Author(s): Hippolyte Romain

Fashion

The intimate photographs in this volume magnificently celebrate Tibet's nomads, a displaced and endangered civilization of wisdom and beauty. Stark, stunning landscapes, fortresslike monasteries on high slopes and a bitterlycold winter climate form the magnificent setting for the extravagant fashions worn by the nomadic tribes that inhabit the region. Bearing all the wealth, pride, and honor they have inherited from their ancestors, their finery includes one-armed fur-lined coats, extravagant beaded necklaces, brightly colored fabrics with simple geometric patterns, chased silver jewels studded with semi-precious stones, silk brocade, and scarlet pulu robes laden with coral and silver jewelry. Their sophisticated sense of elegance is unrivaled and their special art of freedom and exuberance opens a new dimension on our traditional notions of Tibetan culture.