Edition Patrick Frey, 2017, Softcover, 250 pages, 36 × 26 cm
Texts in German
Bob Steffen stood out as a flamboyant star among the window dressers of stuffy, postwar Bern, Switzerland. His exuberant backdrops for furs, fabrics, and lingerie were the talk of the town as was the globetrotting, nonconformist himself. Of humble origins, Steffen slept his way up as an upscale hustler/nude model blossoming into a successful decorator and central figure of Berns bohemian scene. Steffen left behind an extensive photographic archive of his life, which is the content for this fascinating publication. Designed in a magazine-like format with oversized spreads of black and white and colour collaged images, the book brings back to life the forgotten art of window dressing and masquerade balls of the 1950s and 60s, and offers a look into Steffens world travels. In addition to the massive display of images, Steffens life is retraced in interviews and snippets of conversations.
