If it’s anywhere near as good as his last works, the Mid-Century Modern Designers book by Dominic Bradbury will be an essential purchase.
Those past books include Mid-Century Modern Furniture, Mid-Century Modern Complete, and The Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses, to name just a few. Dominic Bradbury sets a high bar when it comes to MCM and architecture from the 20th century.
Which is why this should be so good. A premium book from premium publisher Phaidon, this 352-page hardback publication is described as a homage to the design pioneers who defined the Mid-Century aesthetic through their work in furniture, glassware, ceramics and textiles.
The fascination with this era has never been greater, so a book bringing together 300 influential designers who helped to define the look as an A-Z guide should be a commercial winner.
From popular icons such as Alvar Aalto, Lina Bo Bardi, Tony Duquette, Charles & Ray Eames, Pierre Jeanneret, Florence Knoll, and Gio Ponti to the movement’s lesser-known figures, the book promises ‘an expansive, richly illustrated portrait of Mid-Century Modernism across the globe’. And that is borne out by the images shown here.
Detailed texts about each designer appear alongside hundreds of images of post-war designs, from furniture to glassware, lighting to textiles, ceramics to tableware, revealing the vibrant cross-pollination of ideas among the designers who defined the era’s aesthetic.
As I said, a premium book, so it does come with a premium price tag as well. But if you love this kind of reference material (as I do) you’ll likely find it worth every penny. You can pre-order now ahead of he 10th April 2025 publishing date, selling for £69.95.
