SINGAPORE – The cover art of books should not be obscured with garish gift-wrapping paper, says Singapore designer Melvin Ong.
The founder of home-grown design studio Desinere says that with a little cutting, folding and pleating, even ordinary A3-size printing paper or textured paper can be crafted into a standout sleeve to hold a book gift.
Books are also the easiest presents to give at the last minute as it takes just minutes to pop into a bookstore to pick up a few in time for Christmas Eve dinner.
Mr Ong, 38, studied furniture and interior design at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 2005 before pursuing his degree studies at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art and Design in London in 2008.
In 2012, he opened online studio Desinere, which does mainly corporate commissions such as elaborate installations for fashion and furniture events. He also has a curated line of products on his webstore as well as on online art and design platform Vermillion which features pleating, one of his signature approaches to design.
He says that books are evergreen and they last a lifetime if kept well. Like a card, they can also express a sentiment, but are more substantive.
“The peek-a-boo sleeve is perfect for books as it complements the beautiful cover art. Also, loved ones receiving the gift do not have to rip off the gift-wrapping after all the effort you have put into crafting it,” adds Mr Ong.
“The wrapping is designed to be recycled by simply adding different embellishments.”
Info: Go to instagram.com/desinere_sg to print out the template for the Pleated Book Sleeve and follow the instructions for folding the wrapper and creating pleats as well as embellishments for the sleeve.
Method
1. Measure the length of the paper required based on the size of the book to be wrapped.
2. Fold diagonally to position the pleat.
3. Repeat another diagonal fold to form a pleat.
4. Mirror this process on the other side.
5. Position the book within the sleeve.
6. With the book in place, fold both sides over the book.
7. Fold the ends of the pleated sleeve to secure the book in place.
8. Tape the bottom of the sleeve .
9. The pleated sleeve is complete.
10. Dress up with paper-sculpture embellishments to make the final product fun and visually appealing.
