As a new issue of 1413 magazine arrives in shops, we catch up with co-founder Echo Wu.

Echo is a graphic designer from Xi’an China living in New York City. As well as publishing 1413 with her university friend Lisa, she works with Richard Turley on projects for his Food studio—magazines including Civilization, Heavy Traffic and Nuts (she’s also deputy editor of Nuts).

She tells us about the origins of 1413 and its role alongside her day job, ‘I like the idea that as a graphic designer I can do something to document my culture in any way. It feels meaningful, like I’m doing something more than just making things look nice.’

What are you doing this morning? 
My mom is visiting me, and every morning she pours me a cup of warm water and cuts half an apple for me to start my day. Then she cooks me breakfast while I get ready for work. This morning I had two steamed eggs with toast. My studio is just a few blocks from my apartment. On my way there, I called Lisa, who I made 1413 with, to discuss our social media plan.

I bought a dress over the weekend and I’m wearing it today for the first time—I feel cute and happy. It’s our last week before summer vacation, so I’m not really in the mood to work. I am currently pretending to be productive while browsing dresses on Urban Outfitters. 

Describe your work environment
I sit under skylights, which is really nice, but recently I am getting sunburnt from it. I didn’t know that was possible! There’s an Adam Driver poster on the ceiling to encourage me to move my head around more often. We have a bunch of Adam Driver posters for me, a bunch of Aphex Twin stuff for my boss Richard.

There‘s only me and Richard in our studio. We each have two tables, covered by meeting notes, books, shipping supplies, cups, snacks… I am not necessarily the most neat person but I know where my stuff is. I don’t really see Richard often, half of the time he is hiding behind his giant monitor. Half of the time he is in meetings or vacations.

Which magazine do you first remember?  
Harper’s Bazaar. My aunt used to subscribe to it, and I would read every single page including all the clothing credits while my cousin watched her baby TV. I don’t remember much except fashion brand names and the smell of the magazine. I love that they often came with perfume or shampoo samplers and I always ended up getting them. I got a Miss Dior perfume sampler from one of those issues and that was a really good day for me.

Aside from yours, what’s your favourite magazine/zine?  
I have a soft spot for The Editorial Magazine. I bought my first issue at Closing Ceremony (an indie bookstore in Shanghai) back in 2015. That was the first time I knew a magazine could sell for over 150 RMB, which felt like a lot, especially since most magazines in China were then only around 20 RMB. I think it opened the door for me to a new world where making a magazine doesn't have to be a serious and grand thing.

The Editorial Magazine felt fun, light, and full of personality. The design and content were great, and I loved how they created unique spreads for each featured artist. Around the same time, I also came across Colors magazine. That was the year we started 1413. Ten years ago! So crazy!

What other piece of media would you recommend? 
I watch this youtube channel called Grand Illusions a lot when I am bored. It’s run by a grandpa named Tim. Tim collected toys all over the world for over 30 years and he has a massive collection. He‘s very proud of them and he plays with them one by one. It's just fun to watch, and also great for anyone looking for card, book, merchandise ideas.

Describe 1413 in three words  
Past and now

Where did the magazine name come from?
Lisa and I were college roommates. We both studied graphic design at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. 1413 started there as a school journal. We were found by the school, and they gave us a space to basically do whatever we like. The room number where we worked was 1413. After graduation, we just kept doing it and never changed the name. 

We do everything together, separately. Lisa is still in China, which can be difficult but it’s sort of perfect for our workflow. China and the United States have a 12-hour time difference. At night, I send her my Indesign file and by the time I wake up in the morning I have an updated one. We talk on the phone a lot. While we work on our computers, we talk about gossip, life, and magazines. I think we balance each other out: I tend to be more visual and will sometimes prioritize aesthetics over meaning, while she makes sure things are clear and intentional. We understand each other very well. She is going to Antwerp for graduate school soon, and we are both very excited about that. 

What is the indie magazine scene like in China?
I don't really know any scenes. I know there are a few independent magazines in China: Te editions, Be Water Journal and Demo… I think indie magazines are a relatively new concept in China? Book fairs only started maybe around 10 years ago. That being said, Chinese book fairs are some of the best book fairs I have ever been to. I met a lot of amazing talented artists and illustrators there.

Echo and Lisa

What role does 1413 have in your life—is it to help you remember your roots?
I need to be working on something for myself otherwise I feel anxious, and I am happy that that something is 1413. I like the idea that as a graphic designer I can do something to document my culture in any way. It feels meaningful, like I’m doing something more than just making things look nice. My friendship with Lisa is also really important to me, and it’s sweet and comforting to have 1413 grow alongside us.


Your website refers to ‘China’s eccentric graphic world’; tell us more about that—does everything in China look like 1413?  
What we highlight tends to be more nostalgic or overlooked. It’s not necessarily trendy or representative of China’s mainstream, but it reflects our personal experience of living there. It's more about what feels real to us. And our perspective is shaped by everyday life, things we encounter like street signs, old books, movie title cards, packaging… You should book a flight and see for yourself.  

   

Please show us one spread that sums up the magazine
The new issue is about ‘Yuán’, which is kind of like destiny, but not quite. It embodies a uniquely Chinese sense of romance and philosophy. It’s the invisible thread that connects people and relationships.  

I think this spread (above) is a good example: it captures that moment when you see someone on the street wearing the exact same outfit, and you think, ‘What are the odds?’—that’s kinda what Yuán is about. Also, this was the first shoot we did for the issue, and I really like how it turned out. In this issue, we begin by explaining what Yuán means, and then explore the many forms it takes: feng shui, love stories, algorithms, classified ads… everything is Yuán! There aren’t many words in this issue, because I think Yuán is hard to express through language. It’s more of a feeling, something you just sense.

What has publishing magazines taught you that may be helpful to anyone else planning to launch one?  
Make a deadline and follow it. If you can't follow it, sign up for a bookfair and tell everybody you are going to the bookfair. Then you have a deadline and you just have to follow it. Then just make it happen. Rush it if you have to.

Think less. Find smarter ways to tell the same story. Close the issue before you fall out of love with it. It’s fine if there’s mistakes in it, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s just a book at the end of the day. Nobody will notice the mistakes ever, I promise. (My magazine is not that successful, so don’t listen to me if you want it to be very successful.)

What are you most looking forward to this coming week?  
I am looking forward to the end of this week so I can start my summer vacation. 

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We’ll have copies of 1413 available at the magCulture shop soon!