Follow your instincts. (If you dare).
Our publication VORN was a reaction to the magazine landscape, which was characterised by hierarchies. VORN broke up old structures and also gave young, creative people the opportunity to show their work. To appear together with established, famous or forgotten designers, artists or photographers in one magazine. In a publication without classic advertising and no restrictions. VORN gave the artists complete freedom with their contributions. The results were again and again surprising and are still inspiring for us. Here is a small insight into the issues that have been published:
VORN | EDITION 1 | 2004
VORN debuted in 2004 as a hybrid between a magazine and a book and has won various awards, such as Art Directors Club Awards and LeadAwards. VORN works with creatives from different fields who design contributions according to a theme they choose themselves. Art directors of national and international magazines, graphic designers, typographers, illustrators, photographers, authors, artists, product designers, agencies, corporations and aid organisations cooperate with VORN. The first issue features contributions from Donald Schneider, Walter Scheels, Die Raffinerie, Mirko Borsche, Greenpeace Magazine, Robert Bartholot, Butt Magazine and many others.
The first edition of VORN presented an online podcast, which was quite innovative in 2004, especially in combination with a magazine. The listener could turn the pages of the magazine and look at the photos that accompanied the spoken words.
VORN | EDITION 2 | 2004
The cover of the second issue was printed with matt gold and a high-gloss partial varnish. Basically, we have always experimented with special printing techniques and finishes in VORN.
Creative director Alex Wiederin designed an award winning alphabet on 26 pages. For this contribution, he received a gold LeadAward for the best editorial feature of the year.
The publication also featured contributions by Fabrica, Sarah Illenberger, Craig McCarthy, Knut Ettling, Ki-Lin, Sheeno and previously unpublished excerpts from illustrator Tony Viramontez's sketchbook.
VORN always had the courage to publish hard to digest topics and images. The credo has always been freedom of (expression and) design.
VORN | EDITION 3 | 2006
This cover was photographed by Guy Bourdin for French VOGUE in 1972, but remained unpublished.
VORN 3 presented contributions by Boogie, Christina Kruse, Luis Sanchis, Diana Scheunemann, Anna McCarthy, Thomas Degen, Flatz, Ivo Kocherscheidt, F.C. Gundlach and Charlotte March, among others. A detachable annual calendar designed exclusively for VORN by the artist Erwin Wurm was another highlight of this issue.
Art directors from other magazines also designed for VORN. As here in the case of PAP MAGAZINE, which showed a feature in VORN.
Sometimes the past anticipates (a bright) future.
VORN | EDITION 4 | 2007
In the fourth issue of VORN, we showed a Claudia Schiffer portfolio on 72 pages, which was created in close cooperation with the model. Among others, Rankin, Katharine Hammnett, Bendix Bauer and Tina Berning designed contributions on the topic. The cover motif of this issue appeared simultaneously as the title of the SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG MAGAZINE.
VORN | EDITION 5 | 2008
The cover of the fifth issue of VORN was photographed by Rachel de Joode. The issue features contributions by Kexin Zang, Rose Pistola, Felix Lammers, Elfie Semotan, Mirko Borsche, Michael Schirner, Yasmine Eslami, Miloushka Bokma, Jina Khayyer, Kez Glozier, Christina Kruse and others.
There are these special people who have a positive influence on our society. One of them was Vivienne Westwood. Hardly anyone has inspired us more.
It may not be obvious to show old people and football players together in a magazine, but that's what VORN was about: life in all its diversity.
VORN | EDITION 6 | 2011
“I can't photograph what I don't feel.” For the sixth issue of VORN, photographer Will McBride, who gained cult status mainly through his work for TWEN magazine, designed a 32-page portfolio of his most personal works and essays.
Will McBride photographed for TWEN magazine over a period of 12 years – from the second issue in 1960 to the last in 1972. In VORN he presented a very personal portfolio.
“The boy within me is my driver. I try to let him carry me along, and when I falter, when I weaken or make mistakes, I refer to him, this inner child, and draw fresh courage from his freshness. Of course I am old, the time left to me gets ever shorter, but I am always into new things, always starting again, with rekindled energy. The boy is full of expectancy, something WILL happen to me today to make me happy. I do not allow the old man in me much time to let me down, because the boy is telling me to not let up, to forge ahead with new vitality.”
Will McBride (1931-2015)
The graphic design of the sixth issue was provided by GOLD & WIRTSCHAFTSWUNDER. Co-publisher of the edition was Claudia Seidl.
VORN | EDITION 7 | 2014
VORN has not only collaborated with creatives from all sectors, but cooperated with brands, too. In this issue, for example, with Chanel. Although VORN has also been socio-critical, there have been companies that have supported us both creatively and financially. Co-publisher of VORN 7 was Uta Grosenick.
The 40-page portfolio by creative director Albert Handler / BRAND UNIT was created in collaboration with art director Alexander Nussbaumer for the seventh issue of VORN and features works by Elfie Semotan, Georg Biron, Martin Stöbich and Martin Kippenberger, among others.
The issue also features a portfolio by Thomas Schenk, who achieved cult status as a co-founder of DUTCH magazine and groundbreaking fashion photographer.
When the establishment pairs with the avantgarde (it gets exiting).
VORN | EDITION 8 | 2016
Not even the name of the photographers involved was in this issue of VORN. Don't we always look at photos biased by text and context? What would it be like to simply indulge in pictures completely freely and interpret them in an uninfluenced and very personal way? You could try this experiment with the eighth issue of VORN. The magazine was launched without text - and consistently so: no articles, no headlines, no captions, no editorial. There was not even an imprint. And no one knew whether they were looking at the picture of a photographer with a big name or that of a talented student.
The very curious had the opportunity to find out the names of the contributors on the VORN BLOG.
There were also gifs and films on the blog. Here examples from Claudia Hofmann and Miloushka Bokma.
VORN | EDITION 9 | ABOUT: HEAVEN 60 | 2018
A flood of images without words awaits the viewer of the ninth edition of VORN. A total of 28 creatives, such as Robbie Augspurger, Thomas Elsner or Fette Sans, shot 60-second films without sound, from which a film of almost forty minutes was created. The editing was done by Denis Bivour, the music was composed especially for the film by Vlatko Kucan. The film is a moving image intermezzo and by no means a rejection of the medium of print. VORN 9 is really the first magazine to be published only as a film. And a magazine in which you do not determine the speed at which you watch it, but can immerse yourself passively for forty minutes. Special thanks to Fette Sans for her inspiration.
Mr. Robbie Augspurger, whom we were lucky enough to win for the ninth edidion of VORN. His short movie is part of ABOUT: HEAVEN 60.
Watch the full movie here: