Last Thursday, the publishing house form announced that the last issue of the magazine “form” would go on sale (at a reduced price and free shipping until 14 July). The special issue, it says, marks “another turning point in the magazine’s eventful history”. It is not only an anniversary and double issue, but “at the same time (for the time being) the last printed form”. After this issue, the publisher will cease production of the printed magazine and dissolve the editorial team. The reasons for this are manifold. The “paper prices, the changed advertising and reading behaviour and the general economic situation”, according to the justification, “make it very difficult to realistically and sustainably finance an independent and critical design medium”. This decision may come as a surprise to many, but the “form” brand is in a better position than it was many years ago, which is why the publishing house will remain in existence.
The magazine form looks back on a long, but also eventful history. Established in 1957 by Jupp Ernst, Willem Sandberg, Curt Schweicher and Wilhelm Wagenfeld, form began as a cultural magazine that reported on wide-ranging topics from art, architecture, industrial design, ballet, music and poetry. From 1962 to 1998, Karl-Heinz Krug shaped the magazine as editor-in-chief. He was followed by Petra Schmidt (1999-2005), Gerrit Terstiege (2006-2012), Sophie Lovell (Executive Editor, 2012-2013) and Stephan Ott (2012-2019). Since 2020, Nina Sieverding and Anton Rahlwes have jointly directed form. In 2012, Peter Wesner had acquired the rights to the magazine and the publishing house form, thus ensuring its continued existence. Wesner now wants to continue the publishing house together with his wife, the design and architecture expert Barbara Glasner, and develop it further “in the direction of book publication with a focus on design, architecture and corporate publishing”.
More on ndion
More articles on the topic of design and brands.
Share this page on social media:
