10 independent design magazines for giving as Christmas gifts
sindroms
A selection of suggestions that are also perfect for a last-minute idea. For all lovers of design and reading
Does a paper magazine make sense in the age of digital content? Certainly, as a celebration of wonder. Increasingly oriented towards bimonthly or annual issues, paper magazines today do everything that online information cannot do: they go very slowly, they take care of the details, the quality of the images, texts and research. They are small works of art that activate almost all the senses, produced from passion rather than financial profit. Here is a selection of Italian and international magazines devoted to design that will make the hearts of those who receive them beat faster. The selection is a tribute to the discovery of original ways of representing creativity, from monographs on color to the spirituality embodied in everyday objects. They can be ordered from the portal Frab’s, a small Italian miracle where you can find independent magazines from around the world. Enjoy shopping!
sindroms
“A journal of monochrome states of mind.” Sindroms is a Danish magazine that explores emotions through colors. Each issue focuses on a specific hue, analyzing its emotional and cultural impact. Founded by illustrator and designer Miruna Sorescu, it is based in Copenhagen. The latest Issue #8: Orange Sindrom, is devoted to orange, and you can select the cover from four of your choice designed by Michael Olivier Love, Opale Studio and Will Bunce. Past issues include green, red, yellow, pink, gold and blue.
Price per issue €25, or the trio Orange+Gold+Blue €63
sindroms.com
Magazine C
A Korean magazine featuring chairs published by Grande Clip, this is the offspring of Magazine B, which focuses on monographic stories of design brands. The issue Magazine C n. 1 takes us on a journey into Jean Prouvé’s Standard Chair from 1934, considered a timeless icon. The issue tells the story of the designer, collectors, manufacturers, and more generally how this object has influenced the industry and people’s lives.
Price per issue $22 plus shipping, or for Italy €33.50 from frabsmagazines.com
en.magazine-b.com
Inventario
Conceived by Beppe Finessi and published by Corraini, Inventario. Tutto è progetto is a collection of suggestions, images and stories devoted to the creative process, starting from the assumption that behind every object there is a design idea. Each issue is thematic, with the latest (Inventario #17) featuring bricks. Among the previous issues, all of which can be purchased online, we find flower pots, globes, soccer balls, feathers or fans. A must.
Price per issue €9.50
inventario-bookzine.com/
FRAME
Created by Robert Thiemann in 1997, FRAME is a Dutch magazine that explores interior design, architecture and more generally innovation. Based in Amsterdam, it focuses on residential, commercial and public spaces, highlighting cutting-edge projects. The latest Issue 159 - Winter 2024 presents sustainability by bringing together inspirational projects to showcase the active role of designers in building a more environmentally friendly society, “with the innate understanding that no stakeholder acts or exists in isolation”.
Price per issue €24.95, or annual subscription for €129
frameweb.com/magazine
Tools
A French magazine edited by Clémentine Berry with art direction by Twice Studio, Tools seeks to promote and decipher production techniques and know-how in art, design, interiors, industry and craftsmanship. Published annually, each issue focuses on a specific production technique, from weaving to folding. The latest issue, Tools #4 / TO CUT, explores cutting tools.
Price per issue €25 plus shipping.
tools-magazine.org
sindroms
Magazine C
Inventario
FRAME
Tools
Damn°
“A Magazine for Opinions on Contemporary Culture.” An independent quarterly based in Brussels, Damn° combines design, architecture and art by celebrating the imagination and uniting the personal, political, economic, emotional, stylistic and social. Each issue has a theme with a focus on cultural and social issues, offering a critical perspective on projects that challenge traditional norms in original ways. The latest issue, DAMN° 88, is titled Sun, Sport & INTIMACY.
Price per issue €30 or four issues for €120
damnmagazine.net
L’Essenziale Studio
Founded by Luca De Stefano, this Italian magazine explores design and the visual arts, showcasing the work of emerging artists and independent designers. Issued twice yearly, it is a resource packed with names that offer the reader an update on the emerging contemporary panorama. All issues can be ordered online. The latest is L’Essenziale Studio n. 7.
Price of the latest issue €20
lessenzialestudio.eu
Apartamento
Founded in 2008 in Barcelona by Nacho Alegre, Omar Sosa and Marco Velardi, Apartamento celebrates authentic interiors, presenting the daily lives of creatives from around the world, both established and emerging figures, through journeys into their personal spaces. Based in Barcelona and with offices in Milan, Berlin and New York, the magazine is published twice yearly.
Price per issue €16.20 or subscription of €14.50 every six months.
apartamentomagazine.com
Anima
“Anima probes below the surface of design, while understanding that appearances matter too.” This is an Italian magazine that focuses on design and well-being. With a meditative approach, Anima explores the connections between objects and spirituality, promoting an aesthetic that combines functionality and inner harmony. The second issue analyzes, among much else, the language of typography and life on the Moon, with contributions by Natalie Du Pasquier, Dieter Rams and Samuel Ross.
Price per issue £12 or subscription for £38
anima-magazine.com
ARCHIVIO
Founded in Italy by Promemoria Group, ARCHIVIO explores the concept of the archive through historical documents, photographs and objects. The magazine is notable for its aesthetic refinement and ability to connect past and present through visual storytelling that invites reflection on the value of memory and cultural preservation. The latest issue, ARCHIVIO N°10 is devoted fully to design and edited by the designer Jasper Morrison and Marco Sammicheli, director of the Museo del Design Italiano at the Triennale di Milano. The editorial director is Daniela Hamaui, and the art director Alessandro Gori.
Price per issue €21
magazine.archivio.com
Damn°
L’Essenziale Studio
Apartamento
Anima
ARCHIVIO
