''International Textiles'' (later ''The Ambassador'') was a British export

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

for textiles and fashion. It was published in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

by Pallas Studio established by Ludwig Katz and a

Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...

publishing house De Spaarnestad.

Background

The half-Jewish Ludwig Katz, former Advertising Manager of L. Schottlaender & Co (publishers of the textile periodical ''Der Konfektionär''), has fled with his family penniless to the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, after the periodical was " aryerized". Nevertheless, his wide business contacts facilitated his establishment of Pallas Studio and helped him to launch ''International Textiles'' on 15 December 1933.

László Moholy-Nagy László Moholy-Nagy (; ; born László Weisz; July 20, 1895 – November 24, 1946) was a Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian painter and photographer as well as a professor in the Bauhaus school. He was highly influenced by Constructivism (art), con ...

became the

Art Director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

of the magazine, dictated the total format of ''International Textiles'' and brought to bear his wide range of elementary graphic devices and their agile permutation to direct the reader's mind through forceful, clear, legible and fresh

layout In general terms, a layout is a structured arrangement of items within certain limits, or a plan for such arrangement. Specifically, layout may refer to: * Page layout, the arrangement of visual elements on a page ** Comprehensive layout (comp), ...

s. He relished the publisher's new

typeface A typeface (or font family) is a design of Letter (alphabet), letters, Numerical digit, numbers and other symbols, to be used in printing or for electronic display. Most typefaces include variations in size (e.g., 24 point), weight (e.g., light, ...

, an important feature in regulating the tri-lingual text. His constant questioning of the page space and sequence, supported by judicious, visual contrasts, demonstrated how his commercial graphics were extensions to, rather than imitations of, his paintings and typophotos, but were similarly aimed at public enlightenment. With this periodical, published twice a month and read in over thirty-five countries, Moholy achieved his widest dissemination of the new typography, though anonymously.

History

In 1933 the magazine International Textiles was set up in

where it was published every two months. In the same year a

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

office was opened under the direction of Hans Juda. Initially the magazine included advertisements, editorial comment and illustrated fashion news on all aspects of international fashion and textiles. It also featured articles on the international economic situation and export markets, as well as reporting on exhibitions and trade fairs. The text was published in Dutch, English, French and German. At the outbreak of the Second World War communications were severed between the Dutch and English offices and the two journals continued publication independently during the War, both using the title ''International Textiles''. With the end of the War this situation was formalised and from March 1946 the British magazine changed its title to ''The Ambassador'', acting as the British export journal for textiles and fashion. The original magazine continued publication in the

under the title ''International Textiles''. In 1946 ''The Ambassador'' had offices in 45 countries worldwide. During the post-war period the magazine featured articles on developments in trade and industry, the introduction of new dyes, finishes and yarns, and the establishment of new organisations to promote fashion and textiles such as the Colour, Design and Style Centre in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

. It also included a regular monthly discussion on the present and future textile trade with features on dress, fashions, furnishing fabrics, carpets and household linen. The magazine closed in 1972.

Important Contributors

One of the most important contributors was Max Hoff, whose early art was published in the magazine in 1934.

References

* "Albers and Moholy-Nagy: from the Bauhaus to the new world" by Achim Borchardt-Hume
Textiles in the V&A Archives
{{italic title 1933 establishments in the Netherlands 1972 disestablishments in the Netherlands Bi-monthly magazines published in the Netherlands Defunct magazines published in the Netherlands Business magazines published in the Netherlands Magazines established in 1933 Magazines disestablished in 1972 Magazines published in Amsterdam Professional and trade magazines Textile industry