Give up? Well, just scroll down little further… it is the Gilet Munari. Or if you think a gilet is some kind of tasty grilled fowl, it is, in fact, a sleeveless body warmer, otherwise known as a vest.
The Gilet Munari 1992/2023 is a bespoke garment with pockets designed for displaying books by Bruno Munari, the eminence of conceptual Italian book design for children and adults created for his exclusive publisher Corraini Editions, Modena, Italy.
It all started with a simple request: “We need a way of displaying the books,” writes publisher Maurizio Corraini of eponymous Edizioni. Munari presented some works from the new “Block Notes” collection from 1992, a loose collection of ideas and projects in a pocket-sized book format, with holes in the cover to spark readers’ interest. The ingenious Munari figured out a unique way to show off these small books in a gilet with many pockets of different sizes, each with assorted textures and shades, similar to the vests that photographers use when on assignment.
Three decades later, Corraini celebrates the original Munari Gilet with an updated version featuring pockets of all sizes. The blue from the original remains while grey switches to pink. It’s crafted with upcycled fabrics and yarns— from vintage jeans to TENCEL™ Luxe and REFIBRA™. This project results from a collaboration between Corraini and Blue of a Kind, a fashion design studio that sources quality used fabrics.
It is the perfect, functional, recycled wearable that proves your commitment to environmental sustainability and intellectual pursuit (available here). And while you’re deciding on your favorite color combo, check out the wide array of book-accessories to fill the pockets.
