TAMAGNI, Daniele. Gentlemen of Bacongo.

(London): Trolley Books, 2011. Second edition. Octavo. Unpaginated. Preface by Paul Smith. Superb documentation of the Sapeurs of Bacongo, a district of Brazzavile in the Congo, and the birthplace of Sape, the religion of style. The Sapeurs sense of style is one of joyous exuberance, flamboyant colour, polished tailoring and impeccable attention to detail; suits in periwinkle pink, buttercup yellow and poison green, fat regatta stripes, Jeeves-esque bowler hats, handsome canes, plump bow-ties, polished brogues and jaunty evening scarves, draped just so. It’s a sartorial DNA that nods to 1920’s jazz age refinement and has its roots in the French colonisation of the Congo in the early part of the 20th century. This is a near fine in photo-illustrated boards without dust jacket as issued.