Jiro Konami × VAINL ARCHIVE “footprints”
I love Jiro Konami’s work, so I got hold of “footprints,” a photo book limited to 500 copies.
This is a photo book that gathers nine seasons of the fashion brand “VAINL ARCHIVE,” from the 2013 Spring/Summer collection through the 2017 Spring/Summer collection, all photographed by Jiro Konami. It weaves into a single volume the trajectory of what two makers — VAINL ARCHIVE designer Kohei Okita and photographer Jiro Konami — have expressed together.
The titles of the works are listed together on the back pages.
It’s surely a considerate touch — they want you to focus on the photographs alone.
The World of Konami
Every one of the included works is packed with the characterful photographs so typical of Jiro Konami.
Codex Binding
The binding of this photo book is simply superb — it moved me.
There’s no stress at all when you open it. That’s right: it uses “codex binding.”
What is codex binding?
Codex binding is a temporary-binding style in which the book is made so that the thread-sewn spine remains visible; it is also called thread-sewn simple binding. Its distinctive feature is that the book opens very well — all the way to the gutter — so it stays open on its own without your having to hold it down. It is also a binding method well suited to books with many double-page spreads, such as art catalogues. Lately it has also come to be called “backless binding” in some circles.
Because it is thread-sewn, every page opens smoothly, so it’s easy to view and easy to handle. It may not look all that tidy, but personally I feel the opposite — it looks rather professional, and it leaves a good impression. It really is wonderful. It also looks easy to handle within a frame, so you could even frame and display it.
Summary
“footprints” is a photo book brimming with content.
Its many photographs are arranged to be easy to view, making for a delightful package.
Jiro Konami’s photo books always have bindings that are kind to the reader, which is a joy. It let me enjoy every page without any stress.
Details
Jiro Konami × VAINL ARCHIVE
Title: “footprints”
Publisher: VAINL ARCHIVE
164 pages
295mm×225mm
Codex binding
Softcover / Color
Released early February 2017
