When the alumni magazine Hue from New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) underwent a redesign in 2022, the editors aimed to make each issue feel like a gift.
With the Fall 2023 edition, they took the gift idea to a new level when they highlighted the work of packaging design graduate students by adding a surprise present to the cover – one hiding in plain sight! Designed by our friends at Alexander Isley Inc. [projects / website], the 36-page magazine was printed offset CMYK by GHP Media.
A Big and Bold Vision
Alexander Isley established a “big and bold” visual direction for the magazine. The result? The issue became slightly oversize at 9.5 x 12 inches. The clean, photo-rich design earned the studio a First Place 2023 PRINT Award from PRINT magazine.
It features profiles of the institute’s grad students as well as photographs of their packaging design work, its vibrant colors beautifully popping off the uncoated Sylvamo Accent Opaque stock [PaperSpecs PRO Members: Get Swatchbook!].
A Gift in Every Issue
To deliver on their promise, the designers went all out by transforming the cover into something unique—a box! Through Die Cut perforations and scoring, readers could punch out and assemble the box themselves.
Featuring a pattern designed by FIT graduate Masha Parfenov, the box can be held together by folding it into place and adding a little clear tape to the flaps.
The team perfected the perforation to balance sturdiness and ease. The box withstands postal handling, yet readers can punch it out without needing an X-Acto knife.
Not only is this cover interactive and fun, but it also fulfills the magazine’s mission: “to represent FIT’s wildly unconventional community.” Though as you can see, “unconventional” doesn’t necessarily mean “thinking outside the box.” 😉
