Assouline books are one of the easiest ways to give someone a present that looks considered and keeps earning its place in the room. This guide covers who Assouline are, what sets their books apart, and how to pick the right title as a gift or for styling a coffee table, shelf or console.
Who Are Assouline?
Assouline was founded in 1994 by Prosper and Martine Assouline, with the aim of creating a "world of culture" through books. Their titles cover fashion, art, design, travel, gastronomy and architecture, and they are known for bold, oversized formats and rich photography.
The brand has grown well beyond publishing, with flagship boutiques in London, New York and Paris, limited editions for collectors and a bespoke library service that builds collections around a client's own tastes. Their large-format "Ultimate Collection" tackles names such as Rolex, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Chanel, often presented in clamshell cases. That is the context for every title on our shelves: these are books designed to be seen as much as read.
You can browse everything we currently carry in our Assouline collection. Their destination titles have a post of their own, so here we focus on choosing books by person and by place in the home.
Choosing an Assouline Book as a Gift
The best Assouline gift starts with the person, not the cover. Think about what they talk about at dinner, then match the subject.
- For the watch lover: Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee comes from the team behind Hodinkee, the site Ben Clymer started after leaving a career in finance to combine his love of horology and writing. A natural choice for anyone who checks your wrist before your face.
- For the cook or fashion fan: The Missoni Family Cookbook sits neatly between kitchen and wardrobe. The Missoni family revolutionised knitwear, and this book shows how that colourful, spontaneous style carries through to the table.
- For the dog devotee: Chic Dogs looks at dogs as the companions of stylish people through the centuries, from aristocrats to today's influencers. It is a lovely, light-hearted present.
- For the film buff: James Bond Destinations follows 007 from his big-screen debut in Dr. No in 1962 to more than a hundred real-life locations around the world.
- For the wine enthusiast: Wine & Travel France and Wine & Travel Italy explore each country's landscapes, soils and winemaking traditions. Wrapped with a good bottle, either makes a memorable host present.
Gifts for Occasions
Some titles suit a moment rather than a hobby. Heart & Love is built around the heart symbol in all its forms, from the hand gesture to the "less than three" typed in a message, which makes it a thoughtful anniversary or Valentine's present. For someone with an interest in ideas and culture, Psychedelic Now looks at today's psychedelic renaissance, the biggest since the 1960s, and its focus on creativity and mental balance.
Styling Assouline Books at Home
Interior designers and stylists use Assouline titles to bring colour, texture and a sense of personality to a room. A few simple rules help them look deliberate rather than dropped.
- Stack in odds. Two or three books stacked horizontally, largest at the bottom, make a neat plinth for a candle, a small vase or a bowl.
- Pick up a colour. Choose a spine or cover that echoes a cushion, a rug or a painting nearby, so the stack feels part of the scheme.
- Mix heights on a console. Lay one stack flat at one end and stand a single book upright, cover facing out, at the other. It breaks up a long surface nicely.
- Keep one open. On a large coffee table, a book left open at a favourite photograph invites guests to sit down and look.
- Group by theme on shelves. Food and wine together, fashion together, places together. It is easier on the eye and easier to find what you want.
Building a Small Collection
If you like the idea of a library that grows over time, start with two or three subjects that matter to you and add to them each birthday or Christmas. A pairing such as the two wine titles, or Watches alongside James Bond Destinations, already reads as a set on a shelf. Collectors with bigger ambitions can look to Assouline's limited editions and bespoke library service.
Find Your Next Assouline Book
Have a browse through our Assouline titles online, or call into the shop in Somerset to see them in person. If you are buying a gift and can't decide, get in touch with the team and tell us a little about who it is for. We are always happy to help you choose.
