Five New Design Monographs

Some designers leave a mark through their vision, ideas, and unique way of thinking. They change how we look at objects, spaces, and the meaning of design itself.
This is the case with Alessandro Mendini’s playful and ironic approach, Jasper Morrison’s quiet simplicity, Dino Gavina’s radical spirit, Emmanuel Babled’s poetic forms, and Oscar Niemeyer’s sculptural architecture. These new monographs tell their stories. More than just books, they offer insight into how great designers think, work, and shape the world around us. We’ve selected five new releases that take different paths but share one question: where do great ideas come from?

O Gavina, o niente
Marco Brunori
Silvana Editoriale, 2025

A collective tribute to Dino Gavina (1922–2007), a vibrant and multifaceted figure in the world of Italian design and entrepreneurship, offered by friends, family, professionals, and lifelong collaborators. Deeply interested and passionate about literature, visual arts, and theatre, Dino Gavina engaged with a wide array of creative fields. Through his companies—Gavina, Flos, Simon, and Sirrah—he steered industrial furniture production toward quality, beauty, and poetry.
The direct testimonies, reflections, and anthology excerpts gathered here offer a comprehensive portrait of his life and work.

Mendini
Stefano Casciani
Phaidon, 2025

The first monograph dedicated to the provocative work of influential Italian designer, architect, and critic Alessandro Mendini—covering his collaborations with brands such as Alessi, Swarovski, Hermès, and Supreme, as well as his role as editor of Domus magazine in the 1980s. The book features a collection of previously unpublished documents and images, offering an intimate glimpse into his creative process.
The volume itself is conceived as a work of art: with a pink fabric cover inspired by one of Domus’s iconic editions, a drawing of the famous Proost armchair on the back, and chapters introduced by die-cut inserts with wavy edges. Across 300 pages, Casciani’s narrative—enriched with illustrations, photographs, and sketches—pays tribute to Mendini’s legacy, celebrating his ability to blend art, design, and critique into a unique and expressive language.

A Book of Things
Jasper Morrison
Lars Müller Publishers, 2025

Famous for his “Super Normal” approach, Jasper Morrison seeks the extraordinary in everyday simplicity. Guided by the principle that “objects should not shout,” his designs are marked by an appealing simplicity, immediate familiarity, and a touch of playful originality. A Book of Things gathers sketches, projects, and anecdotes that trace his career—from furniture to interiors.
The updated edition includes recent works such as a bakery, a magazine cover, and a bicycle, highlighting his consistent design philosophy regardless of context.

La main des autres
Angela Vettese, Veerle Devos
Five Continents Editions, 2024

The title La main des autres (“The Hand of Others”) perfectly captures the essence of Emmanuel Babled’s work—a French designer who has built his style around collaboration with master artisans across the globe. Inspired by Ettore Sottsass, he soon moved away from mass production to create unique pieces that fuse design with traditional craftsmanship. This monograph traces his journey and celebrates design as a bridge between cultures and a tool for both preserving and reimagining artisanal traditions.

Oscar Niemeyer
Philippe Trétiack
Johan & Levi, 2025

Oscar Niemeyer is the sixth monograph in the La biblioteca dell’amatore series, which Johan & Levi devotes to iconic figures of the 20th century in architecture, design, and the decorative arts, in collaboration with French publisher Les Arènes. From Rio de Janeiro to Milan, this master of concrete left a lasting mark on architecture with a unique style of domes, suspended columns, and primary colors—bringing a light, tropical form of Modernism even into product design. Though celebrated and supported by great patrons, he remained faithful to his communist beliefs, convinced that the true focus of his work was the human being, with their soul, and their thirst for justice and beauty.
Featuring a text by Philippe Trétiack.