No conversation about midcentury Italian fashion would be complete without a mention of Emilio Pucci. But the renowned designer frequently moved beyond clothing, expanding his oeuvre to include rugs, furniture, and porcelains, three categories that are the basis of the new book Unexpected Pucci ($90, Rizzoli). The volume was compiled by Pucci’s daughter Laudomia, with text penned by journalists Suzy Menkes and Angelo Flaccavento, architect Piero Lissoni, and artists Francesco Vezzoli and Joana Vasconcelos.

Born in Naples in 1914, Pucci, who had the title of Marchese di Barsento, lived and worked in his family’s palazzo in Florence—the noble Pucci lineage dates back to the 13th century. But despite his ties to Florentine history, Pucci’s work was a symbol of modernism, featuring bright hues and twisted geometric patterns.