.15

This notebook presents a collection of plates by Japanese botanist and educator Kintarō Okamura, taken from his work 'Icons of Japanese Algae'. Published between 1907 and 1942, it comprises four volumes written in both English and Japanese, which offer a synthesis of his research on the algae of his country. They are accompanied by monochrome naturalist illustrations, most often in pinkish-red hues. Through the precision of his lines and the finesse of his observations, Kintarō Okamura is considered, along with Kichisaburo Yendo, to be the founder of phycological studies in Japan.

64 p, ills colour, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Notebook Waterfalls

Isbn 9782380361674
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250631
€ 12.15

These spectacular images, generally created by anonymous authors, are photochromes, creations of the Swiss publishing house Orell Füssli & Cie, which marketed them in the form of postcards or albums from 1895, via its subsidiary Photoglob and the Photochrom Company of Detroit. Produced from a monochrome negative on lithographic stones, this process, which would disappear in the 1930s with the appearance of the first colour films, then met with immense commercial success, which went hand in hand with the development of tourism and a general geographical curiousity. In this respect, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are synonymous with distant and fascinating horizons where nature offers its most impressive splendours.

64 p, ills colour & bw, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Notebook Fishes and Crabs

Isbn 9782380362244
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250533
€ 12.15

415 fish, 45 crustaceans, a dugong and a mermaid were presented to King George I and for European admiration by Louis Renard (1678-1746) in two volumes published in 1718-1719. “Painted from nature under the regency of Messrs. van Oudshoorn, van Hoorn, van Ribeek & van Zwoll, successively Governors-General of the East Indies for the Holland Company”, they constitute the first ichthyological encyclopaedia illustrated in colour. The majority of the hand-coloured copper engravings correspond to real fauna, but a certain number are of the highest fantasy of patterns and colours, for the greatest pleasure of the eyes of yesterday and today.

64 p, ills colour, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Notebook Sea Algae Cyanotype

Isbn 9782380362237
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250535
€ 12.15

The cyanotype, a stable photosensitive emulsion based on iron and cyanide salts, was invented by the astronomer and physicist John Herschel (1792-1871), who introduced it to Anna Atkins (1799-1871) in 1842. The following year, she applied this process to dried macroalgae from her collections, which she placed directly on papers treated in this way. Her delicate prints would fill no fewer than three volumes spread over a decade. Atkins would repeat the exercise with Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Ferns, Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns.

64 p, ills colour, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Notebook The Sea: Studies of Waves

Isbn 9782380362213
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250534
€ 12.15

In 1890, Henri Rivière went to Saint-Briac and painted watercolours that would give rise to seven plates grouped under the title "The Sea: Wave Studies." They were woodcut and in colour at the same time as the fifty or so "Breton Landscapes" by the painter, who was also an engraver. Through the choice of framing, the accuracy of the observation, the softness of the colours, the effective simplicity of the drawing, and the presence of cartouches, he pays a clear homage to the traditional Japanese art of ukiyo-e ("images of the floating world").

64 p, ills colour, 15 x 21 cm, pb, French/English

Map New York and Brooklyn (1877)

Isbn 9782380362350
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250531
€ 18.40

This bird's eye view – from the waterfronts of Jersey City and Hoboken – shows the southern tip of Manhattan Island as it appeared at the end of the 19th century. The disproportionate scale highlights the ten hectares of Battery Park, Broadway, the Brooklyn Bridge (the first suspension bridge in the United States, then under construction), New York's first skyscrapers (the Equitable Life Building and the New York Tribune Building), and Central Park. Sailing ships and paddle-wheel and propeller steamers ply the Hudson River, reminding us that two-thirds of American imports and a quarter of American exports transited the piers of New York, which in 1880 had more than a million inhabitants.

1 , ills colour, 18 x 33 cm, poster, French/English

World Map

Isbn 9782380362343
Publisher Reliefs Editions
Idea code 250625
€ 18.40

This educational plate in two world maps and a planisphere is taken from the Universal Atlas of Geography constructed from original sources and the most recent documents, maps, travels, memoirs, geodetic works, etc. New edition in accordance with the peace treaties of 1919-1921. It includes a world map combining hypsometry (land elevation) and bathymetry (ocean depth), a meteorological world map (rain and wind) and a planisphere combining geobotany and current science. Produced just after the First World War, it shows a physical geography that now seems entirely known, marked out and as if eternal…

1 , ills colour, 17 x 33 cm, poster, French/English


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