Fashion Eye Silk Road

The Silk Road, passing through an extraordinary variety of landscapes and landforms, has long been a magnet for intrepid travelers, not least the Japanese photographer Kishin Shinoyama. The images in Fashion Eye Silk Road were selected from eight volumes published in 1981 and 1982. They tell us how the people live, taking in both market scenes and places of worship. They also provide an invaluable record of treasures like the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, the ancient city of Palmyra and the souks of Aleppo in Syria which, sadly, have been wiped off the map by wars and fanaticism.

Born in Tokyo, Kishin Shinoyama achieved fame with his iconic compendium 28 Girls, published in 1968, whose stylized approach revolutionized our concept of the female nude. He is equally renowned for his work for leading fashion brands and magazines, and for his portraits, including a series of photographs of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. To this day, his multi-faceted work is driven by the joy of capturing a fragment of eternity.

Inspired by the House's travel heritage, the Louis Vuitton Fashion Eye collection evokes cities, regions or countries through the eyes of fashion photographers, from emerging talents to industry legends. Each title in the series features an extensive selection of large-format photographs, together with biographical information and an interview with the photographer or a critical essay. After Louis Vuitton City Guides and Travel Books, this third collection presents travel photography with a fashion perspective, as the chosen photographers all infuse their images of great cities, faraway places or dream destinations with their unique vision.