What We Loved This Week, Sept. 25 – Oct. 1

Published September 30, 2016
Updated September 29, 2016

Italy's festival for ugly people, footwear of the famous, Paris in 1952, rescued from the Holocaust, and surprising vintage restaurant menus.

Photos From Italy’s “Ugly People” Festival

Club Dei Brutti Foto Body Image

Mattia Micheli/VICEVice President Gedeone on his Brut Mobile (ugly car).

Pageantry isn’t just for the beautiful — and Piobbico, Italy’s “Ugly Festival” proves it. Taking place once a year, members of the World Association of Ugly People (yes, it actually exists) convene in the tiny Italian town to elect the club’s next president.

The association has its roots in the late 19th century, and over time has transformed from a marriage agency for Piobbico’s single women to a lighthearted, global organization boasting over 30,000 members. Its purpose? To fight what VICE calls the “cult of beauty in modern society.”

“Our organization is about not taking oneself too seriously and fighting against the notion of beauty as a purely aesthetic quality,” current president Gianni Aluigi told VICE. “It is obvious that our members aren’t ‘ugly’ in the classic sense. Maybe they aren’t beautiful, but we just joke about that.”

If you couldn’t make it to this year’s festival, these photos at VICE help articulate the fun times that you missed.

Piobbico Ugly People World Blue

Mattia Micheli/VICEDino, a former triathlete and well-known member of the club.

Piobbico Ugly People World Association Festival

Mattia Micheli/VICEA man who Vice Italy says follows the parade every year with his bike.

The Footwear Of The Famous

Gene Kelly

Henry Leutwyler/TIMEDancer and movie star Gene Kelly’s Converses.

Photographer Henry Leutwyler’s new book, Document, captures many cherished objects that once belonged to celebrities, included their well-worn footwear.

“It’s close to your body, it touches your skin. It shows if you maintain it well or not, if you care less or are careful, if you have money or you don’t have money,” he told TIME, referring to the power of shoes to represent their owner.

You can see the rest of the photos at TIME.

Muhammed Ali

Henry Leutwyler/TIMEMuhammad Ali’s Adidas “Special” boxing shoe, size 13 US.

Una Bomber

Henry Leutwyler/TIME“Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski’s pair of zigzag shoes or “winos,” c. 1996.

Stunning Photographs Of Paris In 1952

Paris 1952 1

Vintage EverydayLe Café du Trocadéro.

Photographer Ed Kanouse traveled to Europe for the first time in 1948 and began capturing stunning imagery of France, Switzerland, Italy, and more. In 1952, he traveled to Paris and shot quotidian life in “The City of Light.”

View more incredible photos at Vintage Everyday.

Paris 1952 2

Vintage EverydayChildren in the Jardin des Tuileries.

Paris 1952 3

Vintage EverydayAvenue des Champs-Élysées.

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.