Matchbook: Indian Matchbox Labels - Tapa blanda

Sold in every road-side booth, matchboxes are part of daily life in India. Curious, hilarious and visually stunning, matchbox labels come in a staggering variety of designs.

Inspired variations on successful labels are an accepted part of the matchbox world, deliciously turning the whole notion of branding upside down.

Matchbook showcases over 500 quirky members of this extended family, from the personal collection of Mumbaibased designer Shahid Datawala. This new edition comes

with a thought-provoking essay which locates matchboxes within the web of Indian commerce and popular culture.

Shahid Datawala is a designer, photographer and obsessive collector of all manner of curios, and is well known in design circles in India and Europe. Shahid can often be spotted trawling the street markets of Indian cities where, among other things, he has managed to accumulate thousands of matchbox labels. His collection is one of the most enviable in the country.