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Tobacco heiress, art collector and philanthropist Doris Duke created her glorious Honolulu retreat, Shangri La, in 1935 after traveling the world on her honeymoon with first husband, James Cromwell. The estate is filled with art and architectural elements carefully and thoughtfully collected from her travels to the Middle and Near East during the almost 60 years of Duke's stewardship; a vibrant array of color, pattern and texture, skillfully layered to create a sparkling, eclectic gem in the Pacific.

Located on Diamond Head, Shangri La still stands as a museum, and an ode to Islamic art and architecture. Doris Duke's Shangri La; A House in Paradise documents this work of beauty, as well as capturing some personal moments of the heiress and friends. Written by Thomas Mellins and Donald Albrecht with photos by Tim Street-Porter, the book coincides with an exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, which was curated by the authors. Exploring this marvelous marriage of '30s modernist architecture, tropical landscape and Islamic art, this book will inspire and fascinate.  

Photos by Tim Street-Porter