Natural Fashion

These photographs are from Hans Silvester's book 'Natural Fashion, Tribal Decoration fron Africa'. Hans Silvester photographed members of two African tribes, Surma and Mursi from East Africa's Omo Valley. Instead of crafts or architecture these people express their artistic sense by using their own bodies as canvases and decorate themselves using flowers, leaves and branches or anything else they can find. This is so inventive! Not only have they created fashion for themselves but they've also painted their faces to complete the look. Designers everywhere in the world (especially fashion designers) could learn a lot from these tribes! And creating these looks like a lot of fun too!

"Inspired by the wild trees, exotic flowers and lush vegetation of the area bordering Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, these tribal people have created looks that put the most outlandish creations of Western catwalk couturiers to shame.

Here, a leaf or root is transformed into an accessory. Instead of a scarf, a necklace of banana leaves is draped around a neck. In place of a hat, a tuft of grass is jauntily positioned.

A garland of flowers, a veil of seed-pods, buffalo horn, a crown of melons, feathers, stems and storks - Mother Nature has provided a fully stocked wardrobe.

Like a dressing-up chest brimming over with costumes and make-up (paint created with pigments from powdered stone), the natural environment is the source for this glorious jungle pantomime."