from
‘Graphic Design for Fashion’
Design byBOTH AKA Jay Hess & Simone Pasztorek
Photography PSC Photography
As the title implies, Graphic Design for Fashion opens the door to the world of graphic design for fashion bringing together a well-curated selection of contemporary work, accompanied by interviews in which the studios reveal something of their process for expressing themselves creatively and exclusive insights into the projects themselves – similar to the way I do things on SI.
Jay on the ‘The Cover’
“The cover was printed with three or 4 spot colours with an exposed trimmed edge. The front cover has the graphic design studio names debossed and the reverse has the fashion designers names.
We intentionally did not put our names on the front cover, because it just did not fit in the design, it was so tight… We did want our credit on the spine to wrap into the back cover to link it into the design of the back cover, YES, the publisher was horrified… But this is the benefit of being author and designer, you only step on your own toes…
Overall, we wanted a cover that people want to pick up, this is achieved by the colour… Structurally though, it is completely in line with what we have been doing on the inside. The cover shows best the scale of the objects too, which was painstakingly maintained throughout each page so it feels like all the objects were simply laying down next to each other.”
We intentionally did not put our names on the front cover, because it just did not fit in the design, it was so tight… We did want our credit on the spine to wrap into the back cover to link it into the design of the back cover, YES, the publisher was horrified… But this is the benefit of being author and designer, you only step on your own toes…
Overall, we wanted a cover that people want to pick up, this is achieved by the colour… Structurally though, it is completely in line with what we have been doing on the inside. The cover shows best the scale of the objects too, which was painstakingly maintained throughout each page so it feels like all the objects were simply laying down next to each other.”
The book leads in with some nice, glossy endpapers, before getting right down to business on some heavy uncoated stock denoting chapter intros, followed by lighter uncoated stock for the image-heavy chapters, as Jay explains: “We settled for two weights of uncoated woodfree paper – lighter for the chapters and heavier for the chapter intro pages – to try and create a bit of a subtle click as you flick through the pages, so you know where the chapter begins and ends.”
Inside each chapter (there are 4) is a perfectly formed selection of branding, invitations, lookbooks and packaging with lovely, full-bleed colour images of each project photographed by PSC Photography. “The book simply would not be the same with supplied imagery,” says Jay. “We just wanted all the work to be equal, on a level playing field which is not possible with supplied imagery. We have not just shown the best bits in extreme close up, we have tried to show the body of work; a collective body of graphic design for fashion.”
Design: Acne Art Department
This is a small selection of the vast array of branding material. Clockwise from top right are jeans labels, denim buttons, a compliments slips and a receipt envelope.
Design: Anothercompany
While the debut issue N°0 was only available digitally, the success of Journal de Nîmes justified its launch into a quarterly duotone newspaper. With an oversized format of 30 x 42cm, the publication explores the aesthetic world of Tenue de Nîmes. Like the brand, denim is the primary focus, yet related products and accessories are features as well. The magazine allows in-depth analysis of the heritage and projected future of denim.
Design: Anothercompany
Relevant to the materiality and hardwearing qualities of denim, this special heavyweight cotton bag reinforces the brand values outside the retail environment. Attention to detail is shown by the notably shorter handles to provide more balanced proportions.
Design: Paul Boudens for Yohji Yamamoto
With central perforations these A5 cards were delivered in translucent metallic envelopes. Boudens invests heavily in the materiality of each project.
Design: Small
The men’s collection is seasonally presented in Paris as a static exhibitions. For the invitations Small use the details of the installation or venue as inspiration. The Spring/Summer 2009 collection presentation was fixed to large wooden boards with punched holes that went on to influence the invititation. “The invitations have relevance to the location but do not give much away about the collection.”
Design: Julia Born
“The concept for the design is very simple: we show ten life-sized photographs throughout the book. The cut-up posters, piled up and folded together into the book generate a dramaturgy and layout where new combinations and figures are invented on each spread. It’s almost a remake – a ‘Part 2′ as it were – of the collection itself with new pieces of clothing, poses, fabrics, etc. The system of compiling is subtly visible when the ‘narrative’ goes from head, down to feet, and back again.”
Design: Plug-In Graphic for Journal Standard
“The material used for the cover is waxed, brown craft paper, which gives the book a unique feel when touched. When I cannot find the paper with the right texture, I sometimes use printing techniques to create the ideal texture, and this is one such example.” The Autumn/Winter 2005/06 Journal Standard lookbook was also embellished with scribbles on the page to establish a used aesthetic. A shift in the team saw Ryotaro Horiuchi take over the photography of the publication.
Design: Plug-In Graphic for Journal Standard
A fluctuating mix of paper stocks and contextual content builds a strong narrative around the Spring/Summer 2009 Journal Standard Luxe collection. At 17.5 x 24cm the quarter-bound hardcover lookbook feels more academic than fashion.
Design: Homework for Fleur Tang
“Fleur Tang garments and packaging are made with 100 percent organic materials. From the cotton in the mills to the manufacturing, every process is done with the environment in mind – and without harmful chemicals. A piece of clothing with peace of mind.: – The minimal design aesthetic features a single logo embossed onto each package. Substantial effort was invested in developing an innovative closure for the box to enhance the uniqueness of the experience.
Design: Marque
The Victor Alfaro shoe range features complementary casual and luxury collections. To emphasize this distinction two independent shoebox designs were produced. Each line required ballet-, regular-, and boot-sized boxes.
Design: Mind Design
“Tom had a large influence on the design of the packaging but gave us total freedom in the actual graphics and typography. For the Eco Polo we did not want to use ant printing on the packaging and labels at all, so the design was embossed into a recycled, egg carton-like material. For the Techno Polo Tom suggested a silver, vacuum-packed foil packaging that was screen-printed.”
The kind of book where you can jump in anywhere, GD for Fashion is an accessible, easy read and the layout complements it so well. As Jay explains: “The book is broken into four chapters, from that, we made a quadrant typographic grid, each chapter, and each quad, adopting a weight from Franklin Gothic. It was broken down very simply and very quickly, nothing fussy, but a subtle evolution through the book.” It has to be said that the quadrant typographic system employed throughout the book is a slight departure from what I’m used to but it works really well.
There was very, very little I didn’t like in GD for Fashion, but the things I did like more than made up for it! This is a testament to how much time and energy went in to the making of this tome and its a fine example of how to do a curated “best of” compendium right. If this is Mr. Hess and Miss Pasztorek’s first book then the future looks bright for these two authors/designers.
Highly rated for your 606 Universal Shelving System this autumn/fall. ;)
I hope you (dear reader) took something away from this review and enjoyed this SI Exclusive – this is just a small glimpse of what you can expect in the book! Keep your eyes peeled for more super-high-res images on the SI Flickr Gallery some time this week! I’d also like to take a few seconds to thank Lewis @Laurence King for sending me a copy of this beauty and author: Jay for sending me the high-res photographs and design info. Cheers gents!
Graphic design for Fashion is available online at Laurence King and at all good book shops.
If you’re new here, don’t forget to Subscribe & follow SI on Twitter for your weekly dose of visual crack. Spreading the love via FFFFOUND! is also encouraged here. ;)
This post is tagged Books, Branding, byBOTH, Catalogues, Communications, Graphic Design for Fashion, Lookbook, Packaging
If you’re new here, don’t forget to Subscribe & follow SI on Twitter for your weekly dose of visual crack. Spreading the love via FFFFOUND! is also encouraged here. ;)
This post is tagged Books, Branding, byBOTH, Catalogues, Communications, Graphic Design for Fashion, Lookbook, Packaging
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