Tibor Kalman’s tenure as editor-in-chief (from 1993 to 1997) defined the magazine's tone: irreverent, educational, and fiercely global. He believed in creating content that compelled readers to look at the "rest of the world".
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: Using graphic imagery to force global conversations about a then-stigmatized epidemic. colors magazine pdf
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If you want to dive deeper into historical print media design, tell me: Tibor Kalman’s tenure as editor-in-chief (from 1993 to
The publication's core belief was beautifully simple: "diversity is good". Each issue was built around a single, unified theme, tackling complex, often taboo subjects from a profoundly international and humanistic perspective. Published quarterly in several bilingual editions (including English/French, English/Italian, and English/Spanish), Colors was produced at Fabrica, Benetton's renowned communication research center in Treviso, Italy, which became a global hub for young creative talent. This unique setup allowed Colors to maintain a level of creative freedom and intellectual rigor that was unparalleled at the time.
Founded in 1991 by photographer and legendary graphic designer Tibor Kalman , COLORS magazine was a revolutionary publication dubbed "a magazine about the rest of the world". Funded by the Benetton Group , it broke traditional publishing rules by using shocking photojournalism and minimal text to explore global socio-cultural issues. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted
Furthermore, younger generation Z readers, who never knew print newsstands, are discovering COLORS through online PDFs. They find its raw, unpolished, confrontational style a refreshing antidote to the algorithm-driven, safe content of Instagram and TikTok.