CDLP unveils the Essentials 2024 campaign, featuring acclaimed Spanish actor and model, John Kortajarena, captured through the visionary lens of CDLP Creative Director and Co-founder, Christian Larson.
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For the release of “Punk perfect awful: BEAT : the little magazine that could... and did”, CDLP collaborated with BEAT and Tencel™ on a limited-edition capsule presented exclusively through Dover Street Market London.
“When I started BEAT magazine 15 years ago, it was immediately clear that its format was important: it could only be printed on newsprint. The paper is tactile, the ink sits into the fibers of the pulp and lends images a softness that you can’t replicate on glossy paper. Of course you can choose to throw it away when you’re finished with it, or you can fold it up and keep it until it gently yellows with age. I am nerdish-ly picky about the paper we print on, if the weight is too light the magazine doesn’t feel right in the hand, too heavy and it becomes unwieldy, if it’s ‘coated’ then the print doesn’t look right. By the time the ink for the BEAT logo hits it, the paper we use has been recycled three times. This is its last chance, its last life. Another little layer I love. When it came to producing our book, Punk Perfect Awful; the little magazine that could... and did we imagined how to replicate the feel of the magazine, yet elevate it into something worthy of a coffee-table book. In the end we plumped for a heavyweight, recycled, uncoated paper and I can confirm that it feels perfect between your fingers.”
“To celebrate the book it made sense to extend the world of BEAT with some good ole’ merch. I didn’t want just another t-shirt being made, because that newness didn’t feel like a natural fit with the magazine. Working with CDLP and Tencel™ to create this limited-edition range felt like an immediate and natural partnership—like creating a supergroup, in music parlance. Like BEAT itself, the Tencel™ Lyocell fibers are made from wood pulp—originating from sustainably managed forests, making use of in particular wood that is unsuitable for high-value uses such as furniture. This wood is often sourced from woodland thinning, which allows the continued vitality of the most valuable trees in the forest; gently encouraging flora and fauna to grow, in turn offering protection from land and snow slides, and exploiting the full potential of carbon binding from the atmosphere.”
“The limited-edition capsule collection consists of three beautiful t- shirts, each printed with a considered motif that reflects the BEAT. One is an archive image from the magazine’s rich collection, shot by photographer Angelo Pennetta; one a quote from the latest issue, “Romance Is Beautiful” from the artist Troye Sivan; and one the book’s emblem, a simple yellow circle with the words, ‘punk perfect awful.’ The printing took place in a local print space, which offers open access printing to local creators. To further the narrative of creating with intention, the t-shirts were printed with a natural pigment also made from wood, called BioBlack TX. Totally non-toxic and made by a rebellious Los Angeles-based start-up called Nature Coatings, who are pushing the fashion and textiles industry forward, print by print. Using this pigment means that the t-shirts are in effect wood on wood—a sweet moment of synergy with the magazine and book. CDLP are equally thoughtful with their creation process—each of their garments are designed and made consciously. The lyocell fibers give the t-shirts a luxurious silky-soft feel, yet are produced in a way that minimizes waste and safeguards good environmental practices. Where other materials use large quantities of water, pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers, a planted tree will grow by itself, providing shade, safety and sustenance for those around it.”
“Music, for me, is all about discovering simpatico in relationships; nothing thrills me more than learning that a recently discovered young band has been influenced by or worked with a musician from the past whom I love. Or deeper than that, finding out a band I’ve put on the cover has invited another musician from the issue on tour with them, and that they discovered them through reading the magazine. It’s what music is all about—planting seeds of ideas and bringing people together, education and discovery, and creating something that can be held preciously forever, and crucially that doesn’t waste resources. To be able to expand our story with t-shirts made in an undisruptive manner from wood, isn’t just singing the same words as BEAT, it’s singing in harmony too.”
Words by Hanna Hanra
Photos by Bella Howard
T-shirts sold at Dover Street Market London
