(Clockwise - Covers by Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, Celia Birtwell and Barbara Hulanicki, founder of Biba)

A while back, on one of my weekly Kino pilgrimages, I saw this stack of very pretty books. It was a collection of eight hardbacks with covers by textile designers, done in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Virago Modern Classics.

I stood there for a while, staring at the prints and trying to match them to the designers' names. I wanted to buy one, simply because they were so gorgeous. But had to stop myself. I think I was rather broke then.

I still think of them from time to time. I think I will get one the next time there's a Kino member's discount, if they're still available.

I like the idea of matching prints to books. It makes me think of one of those random conversations I was having with the lawyer in Borders. Something along the lines of how you can decide which book, from the fixed set of books we like to buy as gifts, to buy a person based on the skincare brand she uses.

If she's using Chanel, Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence would do nicely. If she's a Clarins girl, Neil Gaiman's Stardust, maybe? And if she has a preference for Biotherm, perhaps Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex?

Well, truth is, I can't remember the examples we listed that night, but they sounded really apt at that time. So you get the idea.