From cardboard shoes in Africa to body paint in New Guinea, from chimney sweeps in France to an Indian Elvis, (un)Fashion scans the globe to show how real people dress: at work, on the street, or for ceremonial occasions. With virtually no text, (un)Fashion pokes gentle fun at the elitism of the fashion world, presenting its provocative observations through dynamic images by some of the world's foremost photojournalists.
TIBOR KALMAN (1949-1999), one of the world's greatest graphic designers and a social activist, founded the revolutionary New York design firm M&Co, known for its use of graphics for social commentary as well as for innovation in design.
MAIRA KALMAN is the author/illustrator of 10 children's books, including the celebrated series about the globe-trotting poet dog Max Stravinsky. Kalman continues to run M&Co. She lives in New York City with her two children
285 illustrations in full color, 6 x 9"
The images are organized by theme. A section on headgear ranges from men in bowler hats to hats fashioned out of newspapers and even a watermelon. The uniform chapter groups together such unlikely companions as matadors, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, and Australian lifeguards. While cross-cultural similarities are drawn, there does not seem to be a strict attempt to force meaning out of likeness. Rather, the book is a meandering and barely organized journey teeming with surprising sights--a Russian military dog in full gas-mask regalia, a whole-body costume made of flowers, a tin can worn through an ear as jewelry. If you're at all interested in travel and the wacky things we put on our bodies, this book is for you. --J.P. Cohen
For those of you who are Tibor fans … Maira has a very touching write up about her late husband and why he initiated this book.
The book has several catwalks of a wide range of people from every corner the planet. Each chapter features a traditional or (un)traditional fashion theme like body art, accessories, tribes, dressed to kill and (un)mentionables. Sometimes a featured photo can make a political statement while others show a slight touch of humor, making for entertaining page turning.
While this book isn't your typical »oversized coffee table« the production and presentation show a respect for quality. Unlike your average overpriced collection of pretty pictures this book will make you think, which is rather novel for a book of so few words. (un)Fashion is the sort of book which you will want to share with friends and family and would be a great conversation starter for any social gathering.