Schande #[nn]

The cover of this 2013 De Harmonie release by Peter van Straaten is a quietly clever piece of design — styled to look exactly like a worn, rose-pink leather diary, complete with a small metal clasp, heart-patterned stitching, and a decorative floral emblem embossed at the top. The title Schande (Dutch for "shame") is etched subtly across the diary's face in matching tones, while van Straaten's signature flows in gold script along the bottom — an intimate, understated touch that sets the tone perfectly. A book that announces itself as something personal and a little confessional before you've even opened the cover.