Created in 1957, the Swiss-born Helvetica font has now become the most iconic typeface and more than a year after its 50th birthday, it continues to fascinate the world. The "Tribute to typography - Helvetica, past, present and future of the typography" exhibition was organised at the Laforet Museum in Harajuku.
To celebrate this extraordinary font, Moleskine collaborated with the Helvetica foundation and acclaimed Japanese designers GROOVISIONS to create two special editions of the legendary notebooks (black and red).
A limited edition of 500 of each notebooks will be available in very selected retailers in Asia and Moleskineasia.com, to the pleasure of all fans of this legendary font.
"Helvetica: A Tribute to Typography" Exhibition at Laforet Museum Harajuku, Tokyo (October 2008)
This exhibition featured valuable archive materials from when Helvetica was first developed, as well as company logos, posters, packaging, album covers and so on that employ the font. In addition, Helvetica products by Kazunari Hattori, Ito-san from Groovisions, Kodaira-san from Flame, Naomi Hirabayashi, Kikuchi-san from Bluemark, Madoka Iwabuchi and Dai Nippon Type were on display, tracing the history of this seminal font, its contributions to the field of graphic design, as well as its possible future incarnations.
Helvetica (the font)
In 1957, Eduard Hoffman and Max Miedinger designed the sans-serif typeface "Helvetica" for movable metal type at Haas Type foundry, Switzerland.
This was first called "Neue Haas Grotesk", and then renamed "Helvetica", which is derived from "Confoederatio Helvetica" meaning Switzerland in Latin, in 1960. Since then, this typeface was diffused rapidly, being used for the Corporate Identities of public facilities and companies, etc., jacket designs of music albums, street displays, and posters.
Then, its derivatives increased, including the modified version "Helvetica Neue", in 1983. Helvetica has been cherished around the world as the most frequently-used typeface over the past half century, and is still outstandingly popular in the present age of digital typography. In Japan, this became a designated typeface for the first time at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, and used as a standard typeface at national events, including the Osaka Expo'70, and now is the unmatched one adopted for the CIs of firms, including JR, products, and fashion.
Helvetica (the movie)
Helvetica is an independent feature-length documentary film about typography and graphic design, centered around the typeface of the same name. Directed by Gary Hustwit, it was released in 2007 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction in 1957.
Its content consists of a history of the typeface interspersed with candid interviews with leading graphic and type designers, including Wim Crouwel, Michael Bierut, Erik Spiekermann, and Massimo Vignelli. The film aims to show Helvetica's beauty and ubiquity, and illuminate the personalities that are behind typefaces
The designer : Groovisions
Today GROOVISIONS is based in Tokyo and focuses essentially on CD packaging,promotion videos, films, fashion and graphic art direction. In parallel with their work, GROOVISIONS sets up an art exhibition about twice a year at the gallery ROCKET in Tokyo, where they present and sell their products. They have also created a fictional pop star named Chappie and produce various accessories for it. Chappie is designed as a unisex and ageless character with changing clothes and hairstyles. Chappie has become GROOVISIONS' emblem and trademark. Since. GROOVISIONS has produced works for important companies such as Nike (NIKE PRESTO, Graphic movie, 2002).
Moleskine X Helvetica Black
Limitied Edition of the "Tribute to typography - Helvetica, past, present and future of the typography" exhibition 192 pages / 9x14cm / acid-free paper
Special Edition with Moleskine Hard Black Ruled Notebook. Design by GROOVISIONS, with logos debossed on both covers, customised banderole and history of Helvetica printed on the backend page.
Limited Edition with 500pcs in Asia.
Moleskine X Helvetica Red
Limitied Edition of the "A Tribute to typography - Helvetica, past, present and future of the typography" exhibition 192 pages / 9x14cm / acid-free paper
Special Edition with Moleskine Hard Red Ruled Notebook. Design by GROOVISIONS, with logos debossed on both covers, customised banderole and history of Helvetica printed on the backend page.
Limited Edition with 500pcs in Asia.
MOLESKINE Dressed in New Colours!
A Huge hit in Europe, US and Japan,
The Volant collection was launched in Europe and US in February 2008 and has become a great
hit already. Volants was also launched in Japan in July 2008 and replenishment orders are very
strong (even higher than classic collection). For sure, Volants has given a new excitement for current
Moleskine users, and also bringing in new customers.
Xsmall size: the smallest Moleskine, the biggest hit.
Especially, the xsmall size is a huge hit everywhere. First, this is a brand new size amongst all
Moleskine collections and it is only available in the Volants family. Second, the little notebook size
has made Moleskine even more portable than before. The new colour and the cute size have also
attracted a lot of new clients (especially female clients/ fashion lovers) for the Moleskine brand.
