Walsh, J., 2019.

The Secret History of Magazine Design: Cover Version

The world of editorial design has evolved dramatically since its inception over the last 120 years. Processes and techniques employed in the production of these ephemeral cultural artefacts are often hidden from view. "The aim of any title is to deliver a content to an audience." Bricke (1983). The final art-directed spread holds the ideal visual narrative in portraying editorial content to the reader. Yet, the real mechanics, which went into, play before this resolution is the real story behind editorial design. The brief, the team, the systems, the constraints, the conversations, the trials and errors, the deadline, the printers, the budget, the headaches, etc., etc.

Bringing together designers and art directors from around the world, over the last 60 years, Magazine Design: A Secret History aims to tell these stories through a series of experiences and platforms. The first event launches this enterprise with: Cover Versions, comprising of a curated exhibition and an accompanying magazine. The work of ten practitioners is examined, starting from 10 seminal covers and gradually working backwards exploring the mechanics of their creation. Alexey Brodovitch, Vince Frost, C.P. Pineles, Fabien Baron, Fred Woodward, M/M Paris, Fernando Gutierrez