The Book of Kin

THE LISSOME N°6: Deep Beauty

What is beauty?

The artist Agnes Martin once described beauty as the mystery of life. For thinkers, artists and wisdom seekers throughout history, beauty has belonged to the same realm as truth, goodness or love. And yet today, it can feel like an uneasy word. Hollowed out by the advertising and entertainment industries, beauty is often reduced to surface appeal or desire engineered for consumption. So much around us claims to be beautiful, especially in this time of constant acceleration and visual saturation. But what is beauty, really? And what is its role in our lives, in our human experience?

The question feels urgent as we are living through a period of profound technological, ecological and cultural transformation, while our attention is increasingly fragmented and many of the forces shaping our lives pull us towards speed, abstraction and disconnection. What makes beauty relevant in our time?

Across 144 pages of essays, conversations, photography, art and visual storytelling, Deep Beauty follows this question into unexpected places: from Arizona Muse reflecting on the difference between looking pretty and living in beauty, to the astonishing diversity of sheep and the terroir of wool; from a journey into Taiwan’s world of wild tea to the spells, dreams and prayers once woven into cloth. The Major Arcana is reimagined as a journey towards stewardship, while William Morris takes us back to a radical understanding of beauty as inseparable from everyday life, craft and social change. The Major Arcana is reimagined as a journey towards stewardship, while William Morris takes us back to a radical understanding of beauty as inseparable from everyday life, craft and social change. From there, Beauty as World-Making traces a darker path from the Futurists’ intoxication with speed to the increasingly authoritarian and anti-democratic currents emerging from Silicon Valley – and asks what kind of future we are being persuaded to desire.

Deep Beauty invites us to take beauty seriously. As something luminous and unsettling, intimate and political. As a way of paying attention. As a practice through which we might become more alive to what surrounds us, more discerning about what asks for our desire, and more capable of imagining what else might be possible.

Pre-order Deep Beauty
Deep Beauty goes to print on 1 October 2026. Pre-orders are expected to ship between late October and early November 2026.

Please note: The images shown are miniature printouts from the final layout. Images of the finished magazine will follow after printing.

Format:

The Lissome is an independently published, high-quality print magazine made to be kept and enjoyed slowly. Limited print edition, 144 pages
, 29 × 21 cm
.

Mindfully-Made:

The Lissome is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship. The magazine is printed on EU Ecolabel and FSC®-certified papers (Munken Print White and Holmen TRND).

Shipping rates:
Standard shipping for one magazine is €1.90 within Germany, €3.90 within the EU and UK, €4.90 to Switzerland, €6.90 to Australia and €7.90 to the USA. Additional shipping options, including tracked shipping, are available at checkout.

Shipping:

Orders will ship out within 1 to 3 business days.

All orders are shipped directly from Berlin by our shipping partner OML. Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

THE LISSOME N°6: Deep Beauty

What is beauty?

The artist Agnes Martin once described beauty as the mystery of life. For thinkers, artists and wisdom seekers throughout history, beauty has belonged to the same realm as truth, goodness or love. And yet today, it can feel like an uneasy word. Hollowed out by the advertising and entertainment industries, beauty is often reduced to surface appeal or desire engineered for consumption. So much around us claims to be beautiful, especially in this time of constant acceleration and visual saturation. But what is beauty, really? And what is its role in our lives, in our human experience?

The question feels urgent as we are living through a period of profound technological, ecological and cultural transformation, while our attention is increasingly fragmented and many of the forces shaping our lives pull us towards speed, abstraction and disconnection. What makes beauty relevant in our time?

Across 144 pages of essays, conversations, photography, art and visual storytelling, Deep Beauty follows this question into unexpected places: from Arizona Muse reflecting on the difference between looking pretty and living in beauty, to the astonishing diversity of sheep and the terroir of wool; from a journey into Taiwan’s world of wild tea to the spells, dreams and prayers once woven into cloth. The Major Arcana is reimagined as a journey towards stewardship, while William Morris takes us back to a radical understanding of beauty as inseparable from everyday life, craft and social change. The Major Arcana is reimagined as a journey towards stewardship, while William Morris takes us back to a radical understanding of beauty as inseparable from everyday life, craft and social change. From there, Beauty as World-Making traces a darker path from the Futurists’ intoxication with speed to the increasingly authoritarian and anti-democratic currents emerging from Silicon Valley – and asks what kind of future we are being persuaded to desire.

