This book artfully traces the styles of dress in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Archive photographs and contemporary documents reveal how body-marking, head-dresses, jewelry, and clothing symbolize beliefs, prestige, belonging within the community, superstitions, as well as being instruments of seduction.In many cultures, jewelry and clothing play a range of complex roles and in many cases the language of personal adornments has only recently been deciphered -- signs of fecundity or prosperity, talismans with curative powers or simple ethnic marks. The nomad, the odalisque, the geisha -- they have influenced modern fashion and inspired great designers such as John Galliano, Azzedine Alaia, Yves Saint Laurent, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. With lush photographs from all over the world, Ethnic Style: History and Fashion is a fascinating exploration.