Paperblanks Kensington Midi Hardback Journal – Lined, 144 Pages

Capture your ideas, plans and memories in this Kensington midi hardback journal from Paperblanks, with 144 lined pages of 120 gsm acid-free paper.

Plaid appears as a pattern in all types of fashion, from haute couture runway to outrageous punk statements, making it a clear cover choice for the ultimate accessory: the journal. We found this particular pattern in a fabric swatchbook collected in France during the 1800s.

The Story Behind the Design

Everyone has an idea about plaid – it’s undeniably classy but also associated with the smoke-filled rooms of a gentleman’s club in Old England or the dimly lit office of a private eye. Although today many people assume that “plaid” refers to the fabric, it in fact references the criss-crossing pattern achieved by weaving together different coloured materials.

Most closely associated with the tartans belonging to the clans of the Scottish Highlands (who gave us the term “pledd”), plaid material has actually been unearthed in the Central Asian tombs of Qizilchoqa that date back to 1500 BC! American textile archæologist Elizabeth Barber discovered the well-dressed mummies at Ürümchi, adding thousands of years of history to this already historic pattern. Since Barber’s discovery, one can trace the proliferation of plaid to the early Celt tartans, the Victorian Age and even to 20th-century punks.

The patterns shown on our Mad for Plaid covers come from silk fabric swatches collected in France in the 1800s, but they look as though they could have come from last year’s runway collection by Vivienne Westwood or Louis Vuitton.

No matter the context, the connotation of a plaid ascot belonging to a classy elder statesman remains, and so we’ve chosen iconic Old English names to represent our four Mad for Plaid covers. The famous surname Kensington has its origins in pre-7th-century Old England and continues to be on trend, just as the decorative pattern plaid does.

From punk to prep and tastefully classic to terminally crass, plaid has always been a pattern that crosses lines. This pattern’s rich history in the textile legacies of regions around the world proves it is a pattern that transcends time and culture. It truly is a plaid, plaid world.

• Original artwork: Silk fabric swatch
• Era: 1800s
• Region: France

Product Details

• Size: Midi – 130 × 180 × 20 mm
• Interior: Lined
• Pages: 144 (72 sheets)
• Paper: 120 gsm acid-free cream laid paper
• Cover: Hardback
• Closure: Elastic band
• Binding: Smyth sewn – lies flat and stays durable
• Corners: Rounded
• Pouch: Memento pouch
• Design: Kensington
• Series: Mad for Plaid
• Satin ribbon marker
• 100% recycled binder boards
• Decorative printed cover paper
• Endpaper with credit and copyright information as well as historical background for the original artwork
• Threaded stitching and glue, as needed
• Acid-free paper
• Memento pouch
• Weight: 279 g
• Product code: PB3175-8 | ISBN: 9781439731758

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts. Every book is made to last, with binder boards crafted from 100% recycled materials, and the back endpaper tells the fascinating story behind the cover design and credits its creators.