| << | January 2010 | >> | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa |
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | ||||||
- Keechdesign News (29)
- Design Classics (8)
- Opinion (25)
- Creative Report (36)
- In The Know (14)
- Inspiration (18)
- Design Top Five (10)
In The Know (12)
Posted by: Jonathan Miller on 24th Jun 2010 in In The Know
Our occasional series where great design objects are described by those who know them best; their owners.
Jonathan Miller, of Alembic extols the virtues of something for which (as yet) there isn't an app for...
What is it? The Moleskine notebook.
Tell me more... These smart 90x140mm notebooks by Moleskine Srl. of Milan have smooth uncoated cream paper pages bound in covers of black passe-partout style coated card, with an elastic band to hold it closed (or mark a place), a ribbon bookmark, and an expandable pocket inside the rear cover. Moleskine infer these are the notebooks used by artsy folk of legend (Picasso, Matisse, Hemingway, Bruce Chatwin) for the germination of ideas for their art – although the heritage of the Moleskine brand reaches back only to 1997.
Why did you buy it? As one who moves around a bit and can’t predict when free time and/or inspiration will be available, I always carry some form of sketch/notebook for collecting thoughts/information and for drawing to work through possible ideas. I do also use the (rather less glam) Black ‘n’ Red books but have had binding failures with these – Moleskine’s are the best available for the job, combining robust quality and discreet style.
About its looks? Although my tendency to use the band to retain extra notes/ephemera makes mine look like George Castanza’s wallet, the classic black Moleskine book in the right hands looks elegantly effective, purposeful and discreet. The cream paper is practical (forgiving of marks/stains), the books’ rounded corners protect the book’s smart appearance (and users’ pockets) whilst also making it seem vaguely contemporary.
Technical advantages? The high quality thread-sewn binding makes it possible to lay the pages flat, making the most of the small format. The uncoated acid-free paper is environmentally sustainable. The elastic band keeps it together in transit, protecting the pages, and the ribbon marker holds your place. The subtle interaction between hand/pen/ink/paper is the key thing – I am a keen iPhone user, but there is as yet (despite Mr. Hockney’s enthusiasm) no app that recreates this. The next generation of haptic screens might change this, but for now my jacket pockets will continue to bulge unattractively.
Emotional appeal? As with Mont Blanc fountain pens in the 1980s, Moleskine encourage fetishisation, positioning (and pricing) the brand as luxury product rather than simple stationery commodity. Where does the name comes from? – no idea, but I was both reassured and yet faintly disappointed to discover that these books are definitely not bound in mole skin – but the texture of the paper, cover and fabric ribbon is a consoling tactile treat.
Could it be improved? Only by dropping the price. This will never happen.
Not recommended for... Diehard technophiles and fashion fiends who can’t cope with pockets.
There are no comments. Be the first to post one.
Posted by: Jonathan Miller on 24th Jun 2010 in In The Know
Our occasional series where great design objects are described by those who know them best; their owners.
Jonathan Miller, of Alembic extols the virtues of something for which (as yet) there isn't an app for...
What is it? The Moleskine notebook.
Tell me more... These smart 90x140mm notebooks by Moleskine Srl. of Milan have smooth uncoated cream paper pages bound in covers of black passe-partout style coated card, with an elastic band to hold it closed (or mark a place), a ribbon bookmark, and an expandable pocket inside the rear cover. Moleskine infer these are the notebooks used by artsy folk of legend (Picasso, Matisse, Hemingway, Bruce Chatwin) for the germination of ideas for their art – although the heritage of the Moleskine brand reaches back only to 1997.
Why did you buy it? As one who moves around a bit and can’t predict when free time and/or inspiration will be available, I always carry some form of sketch/notebook for collecting thoughts/information and for drawing to work through possible ideas. I do also use the (rather less glam) Black ‘n’ Red books but have had binding failures with these – Moleskine’s are the best available for the job, combining robust quality and discreet style.
About its looks? Although my tendency to use the band to retain extra notes/ephemera makes mine look like George Castanza’s wallet, the classic black Moleskine book in the right hands looks elegantly effective, purposeful and discreet. The cream paper is practical (forgiving of marks/stains), the books’ rounded corners protect the book’s smart appearance (and users’ pockets) whilst also making it seem vaguely contemporary.
Technical advantages? The high quality thread-sewn binding makes it possible to lay the pages flat, making the most of the small format. The uncoated acid-free paper is environmentally sustainable. The elastic band keeps it together in transit, protecting the pages, and the ribbon marker holds your place. The subtle interaction between hand/pen/ink/paper is the key thing – I am a keen iPhone user, but there is as yet (despite Mr. Hockney’s enthusiasm) no app that recreates this. The next generation of haptic screens might change this, but for now my jacket pockets will continue to bulge unattractively.
Emotional appeal? As with Mont Blanc fountain pens in the 1980s, Moleskine encourage fetishisation, positioning (and pricing) the brand as luxury product rather than simple stationery commodity. Where does the name comes from? – no idea, but I was both reassured and yet faintly disappointed to discover that these books are definitely not bound in mole skin – but the texture of the paper, cover and fabric ribbon is a consoling tactile treat.
Could it be improved? Only by dropping the price. This will never happen.
Not recommended for... Diehard technophiles and fashion fiends who can’t cope with pockets.
Comments
There are no comments. Be the first to post one.
