Redesigning ‘The Gazette’.

Background

City of London School (CLS) commissioned Formara to redesign and produce The John Carpenter Alumni Community Magazine, also known as The Gazette. The school was in the process of a major brand refresh and wanted the magazine to reflect a bold new identity while maintaining the heritage and gravitas associated with its long-standing alumni community.

This edition marked the first time the Alumni Magazine was produced and edited in house by CLS, which created the need for a refreshed design that aligned with the school’s updated visual identity.

From the initial meeting at their riverside campus, it was clear that this was more than a routine editorial project. The brief offered an opportunity to channel a newly developed brand system into a publication that would embody the school’s values and its forward-looking vision.

Challenge

The project presented several key challenges.

• CLS was undergoing a significant rebrand, which meant the new visual language needed to be explored, interpreted, and confidently applied for the first time in a major publication.
• The magazine required a careful balance of modernity and tradition to ensure it resonated with current alumni while aligning with the school’s future direction.
• Content delivery arrived in stages, which meant the design team needed a flexible workflow that allowed for incomplete articles, evolving layouts, and late additions.
• Towards the end of production, a sensitive last-minute request came in. A much-loved former teacher had passed away, and a tribute needed to be incorporated without delaying print deadlines or disrupting the publication’s flow.

These factors required thoughtful design, strong communication, and an agile production process.

Solution

Establishing the vision

Formara’s designer, Greg, and customer service lead, Kerry, visited CLS to present editorial samples, including the Inward Investment document designed for Southend-on-Sea City Council. This meeting helped shape the magazine’s direction. The chosen saddle stitched format, combined with an uncoated FSC-certified stock, created a tactile and sustainable foundation that matched the refined tone of the new brand.

Designing concepts that capture the new identity

Two design concepts were developed. Both used CLS’s new gradient palette, modern typography, and a clean layout system. Visual pacing was a key focus, balancing text-heavy sections with full-bleed imagery, strong pull quotes, and generous white space to guide the reader through the content naturally.

Building the publication

Once the concept was approved, templates were refined and the team began assembling content through a shared OneDrive workflow. Articles arrived in stages, so layouts were created in batches to ensure consistency.

AI tools were used to support the editorial process, helping to generate summary-style titles, extract impactful pull quotes, and enhance low-resolution imagery. These tools acted as a complement to the creative process, improving efficiency without compromising design integrity.

A sensitive, swift pivot

When news arrived of the former teacher’s passing, the flatplan was rapidly reworked. Working closely with the CLS team, Formara designed a tribute spread that conveyed the appropriate tone and ensured the magazine remained aligned with its print timeline.

Supporting materials and mailpack design

In addition to the magazine, Formara produced a donation form, covering letter, and carrier sheet. The original intention was to use printed polylopes to showcase the cover, but minimum quantities made this impractical. The team proposed a more flexible and cost-effective solution using clear polywraps and a branded carrier insert that delivered strong visual impact.

Results

The final CLS Gazette is a modern, elegant, and editorially engaging publication that embodies the school’s new brand identity while respecting its heritage. The use of refined typography, gradient detailing, and carefully crafted layouts created a magazine that feels both contemporary and meaningful.

Feedback from the CLS team has been highly positive, and the strength of the collaboration has led to a follow up commission to design The Chronicle, the school’s magazine that reviews the previous academic year.

The project demonstrates Formara’s ability to combine creative direction, sustainable print production, and agile project management to deliver a publication that stands out for its quality, integrity, and alignment with brand evolution.