Essential: A Design Guide for Life

Essential: A Design Guide for Life by acclaimed Spanish designer Miguel Milá (1931–2024) is a braided narrative weaving artist manifesto with family history with notes on living and living well. Originally published in Spanish as Lo Esencial to much success in 2019 and translated into English by the award-winning Valerie Miles, Essential is the very first volume in our new series of reading books, focusing on the ideas and reflections of renowned creatives. While books in praise of his work abound, including Apartamento’s own Miguel Milá: A Life in Design, this unique volume is the first devoted to his design philosophy in his own words.