Every time I hear the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” I cringe.

Though well-meaning, as an idiom it stopped making sense when most books (and people) ceased to be covered by whatever old piece of brown sacking happened to be laying outside the village weaver’s hut. Of course you can judge something by surface appearance. That’s why we have graphic designers. Rarely do people have time to read a book before purchasing to determine the contents; in the same way, who has the chance to read a person before having any thoughts on the subject? True, the contents are the most important things, but what makes you discover those contents in the first place? Your eyes; your sense of aesthetics. A good cover speaks volumes, and The Book’s Cover gives voice to those who wear theirs well.

Sean Bowie is a man of many talents, both audible and visual. Aside from his advanced fashion powers, he’s been crafting a brittle-sweet brand of disco-tinged electronic weirdness under the guise of teams for a couple years now, landing a spot on the equally and delightfully odd Czech label AMDISCS and touring around the world. I’m honestly never quite certain when and where he’ll pop up, though rumor has it he’s forsaken his current home of Los Angeles for my current home of Berlin. His upcoming album Sierra City Center (a demo of which you can preview at the bottom of this piece) is a completely new direction for Bowie; the strange electronics are still present, but with a psychedelic, surf rock-inspired flavor. Life in LA definitely has that effect on people. What’s Sean’s ideal cover? Let’s find out.

1. Yohji Yamamoto Men’s Pre-Washed Jeans

2. Shaun Sampson t-shirt

3. Bernhard Willhelm hat

4. Buffalo boots

5. Daniel Palillo Finger jacket

6. KTZ AW 13/14 skirt

7. Q-Ray magnetic bracelet

8. Green Guru Gear Ruckus Bike Tube Backpack

Photo: Miller Rodriguez / PrettyPuke

Published January 17, 2013. Words by Daniel Jones.