The new Volant notebooks are colourful, light, and fit in every pocket.
They are available in:
- 2 rulings: plain, ruled
- 4 colours: pink, blue, green, black
- 3 sizes: pocket (9x14cm), large (13x21cm), and the NEW size xsmall (6.5x10.5cm)
Each Volants is shrinkwrapped in a pack of 2 notebooks
(e.g. a pack of blue Volants = 1 dark blue notebook + 1 light blue notebook).
SET 2 RULED VOLANT NOTEBOOK
Extra Small: 56 ruled detachable pages
Pocket: 80 ruled pages, last 16 sheets detachable
Large: 96 ruled pages, last 16 sheets detachable
SET 2 PLAIN VOLANT NOTEBOOK
Extra Small: 56 plain detachable pages
Pocket: 80 plain pages, last 16 sheets detachable
Large: 96 plain pages, last 16 sheets detachable
Leather Cover Diaries 2009 (Limited Edition)
The Furoshiki History
The custom of using fabric for wrapping in Japan began as early as the Nara period (710 – 794 AD) and the name “furoshiki”,
which combines the words “furo” meaning “bath” and a form of the verb “shiki” meaning “to spread”. It was used to wrap
clothes at the Shosoin (a structure at the Todai temple in Nara, Japan). In the Heian period (794-1185 AD), furoshiki was
known as hirazutsumi, or a “flat folded bundle”.
In the Muromachi period (1338-1573), Shogun Ashikaga built a great bathhouse. It was a kind of steam bath with straw
mats, wood, or cloth on the floor. The invited lords used silk cloth that had been printed with their family crests to hold
their clothes. These were used in order to keep each lord’s clothes separate and as a mat, after they finished bathing.
But it is not till the Edo period (1603-1868) that public bathhouses(sento) became widely popular, furoshiki was often used
for spreading on the floor while undressing and for wrapping bathing articles and clothes to carry. Patrons of the sento
would carry their change of clothes and bathing articles wrapped in the furoshiki, and then spread it out onto the floor
to change their clothes on. During this period, furoshiki became wildly popular, where it was considered a functional and
essential item among the working class. Merchants and peddlers would carry their wares to the street in the furoshiki,
then lay them out on the furoshiki to sell.
In other words, the furoshiki started out as the cloth in which people carried their clothes and toiletries, but later it came
to be used to carry (or wrap) just about anything. Many people think furoshiki is unique to Japanese culture, however it has
in fact been used in many countries as an instrument to carry baggage and children.
Black Leather Daily Pocket 400 pages / Includes address book insert and adhesive labels
The new diaries, in limited edition, bound in patent Italian top quality leather. The shiny surface, in red and black, evokes the precious Eastern lacquers, in honor of a great tradition that returns to life nowadays and brightens our daily acts.
A special packaging that will enhance the uniqueness of this edition and the nobility of the materials is now in preparation.
Red Leather Daily Pocket 400 pages / Includes address book insert and adhesive labels
The new diaries, in limited edition, bound in patent Italian top quality leather. The shiny surface, in red and black, evokes the precious Eastern lacquers, in honor of a great tradition that returns to life nowadays and brightens our daily acts.
A special packaging that will enhance the uniqueness of this edition and the nobility of the materials is now in preparation.
Black Leather Weekly Pocket 140 pages / Includes address book insert and adhesive labels
The new diaries, in limited edition, bound in patent Italian top quality leather. The shiny surface, in red and black, evokes the precious Eastern lacquers, in honor of a great tradition that returns to life nowadays and brightens our daily acts.
A special packaging that will enhance the uniqueness of this edition and the nobility of the materials is now in preparation.
Red Leather Weekly Pocket 140 pages / Includes address book insert and adhesive labels
The new diaries, in limited edition, bound in patent Italian top quality leather. The shiny surface, in red and black, evokes the precious Eastern lacquers, in honor of a great tradition that returns to life nowadays and brightens our daily acts.
A special packaging that will enhance the uniqueness of this edition and the nobility of the materials is now in preparation.
MOLESKINE DIARIES 2009 collection: With 19 models, a diary for everyone!
With the expansion of the diaries collection in 2008, and the success of the 2008 diaries,
Moleskine has noticed that launching new models of diaries is key to success:
With a collection of 19 models, we can fulfill the needs of a wide range of users and
expand the customer base for Moleskine diaries.
Last year, we discovered that the classic Moleskine diaries maintained a very high level
of sales, which means that the new diary models are not sharing the sales of the
existing models, but bringing in new customers. Therefore, to maximize sales, it
will be important to present the full collection in stores.
For 2009, Moleskine is presenting a collection of 19 models. They are classified into four main families:
Hard Black Cover
Hard Daily 12M Pocket 400 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image.
