Rudi Gernreich Book

Published by Benedikt Taschen Verlag in 1999, this monograph serves as a comprehensive visual archive of the work of Rudi Gernreich, the Austrian-American fashion designer known for his provocative, space-age, and gender-bending contributions to 1960s fashion. Compiled by Peggy Moffitt, Gernreich's long-time muse and preferred model, the book captures the essence of his avant-garde aesthetic, including his notorious monokini and his experiments with vinyl, knitwear, and unisex silhouettes that sought to liberate the human form from traditional sartorial constraints.

The book is heavily illustrated with iconic photography by William Claxton, Moffitt’s husband and frequent collaborator, who documented Gernreich’s collections with a sharp, graphic sensibility that defined the era's visual identity. Through both archival imagery and retrospective commentary, the publication explores how Gernreich translated social shifts—such as the sexual revolution and the early push for equality—into tangible, often controversial garments that were received as both radical art and wearable social critique at the time of their debut.