Wallpaper* Handmade is printed on seven different paper stocks, has 21,000 unique covers and every object it features was commissioned by the magazine.
For the August issue, Wallpaper* brought together and briefed some of the world’s leading designers, craftsmen and manufacturers to produce unique furniture, fittings, foodstuffs, fashion and more. The special issue chronicles the production and presentation of this astonishing collection of one-off designs and delicacies.
From cover to cover, Wallpaper* Handmade is a complete celebration of craftsmanship. Through working closely with paper supplier UPM, the issue is printed on no less than seven different paper stocks and includes an A5 sketchbook documenting how several of the designs evolved. There is even a paper house to cut out and assemble, courtesy of architect Ryuji Nakamura.
In another first, the magazine invited readers to get in on the handmade act too. Through the wonders of state-of-the-art digital printing, every reader was able to design their own cover using a palette of images, textures and type from some of Wallpaper’s favourite graphic artists. Wallpaper* will deliver more than 21,000 magazines with unique covers, designed either by readers themselves or by the Wallpaper* computer.
And, having generated more excitement than would fit into a single issue, an extended insider’s guide to Handmade can be found on www.wallpaper.com. Special features include time-lapse films detailing the construction of the largest exhibits and picture galleries featuring every single Handmade product – some of which can be bought online. There is also an interactive tour of the exhibition staged during the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Wallpaper* editor-in-chief Tony Chambers says: “This hugely ambitious issue is about the recipe for remarkable things: art, craft, skill, vision and the determination to do better.”
Publishing director Gord Ray adds: “We are delighted we have been able to execute something as logistically complex as the custom covers project and are thrilled by the enthusiasm shown by our readers to engage with the brand on such a creative level.”
