Nest by Tamara Top Three Stylish Coffee Table Books For Holiday Gift Giving!

With 7 days till Christmas, 

three fabulous books to add to your holiday gift-giving list...

photo via

I often receive well written and gorgeous glossy-paged coffee table books for review, and there are certainly plenty that I do not write about.  Ultimately, I bring my favorites here. Coffee table books are a breed unto themselves, and not only do they have to be well written but the photography must be spectacular in order to become the star on one's stylish table.  They make the perfect hostess gift as well, and especially for the host who seems to have everything.  I believe one can never have too many books.  So, as you shop for your gifts this season, please check out  

Nest by Tamara's Top Three 

Coffee Table Books 

1. Haute Couture Ateliers-The Artisans of Fashion 

by author Hélène Farnault 

forward by Hubert de Givenchy

photography by Alexis Lecomte

published by The Vendome Press

This book takes the coffee table genre to another level.  With superb photography the author outlines the history of the French Atelier in a way that is mesmerizing and educating at the same time.  It serves to demystify the Haute Couture industry a bit by showing the makings of the hand made garments from start to finish. 

With a beautiful chronicle of the rich and artistic world and a behind the scenes making of traditional French fashion, we see how the garments are made.  Through gorgeous photographs and rich text the reader is taken on a journey with profiles of talented lace makers, jewelers, embroiderers and others while showing the hard work that goes into this craft.  Givenchy explains in the forward how Paris has long been the center of fashion, and simply put it is because it is the very place where these valuable artisans have settled.  This book is a true homage to the makers of fashion, and it is a perfect gift for the fashion aficionado, or as an education about fashion for anyone who appreciates art and beautiful things.

 photography Alexis Lecomte

2. Rowing Blazers 

author Jack Carlson
photographs by F.E. Castleberry
published by the Vendome Press  

Rowing Blazer video

At first glance Rowing Blazers seems a medley of pretty pages with classic models wearing gorgeous blazers, but after closer inspection we could not put this book down to read about the history of the blazer and sport. The book shows the college rowing clubs, the history of the sport dating back to England, and the boathouse culture, and walks us through how the blazer became a part of American collegiate culture.  Created by insider and champion rower, Jack Carlson, this is a guide to the badged garments as well as the story of the sport associated with them.  

3. Cartier in the 20th Century

by Margaret Young-Sanchez

forward by Christoph Heinrich

Introductions by Pierre Rainero 

published by The Vendome Press

The book showcases a wide array of their rich jewelry and other accessories made throughout the company’s history beginning in the early 1900s. The author utilizes Conde Nast’s archival black and white photography with their own spectacular photographs, as well as original drawing illustrations of the pieces as they were made, together with profiles of iconic figures like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace of Monaco, Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor to create a walk though Cartier’s history.  This gift is truly for the jewelry lover and wrapped in the quintessential red fabric synonymous with the brand, it would make a stunning holiday gift!

model Capucine at Cartier in London, 1955; photograph Jean-Philippe Charbonnier

necklace worn by Countess of Granard, 1932; platinum, diamonds & emeralds

Crocodile necklace made to order to Maria Felix 1975; gold, diamonds, emeralds, rubies 

brooch worn by Duchess of Windsor, Paris 1940; platinum, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, citrine

 jewelry photographs via Denver Art Museum

Happy Nesting 

XO Tamara