Penguin to Publish Sartorialist’s Street Fashion Tome

Lensman Scott Schuman (a.k.a. The Sartorialist) leaked word of a book project in the works some time ago, leaving the fashion world chomping at the bit in anticipation of which publisher would be backing the project. Turns out it’s Penguin. The former showroom owner-turned-street style documentary photographer has won the respect of both the high-fashion world as well as a growing online fan base via his popular photoblog. Not to mention, the latter has earned the photographer editorial and advertising gigs for major fashion rags and brands (DKNY SS09 for one). Now Schuman’s work will likewise soon be available at a bookstore near you.

The image-heavy tome “will be published by Penguin and be around 500 pages ... with little writing,” Schuman wrote on his blog today. Schuman adds: “the main reason I feel so excited about this project is that Penguin will publish the book in paperback, and a special limited-edition ‘bespoke’ version simultaneously. This was very important to me because as a photographer I wanted a beautiful book to showcase my images—but I didn’t want to do just another expensive coffee table book that would be too expensive for many of my readers.” The book’s release date is currently set for September 2009, with small book tours in London, Paris, Dublin, and a few cities in Australia and the US. And, just in case you need a little fashion tome appetite whetting in the meantime, Esquire’s The Handbook of Style is now out. The guide is a self-described “handbook for men not just on looking good but on finding your own individual style.” Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that boning up on it will up your chances of landing in Schuman’s book.