Chameleonic, androgynous and versatile, Tilda Swinton is well known for her gargantuan body of work with auteurs such as Derek Jarman, Jim Jarmusch, Lynne Ramsay, Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Wes Anderson. Encompassing art films and blockbusters, she’s as hilarious as she is heartbreaking – simply put, she’s an icon of cinema. However, when you have an actor who disappears into roles (quite literally – in Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria, she is completely unrecognisable as an elderly doctor) sometimes there’s no easy place to start. In the September issue of London’s acclaimed film magazine Little White Lies, Tilda Swinton has an entire issue to herself, broken into distinct eras of her life as opposed to the typical retrospective fanfare, which felt more like a “funeral than a fiesta”.
Alongside a presentation of classic films and artefacts, this issue features some of her most vital collaborators as well as typically striking and consistent illustrative design across every page. “We gathered illustrators who would have a sense of fashion with a quirky twist,” says Laurène Boglio, art director of this issue. “To distinguish the different eras, we have different type/layout styles to match the look of each decade, but without being too cliche.” For David Jenkins, editor of LWL, figuring out the starting point of the issue’s design was the most fun part. “This concept of having a magazine that is composed of five miniature imaginary magazines was something we’ve been discussing for about three years. We’re always glad that eventually we get to do these things that we’ve kept hidden away in a drawer for so long,” says David.