Thames & Hudson to launch Larcombe-led imprint at LBF

Thames & Hudson will launch an illustrated imprint called Skittledog, headed by publisher Zara Larcombe, at the London Book Fair.

Formerly editorial director at Laurence King Publishing, Larcombe led the trade publishing division. She had previously built a successful creativity-themed list for Ilex, introducing numerous long-running art-and-crafts formats. 

The new Skittledog list aims to complement T&H’s existing catalogues with books and gifts focused on creative and lifestyle subjects. The list’s first books will be published in spring 2023. The imprint will publish 20 books and gifts in its first year, including titles from Marion Deuchars and Sarah Ford, with co-edition rights to the first season sold at LBF. 

Larcombe will be joined in her team by business manager Roly Allen and creative director Angus Hyland, both of whom she has worked with before. 

Allen was publisher of Ilex until 2019, since which he has written six books and consulted for agents, authors and publishers. A partner at Pentagram and recipient of five Design and Art Direction Silver Awards, Hyland was Laurence King Publishing’s creative director. He has created visual identities for Tate Modern and Rolls Royce, among others, and is currently working on Skittledog’s logo. 

The name Skittledog, a type of fish, was chosen as a nod to T&H’s dolphin logo and for its “fresh, memorable and surprising” qualities. Its titles are conceived to sell internationally,

Larcombe said: “It’s an incredible privilege to be working with T&H on the Skittledog imprint. From our first conversation, I knew that they would make the ideal home for us: absolutely dedicated to originality and execution, with one of the world’s leading sales operations, they have already made us feel welcome and helped us to a flying start.”

T&H’s c.e.o. and publisher, Sophy Thompson, added: “We are delighted to have the Skittledog team on board. The new list will provide a lively counterpoint to T&H’s publishing and offer a rich, new seam of commercial opportunity for our extensive international sales network.”