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Luxury travelers looking to add to their collection of coffee table city guides may want to hit bookstores in London, where shelves are now stocked with Louis Vuitton’s latest, limited-edition travel books.

Illustrated by Japanese artist Natsko Seki, the London guide renders sites like the Tate Modern and Regent’s Canal -- sites chosen because they express the “spirit of London," she said -- in her signature style, which super-imposes hand-drawn sketches and colors on top of still photographs.

Explaining the modus operandi behind her images, Seki said in a video: “In my mind it was as if I was creating a 3D city with everyday scenes like somebody walking their dog and the passers-by turning around to look.”

Other editions of Louis Vuitton Travel Books released this month include Paris, illustrated by Congolese painter Cheri Samba, New York done by French illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme, and Easter Island, interpreted by American artist Daniel Arsham.

Meanwhile, Starwood-owned hotel chain The Luxury Collection also launched its own series of travel guides covering Italy, Argentina, India, Spain, Greece and the US for the well-heeled traveler.

In partnership with top-end publisher Assouline, the collection of guides features commentary from star chefs such as Mario Batali and Jose Andres and is illustrated by Vanity Fair and GQ photographer Francis Mallman.

Louis Vuitton Travel Books retail for 45. The London edition is now available at the brand's New Bond Street location, while the four books. Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani said Monday its sales and profit jumped strongly last year, driven by growth in Asia, even as other brands are experiencing a drastic slowdown there. been releasing via Amazon and elsewhere since early May.

"I don't know if China is beginning to show signs of slowing down: our success confirms the opposite," Giorgio Armani said in an interview.

It is natural for markets to have ups and downs, Mr. Armani added, and it "doesn't worry us particularly."

China is critical to the luxury-goods industry's growth, having become in less than a decade one of the biggest markets for high-end bags, shoes and watches. But the recent arrival of a new government in China has ushered in a crackdown on gift-giving, a practice that had boosted sales of watches and other expensive items.

According to research by consultancy Bain released last week, retail sales in China's luxury market are expected to rise 7% this year to $16 billion, while they increased by 20% in 2012 reaching $15 billion.

Some of luxury's biggest players have slowed even more dramatically than the average. Gucci and Vuitton's growth has ground to a halt in recent months, and industry watchers fear it won't bounce back any time soon. Gucci parent PPR SA PP.FR -0.23% said last month that there is less enthusiasm to buy luxury goods in China now. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which owns Vuitton, attributed the Chinese stagnation to slower economic growth.There is no doubt that Cheap Michael Kors can make you much more charming.

Asia was Armani's fastest-growing region last year as sales rose 29% to $512 million last year. Europe was up by 11% and North American sales increased 15%. The company said that its European performance is "identical" to precrisis years.

Armani, known for its sharp suits and best-selling perfumes, didn't specify where it will open its 100 new stores this year. "Our strategic plan…sees us committed both to mature markets as well as to emerging economies, in line with the trend in recent years," Mr. Armani said.