"...I still don’t want a magazine that belongs on a white pedestal at White Cube. "

"Guest Editors" on Glossies
Reviewer: Zarina Holmes

Design magazine lovers will probably march me on a plank for this, but let me state my case. I think the Wallpaper October 2008 front cover could have been done blindfolded.

For the "guest editors" edition, Wallpaper decided to let Zaha Hadid have a Bluementhal cheese on the cover. Well, almost. It was a die-cut yellow gatefold cover (we are talking massive holes here) reflecting Hadid’s Dune Formation that was being showcased at the Venice Biennale. Inside as centre spread – more die-cuts and holes. Conceptual? Yes. Wanky? Absolutely.

Look, I'm trying to champion glossies from being pushed into extinction here.

Zaha does genius things with stadiums and towers. No question about that. Just don't let architects run wild with magazine covers (Would you ask a graphic designer to design a post office building? Exactly.)

I browsed it at my local WH Smiths on my way to the tube station. It was extremely fiddly to read while commuting, not to mention being ripped seconds after its purchase.

I confess that I have a couple of design degrees myself. I get all these "concepts". But off-duty, I still don’t want a magazine that belongs on a white pedestal at White Cube. I'd part £4 for a museum entry but not a "cutting edge" magazine with plenty of holes.

Most design titles are not edited by designers themselves. I am not saying they have to, but you can’t fool your audience. Just look at Design Week, I don't have a clue what they talk about most times.

For this edition Wallpaper decided 3 different covers done by 3 guest editors. I have nothing against the idea except that this is rarely done to please the readers, rather more to fulfill an editorial fantasy.

Vanity Fair did one successful example of guest editor’s edition for the Africa Issue in 2007. Bono and Brad Pitt did very good interviews within the VF format.

There were no diva demands on the front cover. Just VF’s signature portraiture shot done by Annie Liebowitz, creative director and photographer supremo. It was timeless and tasteful.

Zaha Hadid's Dune Formation is now showing at David Gilles gallery.