The Sartorialist: X by Scott Schuman

Author:Scott Schuman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2015-10-05T16:00:00+00:00

ON THE STREET…

VARANASI, INDIA

ON THE STREET…

WEST 33RD ST.,

NEW YORK

THE WHITE GLOVES OF VARANASI

Sometimes your eyes see something that your brain can’t figure out fast enough. I LOVE that feeling.

I’ve tried to train myself, when this happens, to start shooting and figure it out later.

I’m in Varanasi, India, on the back of a bike-rickshaw, going surprisingly fast considering the road is packed with hundreds of other rickshaws, cows, bikes and the occasional car. Emerging from the on-coming traffic is the fiercest cyclist I’ve ever seen. So powerful, fast and vivid when set against the bland, muddy-coloured workforce on their morning commute. As she comes into focus I see she’s covered head to toe in a riot of colours, both floral and graphic. Her headwrap, covering her entire face and upper body, her blouse and pants, stream behind her, trying to keep up.

Most striking of all were her steel-straight arms covered in long white gloves right out of a 1950s prom. Already everything about her was surprising but the gloves seemed such an odd addition that they stuck out in my mind’s eye.

Later that day, I saw another young lady covered head to toe in rich sunset jewel-tones with the same long white gloves. Then again the next morning, a girl in sober black and red with the same long white gloves. This was a true micro-trend. I asked my guide if it was religionbased or to protect against the dusty streets. She laughed and said, ‘It’s bloody sunny and we like to stay as fair as possible! We don’t want dark arm-tans like farmers!’

Just another example that no matter how far from home I travel the simple human condition of vanity is alive and well everywhere.

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