Designing the Cover for Thamar de Létay-Vachnadze’s Book

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Witch&Wizard is a design studio that started three years ago with just two people. With over a decade in the industry, the team has explored various creative fields - production, photography, and animation - before refining their focus. Today, they help brands find their unique voice in a crowded market, crafting identities that aren’t just visually striking but truly memorable.

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When we first took on the challenge of designing the cover for Thamar de Létay-Vachnadze’s book, we knew very little about her. So, the first step in our process was to get to know her - both as an artist and as a person - by delving into the book’s content. At this stage, we weren’t even thinking about the design itself. Instead, we found ourselves immersed in her story, forming an unexpected emotional connection. The warmth and admiration we felt extended not only to her work but also to her fascinating life, with its many ups and downs. Naturally, this deepened our sense of responsibility toward the project.

When it came to the design approach, we initially explored multiple directions. We considered a graphic rendition of her portrait, incorporating her most famous work created for Dior, or even integrating some of her signature aesthetic patterns.

However, each of these options felt too direct. We wanted the cover to serve as an invitation into Thamar’s world - like a movie trailer. But not the kind that gives everything away, spoiling the experience. Instead, we aimed for a subtle hint, a visual suggestion that sparks curiosity and draws the reader in.

As we refined our ideas, one thing became clear - Thamar’s life was deeply intertwined with the stage. From early childhood, she was connected to performance, dancing in Georgian folk ensembles, wearing elaborate costumes, and attending painting classes. In a way, her love for the stage and visual arts merged to define her unique creative identity. Beyond costume and set design, she was also a choreographer, creating ballets and theatrical productions. Her deep affinity for the stage was evident not only in her costume designs but also in the way she captured the atmospheric movement of her characters. This became the core inspiration for our design.

We decided to feature expressive yet refined silhouettes of her signature characters on the cover, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic that allowed the book itself to tell the full story. Following this concept, we kept the color palette restrained - using golden-beige tones for the silhouettes against a clean white background. At the same time, we wanted the cover to have a tactile quality, almost textile-like, as a nod to Thamar’s connection to fabrics and costume design.

In the final stage, we took our prototype to the printing house, refining the materials and finalizing the closest possible match. We also selected the Pantone shades for the silhouettes on-site, as choosing colors digitally can be misleading due to significant variations in print. Initially, there were technical challenges that delayed the first sample’s production, prolonging the anticipation.

However, in the end, we were more than satisfied with the result. The cover successfully captured Thamar de Létay-Vachnadze’s dynamic spirit, aesthetic vision, and deep connection to the stage - allowing readers to discover the essence of her artistry and life in their own way.

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