(un)FASHION (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In an effort to capture great exuberance for life, authors Maira and the late Tibor Kalman put together a chaotic blend of current images from all over the world. (un)Fashion is a personal and loosely anthropological photo essay full of costumes, clothes, faces, and cultures. It is an incredibly colorful and vibrant collection of pictures that capture the expressive qualities of human dressing.

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

Product Description

This witty and eye-popping book-a delightfully unconventional view of contemporary fashion as seen in the creative ways that people around the globe adorn their bodies-is the brainchild of graphic designer Tibor Kalman, who had finished the picture selection and design when he died in May 1999. Completed by his wife and partner in M&Co, noted children's book author Maira Kalman, (un)Fashion will startle, amuse, engross, and enchant as it adds posthumously to Tibor Kalman's reputation as one of the graphic design geniuses of the 20th century.

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"

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810945002
• ISBN-13: 978-0810945005
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #818,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (un)Believable!, October 11, 2000

By	Ahmad Jordan "Ahmad Jordan" (Bufalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is incredible. It's like being a child again and walking around the world and seeing 500 different people, with 500 different cultures and ways of expressing ideas. It's like having the eyes of a 5 year old and asking the question over and over..."What? and Why?" This book is playful discovery. Just imagine opening a book with no introduction, no words...only photos of people around the world - what they wear, what they're doing and how they do it. But like a child you have no idea, no clues or anything. These photos begin to speak for themselves. You don't have the advantage (or disadvantage) of having a writer attach prejudices or judgements to these photos - you are left to explore your own words, prejudices and thoughts. You not only learn things about people...but you learn a lot about yourself and your pre-conceptions about other folks.

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.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Costume Party!, November 11, 2001

By	Michael Pinto "Anime Fan" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While he was alive Tibor Kalman spent his design career showing that one could find "high art" in the everyday world. (un) Fashion is a wonderful tribute to the life of Mr. Kalman (it can be assume that the driving force behind the book is Maira who is a very talented artist in her own right).

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dressed To Thrill!, March 31, 2007

By	Lorenzo Moog (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: (un)Fashion (Paperback)

Are there some days when you want a book in your hand but you don't feel like reading? Here's a great book to have around for just such an occasion, "(un)fashion" by Tibor + Maira Kalman. Wow, wow and wow! There's nothing around (to my knowledge) like this little jewel, 9" x 6", I'm not sure how many pages,they aren't numbered,of nothing but
photographs, no text (there is an index to each photo in the back of the book). Not to say that there aren't thousands and thousands of books of photography out there but this one is just different. It is the most spectacular look at how men and women (and a wonderful leaping dog in a gas mask and green plastic coat) from all over the planet choose to adorn themselves both in and out of the social norm. There are images of every kind of painted, pierced, tattooed, masked, beaded, wrapped,unwrapped, turbaned, swathed and nearly naked human being from every corner of the planet. And some really great ideas for tin cans if you are on a tight budget. What a joy and revelation to flip through this book at a leisurely pace marvelling at what can be achieved by imagination and necessity. This book should be seen by anyone who designs, manufactures or wears clothing. It's also useful for those days when you need to wear something special but can't decide quite what. It will give you all the courage you need to go out into the world looking like..........well.... your own special self. Highly recommended.