Famed designer featured in Mohawk campaign with preview at Fashion Institute of Technology event on April 25 

Cohoes, NY – Massimo Vignelli is world renowned for producing a wide range of award-winning designs over the last five decades.  Now, Mr. Vignelli is sharing his experiences as a book designer to support Mohawk’s “What Will You Make Today?” campaign.  In answer to the question, Vignelli has co-developed a limited-edition journal featuring Mohawk paper, and narrates an animated video explaining his grid-centric approach to book design.

The Vignelli video and journal will debut on April 26, 2013, with a preview on April 25 during An Evening with Massimo Vignelli held at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  The event is sponsored by InSource, and attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the limited-edition journal.  The limited-edition journal will also be available via Mohawk’s website (www.mohawkconnects.com), while supplies last.

Vignelli’s grid-based design is interwoven throughout the handsome 7” x 7” journal, which features a selection of fine Mohawk papers.  Developed by Pentagram, New York, NY; the journal was printed by Universal Wilde, Boston, MA; and finishing/bindery was completed by The Riverside Group, Rochester, NY.

The front and back covers showcase a geometric grid of artfully debossed panels on Strathmore Premium Wove Midnight Black 130dtc/352 gsm.  The spine is white foil stamped with the phrase, “What will you make today” and includes the Mohawk logo.

The 100 interior pages each feature 24 rectangular blocks forming a perfect grid, and are printed on Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite 80t/118gsm.  The journal’s end leaves, Strathmore Premium Wove Smoke Gray 80t/118gsm, complete the beautiful design.

The introductory page features a quote from Vignelli, and is enabled with augmented reality technology to connect readers with the animated video via Mohawk Live, a new, free mobile app, designed to enhance materials printed on Mohawk paper. 

Vignelli explains his design approach, “The grid is an integral part of book design. It’s not something that you see. It’s just like underwear: you wear it, but it’s not to be exposed. The grid is the underwear of the book.”

A long-time fan of Superfine and supporter of Mohawk paper, Vignelli was pleased to participate in the campaign, which celebrates the heritage of Mohawk paper, fine craftsmanship, and the intersection of tradition and technology in modern design and printing.

Designed to communicate Mohawk’s long-standing history as the fine paper of choice of top designers, printers and creatives, the campaign was developed for Mohawk by Michael Beirut, of Pentagram. 

"Throughout its history, Mohawk has been filled with people obsessed with making fine paper. That's made them extraordinarily sympathetic to the creative people who have used their paper over the years. Today, we design things with a wide range of tools, some analog, some virtual. But what connects designers to each other -- and to Mohawk -- is that passion for making. Mohawk's 'What will you make today?' campaign is an invitation to celebrate that passion, wherever we find it,” says Michael Bierut, Pentagram Design.

The “What will you make today?” campaign will continue with additional animated videos featuring intriguing profiles of “makers”, prominent designers and fine craftspeople from around the US. New videos will debut on MohawkConnects.com throughout the year, and will be shared throughout Mohawk’s various media platforms.

The campaign will be supported with social media to encourage engagement within the creative community.  Participants are asked to share their creative projects by uploading photos and videos to Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter utilizing the hashtag #WWYMT.