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Last Thursday, we returned to the Frankfurter Buchmesse, a place where everything revolves around books and the people who love them. Every year, book lovers, curious readers, authors, publishers, and creatives come together to discover new stories, browse exciting publications, and share their passion for books. With so much to see, explore, and experience across the fair, we spent the day wandering through the halls, meeting familiar faces, discovering new favourites, and collecting inspiration along the way. One day is never enough to see it all, but that is part of the magic of the Buchmesse.
For us, Hall 3 was once again a particular highlight. We spent time browsing the many publications on art, design, illustration, and independent publishing, discovering new books and getting inspired by the variety of approaches to bookmaking and graphic design. There is always something unexpected to find between the shelves, and that is what makes wandering through the fair so enjoyable.
At the IDEA Books booth, we were happy to find some of our newest releases on display, including UN/SEEN, Fons Hickmann, and Experimental Type 4.0. It was great to see the books there and discover what other publishers and designers have been working on.
This year's Guest of Honour was Czechia, with a dedicated programme offering insights into the country's literature and culture—another opportunity to discover new voices and perspectives at the fair.
Beyond the books and publications, the fair was also a great opportunity to connect with printing houses, paper manufacturers, and other partners from the industry. Talking about materials, production processes, and new possibilities for print always gives us fresh ideas and reminds us how much craftsmanship and collaboration go into making a book. These conversations are an important part of what makes the Buchmesse so valuable to us.
We also stopped by Europapier, where we had a lovely conversation with Heiko Duhr from Reflex Paper about Slanted Magazine #47–Digital Tools, which we were delighted to discover at the booth. It was a great opportunity to exchange ideas.
Another special moment was meeting the team from Ahn Graphics from South Korea. We are currently working together on the upcoming Yearbook of Type #8 and our Slanted Magazine #48–Seoul issue, so it was particularly nice to meet in person and talk about the projects and their upcoming releases. We are excited to see these collaborations take shape and look forward to sharing more soon.
Amid all the exploring and conversations, we also made time for a little break at Cupper Tea, enjoying a cup of tea in the sunshine. A welcome moment to slow down, recharge, and enjoy the atmosphere before heading back into the busy halls.
We also visited the Stiftung Buchkunst exhibition to explore Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher and this year's selection. Looking through the books was a real treat, with plenty of beautiful details, thoughtful design decisions, and fresh ideas to discover. It is always inspiring to see the care and creativity that go into making exceptional books.
With so many halls, publishers, exhibitions, and events, getting a complete overview of the fair in just one day is almost impossible. We did our best to see as much as we could, but there was certainly plenty left to discover—a good reason to come back.
We left Frankfurt feeling inspired, with new ideas, lovely encounters, and plenty of impressions to take back to our own projects. The Buchmesse is always a wonderful reminder of how much creativity and passion exists in the world of books and design. One day is never enough, but it was a great day, and we are already looking forward to the next edition.
