Jonathan Becker, 30 years at Vanity Fair

This collection of the photographer’s portraits for the magazine have seen him travel everywhere from Buckingham Palace and an appointment with Prince Charles to the Amazonian Jungle and one with the Yamomami tribe in pursuit of the perfect picture. http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Becker-Years-Vanity-Fair/dp/1614280797

Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Curiosities 

Almost a coffee table in itself it’s so large, this book is one of natural history’s most compelling archives. Beautifully presented and full of completely fascinating finds, it is a must for any household. http://www.amazon.com/Albertus-Sebas-Cabinet-Natural-Curiosities/dp/3822816000

Helmut Newton, Sumo

So huge when first published a decade ago it came with it’s very own stand, Sumo charts the iconic photographer’s career, spanning 350 images that are all equal parts erotic, arresting and beautfiul. It’s as powerful today as it was when it was first published.  http://www.amazon.com/Helmut-Newton-Sumo-June/dp/3836517302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377486611&sr=1-1&keywords=helmut+newton

Alaia: by Azzedine Alaia

As far as fashion books go, this limited edition tome, published in 1999 by Steidl and chock full of the Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaia‘s arresting images is about as fabulous as it gets.

Nomads of Niger by Marion von Offelen and Carol Beckwith

For those fond of National Geographic style reportage, this book is the ultimate escape. Documenting the Woodabe tribe of Niger, it is steeped in images so compelling it’s hard to pull yourself away. http://www.amazon.com/Nomads-Niger-Carol-Beckwith/dp/0810981254

Slim Aarons – A Wonderful Time, An intimate portrait of the Good Life

"An intimate portrait of the good life"

For some good old escapism you can’t really beat Slim Aarons and his world of beautiful people and beautiful places. Stunning stuff from a stunning photographer. http://www.amazon.com/Wonderful-Time-Intimate-Portrait-Good/dp/0060100168/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377487758&sr=1-6&keywords=slim+aarons

Rare Bird of Fashion, The Irreverent Iris Apfel

This celebration of one of fashion’s brightest and best icons looks at her one off approach to fashion and provides inspiration on a daily basis to us in the Kotur office. A brilliant tome by Eric Boman celebrating a brilliant lady . Rare Bird of Fashion

Luckily, it’s been a standout year for just such books. The worlds of fashion, photography, travel and design have all had light thrown onto them in a series of newly published titles we can’t wait to get our hands on.  With visuals designed to enrapture and subjects that range from Amazonian jungles to the Amalfi coast, steely beauties to starlets, perfect houses to fantasy fashion sets, here’s our roundup of the best books to give, should you wish to help transport someone away from their sofa and to another world this Christmas.  Should one also happen to end up under our tree, we’d have no problem with that, whatsoever.

Jonathan Becker – 30 Years at Vanity Fair

Via stints as both a taxi driver and a backgammon player, Becker, one of the Vanity Fair’s lead photographers, has been shooting for the magazine for three decades. Since his first picture was published in their prototype relaunch issue in 1982, the magazine has sent him everywhere from the Amazon to Aspen, via Buckingham palace. Famous for his portraits, on his journeys he has shot everyone from Andy Warhol to Robert Mapplethorpe, Arthur Miller to Gwyneth Paltrow, Jocelyn Wildenstein to Nancy Reagan. This book doesn’t just document that life, it takes you behind the scenes of both Becker’s shoots and his subjects’ worlds, shedding light on some of the most famous faces of the past 30 years. More than a book of portraits, it’s a romp through decades of our culture, a snapshot of it’s icons from the man whose job it was to really see them. Whether it’s escapism or insight you’re after, here’s your man.

Slim Aarons – La Dolce Vita

If you wanted to bottle the good life and then pour it into the pages of a book, here’s an example of how to do it. During a decades long love affair with Italy, the late photographer Slim Aarons shot the good, the bad and the glam of Italy living it large in the country’s most fabulous spots. From Sicily to Capri, bronzed bodies to boats, Ursula Andress to to the Amalfi, here’s a book that will take you far, far away from a wintry day at home.

Kate: The Kate Moss Book

She’s been THE face for decades, is THE supermodel still standing, and has looked good dressed in everything from nothing to gold paint. In a collection of photographs (some never seen before) shot by the great and good of fashion photography, here are the many faces of Kate Moss, plus proof of the power of quirky beauty.

