Inside the Amsterdam print magazine celebrating timeless creativity

Fanfaretti might be small, but it's already making its way onto the shelves of some of Europe's most respected magazine stores. Stocked at MagCulture in London, PaperCut in Stockholm, Athenaeum in Amsterdam and Yves Lambert in Paris, the Amsterdam-based title has carved out a place for itself among the new wave of independent publishers. Now, as it prepares to release its third issue, the focus is firmly on textiles and the many ways they shape our everyday lives.

The magazine is the brainchild of designer and art director Angela Blumen, who runs a namesake studio in Amsterdam. Publishing has been part of her practice from the beginning.

"I have been making publications and magazines since I started doing design – that is actually how I got into design in the first place," Angela says. Early projects included Sucre Paper, a newspaper-style publication, as well as magazines such as Sea Together and Ambivalence.

Fanfaretti emerged in 2023 as a self-initiated space for more editorial, less client-led work. Not long after, Angela was joined by Laura Josephine O'Brien, a Stockholm-based editor. Together, the pair run the magazine remotely, meeting in person every few months for interviews and launches.

A timeless approach

Fanfaretti is about aesthetics, beauty and craft, with each issue exploring a single theme, from "Localism" in the debut edition to "Details" in the second, which featured Paris-based creatives. The new issue centres on textiles, specifically their lifecycles.

"It's hard not to talk about textiles when you talk about craftsmanship. Textiles surround us everywhere and every day," Angela explains. What started as a modest summer edition quickly expanded into a full issue, featuring interviews with fashion designers, artists, and upcycling studios, as well as fashion editorials.

Angela believes the idea of "timelessness" is key to both editorial and design decisions. "Timeless to me, in terms of aesthetics, means that when any viewer sees the object/image/text, they can relate to it. It is the opposite of trend-based," she says. Old issues of Acne Paper and early Monocle remain benchmarks.

This longevity also influences the subjects chosen, such as pottery, jewellery, fashion, and other crafts that retain relevance across generations.

Design-wise, Fanfaretti is deliberately simple, defined by clean layouts, minimal styling, and the occasional stamp to create a sense of restraint. The magazine is tactile and collectable, intended to feel as relevant in twenty years as it does today.

The freedom of independence

Unlike many titles, Fanfaretti is entirely self-funded and carries no advertising. It's a choice that brings both freedoms and challenges. "Fanfaretti is primarily a creative outlet for me and Laura, and we went into this knowing that it is rare that a magazine can fully fund itself, but then we also get to do whatever we want!" Angela says.

One breakthrough came when she discovered a local printer in the Netherlands that offered high-quality printing at an affordable price. "That made producing a magazine very easy," she adds. Distribution, meanwhile, has been a mix of friends hand-delivering copies and new partnerships with small distributors, such as JessePresse, in the Benelux region.

Growing the magazine slowly and without a large marketing machine requires patience. Social media, Angela admits, remains a sticking point: "Without constantly posting content, it is difficult to get the word out there, even though we are stocked in some great places around Europe."

Building connections

Despite its modest scale, Fanfaretti has found a receptive audience. Independent shops across Europe have agreed to stock it, and Angela enjoys seeing photos of the magazine popping up in unexpected places. While most distribution is currently focused on Europe, due to import taxes that make international expansion challenging, the plan is to continue building connections organically.

The relationship between Angela's design studio and the magazine is fluid, with each feeding into the other. Fanfaretti serves as a kind of business card or portfolio, often attracting new client work. This year, it has already led to Angela being commissioned for more editorial and print projects, including a forthcoming cookbook with a Dutch publisher.

Why print still matters

In a digital-first world, producing a print-only magazine might seem risky, but Angela believes the format has renewed value. "Print seems to be more in demand because it is seen as craftsmanship: producing a beautiful book or magazine takes time, money, and dedication," she says.

Independent publishing, like independent shops and freelance work, contributes to cultural diversity. "A diversity of opinions, styles and production modes is just as important for a well-functioning society!" she adds.

Fanfaretti's emphasis on positivity and craft is also personal. "For both Laura and me, it is important to have a positive outlook on the future," says Angela. "We feature stories that hopefully inspire people to go offline, start a new project, look at the world with more curiosity or just have a moment with print."

What's next

Issue 3 will be launched later this year, with a celebratory event at a friend's studio in Copenhagen. Plans for Issue 4 are already in motion, and the theme – cake – promises to be the biggest yet, both in terms of contributors and scale.

Angela and Laura's goal isn't rapid growth or chasing trends, but steady, thoughtful development. "Fanfaretti is developing with us," Angela says. "Otherwise, just continue to grow slow and steady."