A stunning art book showcasing The Singh Twins’ ‘Slaves of Fashion’ series.

This richly illustrated, artist-designed book showcases ‘Slaves of Fashion’, an award-winning series of portrait-based allegorical and narrative works by contemporary British artists The Singh Twins.

‘Slaves of Fashion’ explores diverse histories and legacies of empire and colonialism through the history of Indian textiles. It is a global story of conflict, conquest, exploitation, slavery, intercultural exchange and changing fashion. The series connects these themes to the trade in luxury goods during an age of maritime exploration, colonisation and industrialisation – all driven by the commercial interests of competing and expanding European imperial powers, from the fifteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries.

The book includes detailed interpretations of the artworks, representing The Singh Twins’ personal reflections on this story and its relevance to topical debates around racism, cultural ownership, decolonisation, ethical trade and consumerism. It also offers insight into the making of the artworks, which draw on academic research, historical archives and museum collections. The book closes with an essay by Professor Kate Marsh.

This book has been produced with the generous support of Sikhlens, USA. Sikhlens is a non-profit organisation based in California that is dedicated to promoting Sikh history, heritage and culture across the globe through diverse educational and arts initiatives, and grants.