Tim Walker – Storyteller

If fashion is about fantasy, then Tim Walker is a man who makes that magic appear. The British photographer known for his elaborate sets has had Lily Donaldson crash landing a Spitfire in a country house, Karlie Kloss clambering over Humpty Dumpty and even recreated the world of Alice in Wonderland, all in the name of fashion. In this, his latest book, his sets and portraits (all 175 of them) are conceived to take you on a journey somewhere otherworldly. They work.

We recently met for lunch with a mutual friend and I loved her poetic aesthetic and charm. We both hail from creative mothers and she has a self-deprecating Bridget Jones humor, which being half Brit myself, I appreciate. I chose her as a muse for her whimsical style and spirit, and her great knowledge of design history. And she tells a great story…

KOTUR: What’s in your makeup bag?
Rita: Lots of lip glosses and NARS lipsticks- my favorite is Damage. Also Jo Malone Vitamin E Gel.

KOTUR: Do you have a beauty secret?
Rita: Good lighting!

KOTUR: What do you wear on a fat day?
Rita: I have this magenta tie-dye cashmere scarf I bought at I Pezzi Dipinti which is quite handy. I also think jewellery for a fat day is quite good. It makes you feel better and it keeps everyone’s eyes up here, around your face.

KOTUR: How would your female friends describe your style?
Rita: I think they’d say I was chic but I’m a mess all the time…definitely a bit of a tumble together.

KOTUR: Is there anything in your wardrobe you should get rid of but can’t?
Rita: My grandmother’s couture Dior dresses that don’t fit me. They would only fit a generation of stick people I will never give birth to…

KOTUR: What do you never leave home without?
Rita: My telephone. And I try to remember my door keys.

KOTUR: What do you wear to bed?
Rita: Mostly, nothing.

KOTUR: Have you ever worn anything you’re now embarrassed by?
Rita: Yes, almost everything when I look back at old pictures of myself.

KOTUR: How high is too high a heel?
Rita: I don’t think it exists. Too high is impossible to walk in, but sometimes I do it anyway. Even if they don’t get worn, I’ll eventually display them up on the mantle piece.

KOTUR: If you could live in any other time in fashion, what would you choose?
Rita: I’d like to have been Georgian because it was the most beautiful time- art, architecture, dresses and jewellery. I think in England, it was our best moment.

KOTUR: What’s your most recent purchase?
Rita: Well, yesterday I bought a pair of Marc Jacobs pants and a Celine stripey top. But before that there was a Lanvin maxi skirt…

KOTUR: Can you judge a book by its cover?
Rita: I judge every book by its cover.

KOTUR: What’s your great extravagance?
Rita: Bed linen and the endless laundering of it. I like Percale sheets – it’s like sleeping on paper – or Egyptian cotton. And old linen that’s been washed a lot.

KOTUR: Guilty pleasure?
Rita: Movies on Sunday mornings.

KOTUR: What are your bad habits?
Rita: Too many to list…pudding?

KOTUR: Cheap thrill?
Rita: Swedish Fish sweets.

KOTUR: The best advice you have ever given?
Rita: Never accept the first offer.

KOTUR: What’s your idea of a great holiday?
Rita: Not moving much.

KOTUR: What are you most proud of?
Rita: I think my books.

KOTUR: What do you least proud of?
Rita: My lack of being able to get down to it and go to the gym.

KOTUR: What’s your idea of pure bliss?
Rita: Sinking into a hot bath when it’s cold and snowing outside.

KOTUR: Who would you like to be reincarnated as?
Rita: I think one of those adventurous 18th century women.

KOTUR: Yes or no to nip and tuck?
Rita: I kind of think slightly yes, but it scares me to go under anesthesia for vanity.

KOTUR: What part of your body would you change?
Rita: Oh, my legs for sure, and maybe my arse. You couldn’t put my current arse on top of very good legs. I can cope with the rest.

KOTUR: How would you like to be remembered?
Rita: I would like to just be remembered actually…

KOTUR: 1 out of 10, how good looking are you?
Rita: That’s horrible. I’m English, so I can’t possibly answer.

Portraits courtesy of Michael Lustig