It's a mix of delight and bemusement we feel, when the biannual pile of fashion week invitations plummets onto our desks. On one hand, the outlandishly expensive summons' demonstrate a creative flair and playful ingenuity found in few other fields (last season saw a branded board game from Margiela and an engraved brass credit card from Burberry) while on the other, the sheer waste and opulence of the whole affair seems to laugh in the face of, well, everything.

That said, the desire to be the best (and of course, the most beautiful) does breed some rather remarkable work, as is so articulately demonstrated by "Graphic Design for Fashion", a brand new book from graphic designers Jay Hess and Simone Pasztorket.

Split neatly into four chapters outlining branding, invitations, lookbooks and packaging, the new tome neatly collates the best from the realm where graphic design and fashion meet. From wax-branded swing tags at Viktor & Rolf to explosions of butterflies at Kenzo, the book - which, thanks to some superior grain, heavyweight paper feels wonderfully expensive - unveils in uncluttered style some of the best collaborations from seasons past.

Graphic Design for Fashion by Jay hess and Simone Pasztorek is available from next month for £26


Paul Smith

Viktor & Rolf