French folk icon Edith Piaf was nicknamed “the little black sparrow” because she wore a black sheath for her performances throughout her career: She believed it helped audiences focus on her singing rather than her appearance.

That’s the true magic of black. It won't steal the spotlight. It recedes and lets the star of the show shine. And like the little black dress, the little black album will never go out of fashion.

A black photo album lets bold images take center stage, as this black Kolo Luxury Cortina album-turned-portfolio so perfectly demonstrates. Sure, these illustrations by Uchikawa Takuma would look great with just about any color, but set against black, they pop.

I use Kolo photo albums to show off my work to clients. I like Kolo albums for their clean and simple design. They suit my style, and don’t overpower my illustrations. On the Kolo Luxury Cortina photo album, the binding and the black-on-black detail on the spine are elegant, but understated.

For more images of this project by Uchikawa Takuma, visit flickr .

- Ugo