Hard Daily 12M Large 400 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image.
Hard Weekly Horizontal 12M Pocket 140 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image.
Hard Weekly Horizontal 12M Large 140 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image.
Hard Weekly Vertical 12M Pocket 140 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image. Presenting the full week on a vertical layout - for users with a tight schedule
Hard Weekly Vertical 12M Large 140 pages / Includes address book insert
These are the famous classic diaries of Moleskine, featuring the signature black
Moleskine hard cover, which deliver a very classic Moleskine image. Presenting the full week on a vertical layout - for users with a tight schedule
Soft Black Cover
Soft Daily 12M Pocket 400 pages
Soft cover diaries have been a great hit globally since their launch in 2006. Soft cover
diaries were only available in weekly notebook format in the past.
To match the always increasing demand for soft cover products, Moleskine is adding
the diary format and the monthly format.
Soft Daily 12M Large 400 pages
Soft cover diaries have been a great hit globally since their launch in 2006. Soft cover
diaries were only available in weekly notebook format in the past.
To match the always increasing demand for soft cover products, Moleskine is adding
the diary format and the monthly format.
Soft Weekly 12M Pocket 144 pages
Soft cover diaries have been a great hit globally since their launch in 2006. Soft cover
diaries were only available in weekly notebook format in the past.
To match the always increasing demand for soft cover products, Moleskine is adding
the diary format and the monthly format.
Soft Weekly 12M Large 144 pages
Soft cover diaries have been a great hit globally since their launch in 2006. Soft cover
diaries were only available in weekly notebook format in the past.
To match the always increasing demand for soft cover products, Moleskine is adding
the diary format and the monthly format.
Soft Weekly 12M XLarge 136 pages
Soft cover diaries have been a great hit globally since their launch in 2006. Soft cover
diaries were only available in weekly notebook format in the past.
To match the always increasing demand for soft cover products, Moleskine is adding
the diary format and the monthly format.
Soft Monthly 12M Pocket 128 pages
The Monthly Diaries present the full month on two pages followed by blank pages for
notes taking. This is a very innovative format, in line with new work habits; these
diaries are great tools for making long-term planning.
Soft Monthly 12M Large 128 pages
The Monthly Diaries present the full month on two pages followed by blank pages for
notes taking. This is a very innovative format, in line with new work habits; these
diaries are great tools for making long-term planning.
Soft Monthly 12M XLarge 128 pages
The Monthly Diaries present the full month on two pages followed by blank pages for
notes taking. This is a very innovative format, in line with new work habits; these
diaries are great tools for making long-term planning.
Hard Red Cover
Red Daily 12M Pocket 400 pages / Includes a tabbed pages insert and adhesive labels
The red collection of diaries was introduced in 2008 and proved an incredible success.
Fans of the red diaries will be grateful to use the collection back for 2009.
Red Daily 12M Large 400 pages / Includes a tabbed pages insert and adhesive labels
The red collection of diaries was introduced in 2008 and proved an incredible success.
Fans of the red diaries will be grateful to use the collection back for 2009.
Red Weekly 12M Pocket 144 pages / Includes a tabbed pages insert and adhesive labels
The red collection of diaries was introduced in 2008 and proved an incredible success.
Fans of the red diaries will be grateful to use the collection back for 2009.
Red Weekly 12M Large 144 pages / Includes a tabbed pages insert and adhesive labels
The red collection of diaries was introduced in 2008 and proved an incredible success.
Fans of the red diaries will be grateful to use the collection back for 2009.
Red Twin Set
Red Twin Weekly 12M Pocket 140+48 pages / Weekly horizontal diary hard cover + a soft notebook / Includes a tabbed pages insert and adhesive labels
Being a limited edition of Moleskine diaries, the red twin set was always sold out quickly after the launch.
THE CLASSIC RED COLLECTION
After the success of the Moleskine red pocket weekly notebook, last year we launched
the red diaries collection as an extension of the diaries collection. A clean breakthrough
out of the total black and the first incursion of Moleskine into the world of colours. We all
know how it ended: a huge success, the red diaries were sold out at most stores.
Now it's the time to get to the icon: the little black notebook, the classic pocket and
large, the two most popular layouts, ruled and plain… IN RED!
The collection has already had a pre-launch at the end of last year with a Special Edition
made only for Barnes & Nobles, the major US book chain. The results were so good that,
at the beginning of this year, they asked for a new production, as all the pieces had been
sold out in a few months. Year to date, the pocket plain is 3rd in the 2008 bestseller list,
while the large plain is 6th (only two models were offered).
Now we are presenting 4 models :
Ruled Red Pocket 192 pages
All the familiar features are there: the elastic band, the back pocket, the page marker.
