Thursday, December 3, 2009

"Gentlemen of Bacongo," a Look at la SAPE

 
Photo: Daniele Tamagni

Is stylishness next to godliness? 
In the book "Gentlemen of Bacongo" Daniele Tamagni explores the extreme sartorial aspirations of one culture's elite dandies, young men who don Cavalli and Comme de Garçons and stand out as local celebrities amid the hungry, barefoot masses.

Similarly, perhaps in your hometown right now, a woman is forgoing food to buy a pair of shoes. Not by any means her only pair a shoes, these are dear shoes that cost slightly more than her monthly rent. They will hurt her feet to the point where she can barely walk, but she will hobble around with pride. She will walk tall even while limping.

We can spend time arguing about whether it is stupid or transcendent, whether the pursuit of high fashion is a spiritual or hubristic one, but only a fool would suggest that this desire is uncommon. From Manhattan to Kinshasa, fashion is sublime.

Via:
Nytimes.com
Cool Hunting

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