My goal was to design a book to showcase the masterwork of Gérard Uféras, a leading French photographer. Focusing on his collection of images entitled The Fabric of Dreams, I aimed to create a beautiful object that would pay homage to his striking and innovative images. 

This was a simple visual problem, I needed to create a book layout with varied flow to showcase a talented photographer's work. The book needed to stand alone as an object—something that is enticing and visually elevates the environment in which it is placed. However, the interior of the book, the design layout, needed to take a back seat to the artist’s work. I needed to create the perfect backdrop on which to feature the bold images and have the layout complement the work, rather than overpower it.

The intimate, high-contrast black-and-white photography in the book The Fabric of Dreams is a glance into the backstage world of fashion shows from Paris to Milan. The images are not the typical style one would see in conjunction with the fashion world—they are raw and intimate. They do not focus solely on a garment, but on a scene that captures a palpable mood.

Designing this book I utilized white space and restrained, yet varied layout design to create visual pauses and continued interest as the viewer turns each page. I chose to keep the book entirely in black and white, to align with the black and white photography. I set the type in a dark, neutral gray to create a slightly lower contrast to the white page than that of the images’; emphasizing the images over the design.

I organized the flow of the book to mimic the flow of a fashion show. The first part highlights the exuberance and intimacy in the backstage moments captured by Uféras—from hair and makeup to queuing up to go on the runway. The second part of the book moves to the other side of the curtain showcasing runway moments. The final image is of the culmination of the show itself—a full spread of the final piece, the quintessential wedding dress.