Why print's en vogue with fashion brands

Luxury fashion house Loewe may not have had a runway show this year, but that didn't stop the brand from making headlines. “The Loewe Show Has Been Cancelled” announced the front page of a special supplement slipped into weekend editions of the New York Times, Le Monde, The Asahi Shimbun and other major newspapers.

In a video released at the same time, creative director Jonathan Anderson explains — while sitting on a stack of newspapers — why he used print as a "narrative backdrop" for the collection:

 

Photos of the Loewe newspaper were shared widely on social media. “A beautifully executed and thoroughly original show concept,” writer Otegha Uwagba captioned her post on Instagram. Vogue said the newspaper “swiftly eviscerated the exclusivity” of the fashion industry. According to i-D it was a step towards more accessible fashion shows, “transforming them from industry-insider events that make a fleeting splash on timelines into enjoy-at-home physical artefacts.”

Loewe is the most recent in a wave of leading fashion brands making creative use of newspapers to connect with customers. From Simone Rocha to Rapha, here are 8 more brands making print en vogue in a digital age.

Omega

Iconic watchmakers Omega marked one small step with one big broadsheet. In 2019, the brand celebrated the 50th anniversary of the moon landing — and the Omega Speedmaster watch worn by Neil Armstrong during the journey — with the Omega Daily.

The newspapers were used as part of a performance at Omega's epic space-themed dinner in London (pictured above) and folded out into a poster that guests could take home as a souvenir. Printed on our digital broadsheets.

Rapha

Rapha, the stylish cycling outfitter, puts a fresh spin on the tradition of race reportage with their zine-style Doppio. Produced to coincide with the Tour de France each year, the newspaper — distributed for free at their shops — features photography, interviews and a handy map of the race route.

"In an ever digital culture, venerating the physical feats these athletes endure via the permanence of print seems more refreshing than ever,” says Rapha art director Patrick Wylde-Mafham. Printed on our traditional minis.

Dr. Martens

Brand collaborations are big news for streetwear fans. Shoreditch-based Goodhood knows this well and produced a limited-edition zine to promote the pairing of Dr Martens and Japanese brand Neighborhood.

The newspaper adds an extra element of buzz and collectability around the shoes and is a fitting nod to the punk inspiration behind them — “The Filth and the Fury” is a reference to a Daily Mirror headline about the Sex Pistols. In store, the shoes were displayed on stacks of zines (pictured above) as an added brand element. Printed on our traditional tabloids.

Desmond and Dempsey

Chic pyjama brand Desmond and Dempsey publishes The Sunday Paper alongside each new collection. Part lookbook and part magazine, it’s designed to channel “that slow Sunday feeling” in print and deliver a physical intimacy with their readers that screens can’t replicate. Customers love it and every issue so far has sold out. Printed on our traditional tabloids.

Simone Rocha

Thoughtful printed material has long been an important part of the brand experience for Irish designer Simone Rocha. “I want people to be able to leave with something even if they don’t want to spend £1,000 on a dress,” she told the audience at Dublin’s OFFSET festival in 2018.

Rocha recently collaborated with photographer Kerry J. Dean on an intimate series of portraits taken at Dean’s home in Sussex during lockdown. “It wasn’t, ‘we’ve shot that outfit, onto the next,’” Dean said in an interview about the project. "It was a very different process for me, as there was no time restriction and there was no brief. It was me doing the things I wanted to do.” The zine was distributed for free in Simone Rocha’s stores in London, New York and Hong Kong. Printed on our digital broadsheets.

Norwegian Rain

A newspaper “fits with our philosophy of slow fashion and our focus on timeless craftsmanship,” says Christian Bergheim, graphic designer for slick outerwear brand Norwegian Rain. “You have to invest time to fully appreciate it, and that gives our readers an experience that goes beyond the normal, digital scrolling.” Their newspaper Petrichor takes its name from the lovely word used to describe the smell of rain on dry earth and has become “an important ingredient in the Norwegian Rain universe.” Printed on our traditional broadsheets.

Cubitts

Forget the dusty back issues of Hello! you’re used to finding in a waiting room. Modern eyewear brand Cubitts takes a more thoughtful approach with a newspaper that speaks to the interests of their customers. The Spectacle, which customers can read while waiting for their eye exams, features interviews and essays tailored to a creative audience. It shows the brand's personality and helps Cubitts "build brand loyalty organically, away from the tyranny of likes and follows." Printed on our traditional tabloids.

Christopher Raeburn

As the fashion industry works toward a more sustainable future, lookbooks have become a way for brands to reinforce their values. British designer Christopher Raeburn, for example, is well known for his use of recycled and repurposed materials. That includes his lo-fi lookbooks, which are printed on our recycled 52gsm newsprint. The beautifully designed catalogues are worth holding onto but it you choose not to, they can be easily recycled once again. Printed on our traditional tabloids.

---

Make your own newspaper with Newspaper Club. Print runs start at 1 copy!

Get free samples