Wallpaper* – A celebration of what print can be

Wallpaper* has always pushed the boundaries. Not just in terms of magazine design, but as a patron of international creativity. Now a new landmark has been set with a unique Handmade edition incorporating no less than eight UPM papers.

Described as their 'most ambitious project to date' – which is saying something in relation to the adventurous team at Wallpaper* – they brought together and briefed some of the world's leading designers, craftsmen and manufacturers who produced one-off furniture, food, fashion and more. The Handmade edition chronicles their production and presentation at this year's Salone del Mobile in Italy.

Not shy in going a step further, Wallpaper* decided to offer readers the opportunity to create and have their own cover printed.

August 2010 – Wallpaper* 'firsts'

• Wallpaper* was the first IPC Media group title to launch on the new iPad, one of the first magazines with an iPad issue and Handmade was the first edition available on Apple's latest technology.

• Readers were invited to create their own custom covers for the Handmade edition and within the first three weeks more than 3,000 people registered (see gallery of covers at http://www.wallpaper.com/custom-covers/gallery).

A renaissance in quality printing

"This is about the recipe for remarkable things – art, craft, skill, vision and the determination to do better," says editor in chief Tony Chambers, who views the project from a special perspective as former art editor on the Sunday Times magazine, art director at men's mag GQ and creative director of Wallpaper*.

"As I'm primarily an art director who's masquerading as an editor, I am passionate about printing and paper, the tactility, the quality of a printed product. All sensible magazines and newspapers are embracing the digital world but they should not neglect print. I think there is going to be a renaissance in quality printing on quality paper and Handmade is a celebration of what print can be. Paper has already reached its perfect form. As a communication tool, ink on paper is not going to be superseded."

Handmade embraces paper and technology

Others have created special products with multiple paper grades, but only in niche publications or at huge cost.

"The perception is that Wallpaper* is niche and arty but we sell 110,000 on the news stands. Handmade
embraces paper and technology, the heritage of paper and, in designing your own cover, state of the art digital printing."

After eight months planning and a budget only slightly higher than usual, Chambers reflects on the moment Handmade stepped from idea into reality.

"We had a meeting with about 25 people across the IPC building, as it involved so many departments: subscriptions, digital, financial, distribution, legal, print-production. At the start I was a little nervous as they all looked at us as if we were mad. But by the end of the meeting, after the concept was clarified, there was a real air of excitement (and relief) as everyone in that room realised how great Handmade could be: tough, but achievable."

From left:
Tony Chambers, Dino Vasiliou,
Meirion Pritchard, Richard Cook

DINO Vasiliou (UPM's Head of UK Magazine Publishers):
"Being offered a creative opportunity with such a renowned magazine
is extremely exciting for UPM. This has allowed us to see the whole process rather than just supplying paper – a unique experience."

• Launched in 1996 and instantly recognised as a design and style bible, Wallpaper* is a truly international brand also staging events, presenting design awards and publishing the hugely successful Wallpaper* city guides

• circulation 110,000 and available in 93 countries, with more than 25,000 subscribers, www.wallpaper.com had 4,679,020 page impressions in May (up 14% month-on-month and 49% year-on-year) and over 550,000 unique users

• Wallpaper* became the first British magazine with its own iPhone app (in April 2010) and is top of the mediauk.com magazine Twitter league table with over 130,000 followers (and rising daily)

UPM had what we needed

Wallpaper* art director Meirion Pritchard had the tough task of planning a magazine that required features to fall into set 16-page sections because of the change of paper.

"This issue was about collaboration and we want­ed to extend that to the production of the magazine. UPM had what we needed and a relationship with IPC," he explains. „We needed not only beautiful papers, but enough to print 200,000 copies and a lot to be done by web. We needed paper, skill and speed."

He is certain readers will appreciate the feel and qualities of the Handmade edition, though the effect of
the paper itself is largely subliminal.

Editorial director Richard Cook, agrees: "It's not a conscious thing. You don't think 'this paper is great', but magazines are tactile, thumbed through, interacted with, unlike anything you can do on a computer, even an iPad. There is a physical relationship with a magazine.

"The whole ethos of this issue is about handmade qualities, buying something that's lasting and has real provenance. It's really important that people feel something when they read Handmade – that what they have is a thing of beauty, of integrity, something worth having, so it's not just information. Part of that is what it's printed on, the paper is part of the DNA."

IPC and Wallpaper* chose eight UPM products for the
Handmade edition.

Cover: UPM Finesse premium silk H 250 g/m²
Covers for digital edition with readers' own designs: UPM Digi Finesse premium silk H 250 g/m²
Magazine pages:
UPM Ultra H 75 g/m²
UPM Matt H 70 g/m²
UPM Satin Plus H 70 g/m²
UPM Fine H 150 g/m²
UPM Star H 100 g/m²
Self cover 32 page booklet: UPM EcoPrime 68 H 55 g/m²
Special pull out (readers can assemble their own Ryuki Nakamura designed paper house):
UPM Fine 190 g/m²

ABOUT IPC MEDIA

• Founded in 1968, the UK publishing giant became IPC Media in 2000.
• IPC has 85 brands and its magazines reach almost two-thirds of women and 44% of men in the UK,
a total of 27 million adults.