Deep Beauty invites us to take beauty seriously. As something luminous and unsettling, intimate and political. As a way of paying attention. As a practice through which we might become more alive to what surrounds us, more discerning about what asks for our desire, and more capable of imagining what else might be possible.

Pre-order Deep Beauty
Deep Beauty goes to print on 1 October 2026. Pre-orders are expected to ship between late October and early November 2026.

Please note: The images shown are miniature printouts from the final layout. Images of the finished magazine will follow after printing.

Format:

The Lissome is an independently published, high-quality print magazine made to be kept and enjoyed slowly. Limited print edition, 144 pages
, 29 × 21 cm
.

Mindfully-Made:

The Lissome is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship. The magazine is printed on EU Ecolabel and FSC®-certified papers (Munken Print White and Holmen TRND).

Shipping rates:
Standard shipping for one magazine is €1.90 within Germany, €3.90 within the EU and UK, €4.90 to Switzerland, €6.90 to Australia and €7.90 to the USA. Additional shipping options, including tracked shipping, are available at checkout.

Shipping:

Orders will ship out within 1 to 3 business days.

All orders are shipped directly from Berlin by our shipping partner OML. Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

The Lissome N° 5: Rise Up Rooted, Like Trees

In its fifth edition, Rise Up Rooted, Like Trees, The Lissome invites us to anchor ourselves in resilience and hope, exploring personal, cultural and ecological pathways toward renewal. Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetic vision – “If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence, we could rise up rooted, like trees” – this issue brings together visionary voices, practical tools and deep reflections on reconnecting with the Earth’s wisdom through creativity and craft.

Featuring an intimate cover interview with actor, author and advocate Lily Cole, alongside insightful contributions from diverse and intergenerational voices, the magazine thoughtfully traverses fashion, craft, storytelling, ecology, somatics and activism. Through compelling essays, conversations, visual stories and fashion editorials, Rise Up Rooted, Like Trees offers guidance and inspiration for cultivating strength and imagining resonant futures.

Format:

The Lissome is a 144-pages high-quality coffee table magazine, measuring 29 x 21 cm. Printed in a limited edition of 1000 copies.

Mindfully-Made:

The Lissome is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship. The magazine is printed on EU Ecolabel and FSC®-certified papers (Munken Print White and Holmen TRND).

Shipping rates:
Free shipping within Germany. Standard shipping for one magazine of the new issue is €1.90 in the EU and €3.90 to the USA. Additional shipping options (including tracked shipping and other countries) are available at checkout.

Shipping:

Orders will ship out within 1 to 3 business days.

All orders are shipped directly from Berlin by our shipping partner OML. Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

THE LISSOME N°4: Love Ethic

The Lissome’s Edition N°4: Love Ethic pays tribute to bell hooks’ influential work, All about Love: New Visions. Moving beyond the confines of romantic love, the author explores love as the foundation of life that touches on everything – love of self and others (and the more than human world), societal frameworks, the material world, justice, values and spirituality, as well as experiences of loss and healing. She advocates for a cultural shift towards a love ethic, affirming everyone’s right to freedom and a fulfilling life.

Inspired by bell hooks’ heartfelt wisdom, we envision a world where love ethics permeate every aspect of our lives, fostering collective care. We’d like to invite you to join us in contemplating this transformative possibility in our latest print edition, discovering love as a powerful antidote for our challenging times, softening hearts and opening new possibilities to thrive.

Format:
The Lissome is a 144-pages coffee table magazine, measuring 31 x 22,6 cm. It has a high-quality stitch binding to secure durability and easy reading.

Mindfully-Made:
The Lissome is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship. The magazine is printed on Enviro Top U, a 100% FSC® recycled paper which is Blauer Engel and EU Ecolabel certified.

Shipping:
Orders will ship out within 1 to 3 business days. If something unexpected happens with our timeline, we will contact you ASAP. All delivery times are estimates.

All orders are shipped directly from Berlin by our shipping partner OML. Since the pandemic, we are still occasionally experiencing delays in shipping. We highly appreciate your understanding and patience.

Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

THE BOOK OF KIN N°2

The Book of Kin is our curated annual guidebook that aspires to nurture a growing regenerative movement in the realm of fashion and textiles. It contains a carefully curated selection of slow makers and brands alongside interviews, articles and tutorials and a fashion story with and from innovative designers, craft practitioners, researchers and activists who show us how fashion, clothing and textiles can enhance the wellbeing of communities and the natural world.

The Book of Kin is conceived to create awareness of how our “being in relationship” with the material world reflects on our relationships with each other to build strong and caring bonds between fashion lovers and the origins of their garments – to celebrate the beauty and ingenuity of nature and the skilfulness of farmers, processors, designers and makers.

The Book of Kin recommends brands, designers and makers in the following categories: Clothing, Accessories, Jewellery, Homeware, Beauty, DIY+Materials, Workshops+Retreats. The printed guide book has an online counterpart on The Lissome website, and we will launch a The Book of Kin-themed newsletter on Substack in March 2024.

Featuring interviews with Veronica Bates Kassatly (on greenwashing in fashion), Katerina Knight (on craft as a pathway to healing), the UK Fibreshed (From Farm to Closet), and a tutorial on silk printing with wild flowers by Paula Delgado of slow clothing brand ound.

Format:
In its second edition, The Book of Kin comes in a new, larger format of 68-pages magazine, measuring 17 x 23,1 cm, and a more heavy-weight Munken paperstock.

Mindfully-Made:
The Book of Kin is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship.

Shipping:
All orders will be shipped directly from Berlin. Since the pandemic, we are still occasionally experiencing delays in shipping. We highly appreciate your understanding and patience.

Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

THE LISSOME N°3: Cosmic Commons

In our third edition, The Lissome N°3: Cosmic Commons, we envision a synthesis of the intimate and the celestial and take a playful dive into the galaxies of outer space and inner worlds. We aim to create a vision board for (a) collaborative future(s), a living breathing commons, filled with cosmic laughter and universal love.

We listen into a new epoch and sense an ancient network of interconnections. Where is our place as humans in the vastness of the night sky? Star seeds are gathering, and the sanctity of the commons shows us a path: we can rebuild our world by coming together and reclaiming our shared prosperity and aliveness. The sacredness of space is not for one to rule but for all to steward. Our future is a pluriverse.

Format:
The Lissome is a 144-pages coffee table magazine, measuring 31 x 22,6 cm. It has a high-quality stitch binding to secure durability and easy reading.

Mindfully-Made:
The Lissome is produced locally in Berlin by Druckhaus Sportflieger, a FSC® certified printer renowned for its high-quality and craftsmanship. The magazine is printed on Enviro Top U, a 100% FSC® recycled paper which is Blauer Engel and EU Ecolabel certified.

Shipping:
Orders will ship out within 1 to 3 business days. If something unexpected happens with our timeline, we will contact you ASAP. All delivery times are estimates.

All orders are shipped directly from Berlin by our shipping partner OML. Due to the pandemic, we are occasionally experiencing delays in shipping. We highly appreciate your understanding and patience.

Please note that we will not be able to help locate your order or reimburse you for lost or damaged shipment should you choose a shipping option without tracking (for shipments outside of Germany).

THE LISSOME N°4 / Digital Edition
Ceremony Cover

The Lissome’s Edition N°4: Love Ethic pays tribute to bell hooks’ influential work, All about Love: New Visions. Moving beyond the confines of romantic love, the author explores love as the foundation of life that touches on everything – love of self and others (and the more than human world), societal frameworks, the material world, justice, values and spirituality, as well as experiences of loss and healing. She advocates for a cultural shift towards a love ethic, affirming everyone’s right to freedom and a fulfilling life.

Inspired by bell hooks’ heartfelt wisdom, we envision a world where love ethics permeate every aspect of our lives, fostering collective care. We’d like to invite you to join us in contemplating this transformative possibility in our latest print edition, discovering love as a powerful antidote for our challenging times, softening hearts and opening new possibilities to thrive.

Format:
The Lissome is a 144-pages coffee table magazine, measuring 31 x 22,6 cm. It has a high-quality stitch binding to secure durability and easy reading.

Shipping:
Download after purchase.