Angelo Rizzoli has had a long-lived admiration for books and during 1964, in the heart of New York City, he set up his namesake in hopes to produce revolutionary text and literature. With a fascination for 19th-century Parisian styling, he designed the bookshop with intricate wood paneling and marble designs. This particular aesthetic contributed to its success as crowds would grovel at its interior decorum. The spectacle became quite solidified with time as they offered a wide range of books with specialized genres. Highlighting cultures including art, music, cookery, architecture, fashion, and more; the vast selection contributed to its unique stance within the publishing industry. With the specialized categories, they also take into consideration its outer design. Beautifully created, the Rizzoli book covers have taken the spotlight making the outside just as interesting as the inside. We commonly see their creations as lifestyle products as people use them for coffee table decorations or upon grand bookshelves. To pay tribute to the iconic publishing company, we will be honoring some of the most popular books developed with Rizzoli. 

KEITH HARING 

To celebrate and honor the life of Keith Haring, a memoir of his greatest accomplishments is embodied within the Rizzoli Keith Haring publication. The story follows his artistic career; starting with his upbringing in rural Pennsylvania which lead to the artistic development that made him the prolific artist we know today. Within the pages, we see a vast array of unpublished photography and written material commemorating the moments. Murals from New York, Berlin, and Pisa are just a few of the iconic imagery that Haring created within his lifetime that are highlighted in the book. We are also reminded of his origins with signature subway tags and his prominent stance against social issues. His short-lived life made a large impact allowing his artistry to live on. To continue reading about his historic accomplishments the Rizzoli Keith Haring title can found here.  

THE OCTOPUS EATS ITS OWN LEG 

Takashi Murakami has developed a worldwide presence with his distinct aesthetic. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, his art will. The story within Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg follows Murakami styles and how his contemporary art has transformed the industry. A mixture of essays and illustrations pay homage to his art installations in addition to a detailed biography about his upbringing and exhibition history. The book breaks down his use of traditional Japanese paintings and how he’s able to transform them into modern and contemporary displays. Influences including the art scene in Tokyo during the 80s and 90s along with the balancing of commercial art versus high end were factors that Murakami had to account for and can be better understood within the scripture. Learn more about the artists and their influences within the latest publishing here. 

KAWS 

Starting in 1990, Brain Donnelly had a way of reimagining current designs and make them his own. The commemorative book titled, ‘KAWS’ offers a better understanding of how his art impacted the art community and lifestyle products. Donelly, known as KAWS, initially began with 2D art and is now transforming his pieces into 3D displays. The pages within the book highlight the artist’s initial start, his days as a graffiti artist, and his transition into high-end communities. This is one of the first books to showcase all of KAW’s creations as a variety of photography decorate the pages. His art blurs the line of commercial and contemporary and the publication allows us to better understand his process and background. KAWS from Rizzoli can be found here. 

OUT OF THE BOX: THE RISE OF SNEAKER CULTURE 

The influence sneakers have on a variety of cultures is more impactful than you would think. Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture goes into detail about sneakers starting from the 1860s to the current day designs. The development of the book is well thought out as they have curated information from various platforms including Adidas, Converse, Nike, and Reebok archives. Many of the pages also highlight private collectors and their collections to get a better understanding of the community and how it affected fashion enthusiasts. The book introduces a variety of content including photography, essays, interviews, and footwear marketing campaigns. Exclusive and never-before-seen prototypes from various artists can be found within the book; shining a light on the behind-the-scenes work of sneaker creation. Learn more about the centuries of sneakers and exclusive content, here. 

PHARRELL I + II  

Pharrell Williams has dipped his toes in a variety of categories and somehow succeeded in all of them. In 2012 Rizzoli published his first memoir titled, Places and Spaces I’ve Been. Written by  Pharrell himself, the book also includes contributions from Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nigo, and Anna Wintour. The story highlight Pharrell’s unique outlook against music, fashion, and design and how they all affect his careers. Each chapter explains certain projects and aspects he took into account when developing his stand within the genres. To piggyback off of this concept, in 2018 he released another book that strictly follows his adventures within design and fashion. A Fish Doesn’t Know Its Wet includes 250 photographs and illustrations that follow the mindset of Pharrell and his practices. There are also documented conversations between Pharrell and diverse talents from Karl Lagerfeld to Takashi Murakami. With his rise in fashion, the book draws emphasis to his legendary clothing brands Ice Cream and Billionaire Boys Clubs. Both of the publications enter the mind of Williams for an in-depth understanding of his creative processes. Grab a closer look at both of Pharrell’s literature pieces, here.