Ruled Red Large 240 pages
All the familiar features are there: the elastic band, the back pocket, the page marker.
Plain Red Pocket 192 pages
All the familiar features are there: the elastic band, the back pocket, the page marker.
Plain Red Large 240 pages
All the familiar features are there: the elastic band, the back pocket, the page marker.
THE MOLESKINE CITY NOTEBOOK
A special guidebook, to buy for your own use or as a gift for your friends. Ideal for those who travel, whether to see the sights or for work, as a way of organizing your trip and to preserve it for your memory and your records. Perfect for those who live there, as a way of organizing the things they know and need about the city they live in.
Each notebook has an elastic closure, 228 pages, with up to 44 pages in colours and have a sewn binding. There is an inside accordion pocket and three ribbon placemarkers, each in a different colour. 9 x 14 cm (3 ½ x 5 ½").
The whole city in a single notebook
Create your personal city map.
Use it to collect and keep everything
you need and enjoy: places, addresses,
people, stories, memories.
Use it over and over: modify it, update it.
Be sure to find: the next time you visit the city,
everything you’ll need will be there.
For exchanging information of all kinds.
Go back over your travels in your memory
and your imagination.
The Key Map summarises the overall layout of the city, showing the sequence and location of the zone maps. Map of the metro system and list of stations.
Up to 36 pages of zone maps, ranging in scale from 1:5,000 to 1:17,000 with large-scale maps of the city center, and an alphabetical street index.
Up to 76 blank pages, giving you all the space you need to write, jot down useful information, and record your thoughts, stories, and memories.
A personal, 96-page archive, with 12 tabs in two series of 6, so that everything that matters most is at your fingertips. The first 6 tabs are printed; the others are blank so you can personalize them with the enclosed adhesive labels.
32 removable sheets for loose notes and for exchanging messages. 12 translucent sticky sheets, to overlay and re-position, so that you can trace your route as you go.
Moleskine is a family of notebooks with diffrent functions.
The classic collection has all the features that describe a traditional Moleskine. Each notebook has a rigid, bound oilcloth “Moleskine” cover, with a durable thread bound binding and fine Italian acid-free paper pages. It also has a built-in elastic closure that holds the sturdy cover closed, a ribbon placeholder, and an expandable accordion pocket in the back made of cardboard and oilcloth for holding tickets, notes and clippings.
The journalistic tradition inspires the reporter’s notebook. The binding has migrated to the short end of the notebook, the elastic now goes in the opposite direction, and the inside back pocket has shifted direction as well. The result is a highly functional notebook in a flip-top reporter style, and a new format for the creative professionals.
The “Cahier” line is a smaller, lighter cousin to the traditional Moleskine. The last 16 sheets are detachable, perfect for exchanging loose notes, to keep notes for free thoughts. Inside, there is a spacious pocket for notes or clippings. It is always handy, soft and light enough to carry everywhere, yet large enough to use with comfort and ease.
The classic diaries come in daily and weekly format. The daily version comes in one day per page, while the weekly format presents one week in a two-page spread. Both of them have a removable address book, which can be used in the years to come. The soft cover weekly notebooks feature an innovative layout, displaying each week of the year across a double page spread. On the left: the weeks appointments at a glance; on the right: additional space for notes, doodles and anything else you fancy. The 18-month version covers from July 2006 to December 2007 (for the academic year). They are ideal for students and creative or professional activities.
The History of a Legendary Notebook
For two centuries now Moleskine (mol-a-skeen'-a) has been the legendary notebook of artists, writers, intellectuals and travelers - from gifted artists Henri Matisse (1869–1954) and Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), to poet and leader of the surrealist movement André Breton (1896-1966), to Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) considered the most influential writer of the last century and to famous travel writer Bruce Chatwin (1940-1989). These notebooks have proven they can withstand the trials of travel and abuses that ensues from normal use. This is the one true trusted travel journal.
Despite the extraordinary tradition of Moleskine notebooks there was a pause in production in 1986. Writer-traveler Bruce Chatwin used to buy his Moleskine at a Paris stationery shop in Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, always stocking up before going on his infamous journeys. He gave his friend Luis Sepùlveda, a Chilean novelist, a precious Moleskine before a trip to Patagonia. It was precious because by then the notebooks were no longer to be found, as the small family concern in Tours had closed down.
"Le vrai Moleskine n’est plus" were the lapidary words of the stationer to Chatwin who had ordered one hundred before leaving for Australia. Now, the Moleskine tradition has been revived by Italian manufacturer Modo & Modo. It can go back to being a witness, passing from one pocket to another and continue the adventure.
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A legendary notebook for a legendary typeface
