Contemporary Swiss print design

Swiss design continues to be the envy of the world, and the country's publishing houses are at the forefront of new styles and aesthetic innovations. This image (above) of contemporary Swiss print design showcases monographs and notebooks, illustrating a culture that is still very much alive.

Edition Patrick Frey (top left and right)

Actor turned art publisher Patrick Frey (see the W*140, page 069) produces an eclectic range of monographs, limited editions and experimental pieces from his base in Zurich. Seen here with collaborator Mirjam Fischer, Frey's roving eye turns the work of European artists into enduring print projects. Shown above, Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs' The Great Unreal and the monograph of Swiss photographer (and regular Frey contributor) Walter Pfeiffer's exhibition in Winterthur

(published by Steidl, distributed by Frey).

www.editionpatrickfrey.ch

Sang Bleu (middle left and bottom)

Designer and tattoo aficionado Maxime Büchi (see W*140 page 072) has helmed Sang Bleu since 2004, when the first issue of this fusion of tattoos, alt-culture, art and fashion reared its richly printed head. Working with Jeanne-Salomé Rochat, Adrian Wilson and Ben Perdue, the Lausanne-based publication is dragging body art into the gallery and onto the catwalk.

www.sangbleu.com

Most Beautiful Swiss Books (middle right)

Few countries big up their print output as much as the Swiss. Since 1943, at the instigation of none other than Jan Tschichold, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture has collated a catalogue of the best of the country's published output of the previous year, as judged by a group of design luminaries. As befits such elaborate subject matter, the catalogue itself is a thing to behold. From 2007 to 2009, graphic designer Laurenz Brunner and literary critic Tan Wälchli created a trilogy of monographs, Past / Present / Future.

www.bak.admin.ch

Burkhardt Binderi (bottom)

Mireille Burkhardt's hand-tooled leather notebooks are tactile treasures. The designer, who also works at London-based Burgess O’Connor Burkhardt (www.bobdesign.co.uk, makes them to order for special occasions. Extensively customizable, they're just one of many products on offer from BUBU Buchbinderi Burkhardt, a hi-tech book bindery outfit that's also branched out into very high-end print on demand with their Book Factory service.

www.bubu.ch

www.bookfactory.ch