Allora

// Masthead + editorial Design

Allora [/a’l:ora/]: adverb –

1. (in quel momento) then, at that moment
   (a quel tempo) then, in those days, at that time

2. (in questo caso) then, in that case, so
   (dunque) well then, so

The Italian word “allora,” which has no direct translation in English, indicates a moment of pause between thoughts, a kind of transitory contemplation. A less generous translation might simply be “um.” With a more poetic understanding in mind, we used the word to set the tone for a reflective magazine sharing our collective study abroad experience in Italy. The masthead we created uses a variety of elements borrowed from modern Italian design, including Fortunato Depero’s Futurism, the architecture of Carlo Scarpa, and closely observed vernacular typography throughout Italy.

Winner of Communication Arts Award of Excellence in Typography, 2020

masthead design: A collaborative process

As a team of three, we began the masthead design with separate sketches. We discussed concepts along the way, refining sketches and slowly narrowing down to six options. After presenting to the broader study abroad group and taking a vote, we took three semifinal design concepts and then swapped files entirely, allowing a new set of eyes and hands complete control. We repeated this process several times, allowing each of us to tinker with the final product and ultimately leave our mark on the final design.

Designers:
Collin Shull, Rosemary Middlebrook, Audrey Moss

Art Direction:
Meta Newhouse

editorial design

In addition to the masthead and copyediting the magazine content, at the last minute we found I would need to design a full spread as well. As a discussion the consumption of art, especially through the often-destructive tourism industry, the use of Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne felt appropriate as a grisly metaphor for this combination of supposed aesthetic love and the reality of physical degradation. The typography, overlaying the image as a way of acknowledging the layering of experience, brashly highlights the fervor of the consumer and softly reminds us of the impact of the encounter on the subject.

The typography, overlaying the image as a way of acknowledging the layering of experience, brashly highlights the fervor of the consumer and softly reminds us of the impact of the encounter on the subject.

See more: baroque // Contextual