Following the same intention as the title, the requirement for the book design was to reflect both the idea of fading which is associated with alopecia as well as the persistence of the self which this project is primarily supposed to communicate. The process of first looking at the white sleeve with the almost invisible title embossed on its front and back, to then taking out the book with its skin coloured cover, to finally open the book with its vividly coloured images reflects the idea of the unfading self and can be understood as a metaphor of the subjects gaining their self confidence and sense of identity again after being diagnosed with alopecia.

In the back of the book Gwennan Thomas, participant of the project and in charge of the charity Alopecia UK in Wales wrote the text that can be found below text.

Book sleeve front and back, 2015 © Christoph SoederThe book can be slided out of the sleeve by pulling a ribbon, 2015 © Christoph SoederBook and Sleeve, 2015 © Christoph SoederFirst portrait in the book of Siobain, 2015 © Christoph SoederVictoria (l.) and Gwennan, 2015 © Christoph Soeder

Lost identity can force one to grieve, hide away or shut down, but closing one chapter can result in the opening of another.

Being a woman can be tough, but with social media at the forefront of today’s society, living in the 21^st Century as a woman can be a battle; having to contend with the latest hairstyle trends or fashion statements.

Life for a woman with alopecia however is harder. 1.7% of the population experience alopecia; the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows: baldness.

Hairstyles, as well as eyebrows and eyelashes, which can be taken for granted, frame one’s facial features and losing them can result in a lost identity, forcing a woman to feel vulnerable, naked and often less feminine.

For many, an inner strength is revealed which is both astounding and beautiful. When faced with adversity, one can make a choice, you decide on the path you take.

 Gwennan Thomas, Alopecia UK