A sense of humour, gentle absurdity, a benevolent view of the world and a healthy detachment from reality – these are the key traits that brought together Pan tu nie stał and Przekrój magazine, leading to a unique collaboration at the intersection of the worlds of fashion, illustration and the written word. The result of this collaboration is a mini clothing collection: T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and accessories, featuring characters from the Przekrój universe alongside their perspective on reality: a healthy dose of curiosity, a touch of tenderness and a pinch of contrariness.
A natural fusion of worlds that are different yet closely related
*Przekrój*, a magazine published since 1945, has from the very beginning been a publication with a light-hearted tone, an observant eye, and full of humour and culture. Over the decades, it has become a phenomenon extending beyond the press. It was within its pages that literature, art, fashion, customs, philosophy and the absurd came together. Whether as a monthly, a quarterly or, later, an annual, it has accompanied the creators of the Łódź-based brand ‘Pan tu nie stał’ for years, captivating readers with its ability to effortlessly blend lightness with depth, humour with reflection, and art with everyday life.
‘Pan tu nie stał’ and *Przekrój* are on the same wavelength, operating within a world of similar values, grounded in great understanding and a sense of detachment from the surrounding reality. In Polish, with multiple meanings and a sense of humour – these are the pillars of the Łódź-based clothing brand, which, guided by a fondness for the visual culture of past decades and contemporary, broadly defined good design, creates seasonal collections of clothing and accessories. That is why the collaboration between the brand Pan tu nie stał and Przekrój magazine seems to be a natural union of two distinct, yet very closely related, worlds.
A good-natured professor in a bowler hat
The “PTNS and Przekrój” collection comprises over a dozen clothing items, thoroughly Polish in character, created locally from knitted fabrics produced in Łódź and the surrounding area, and sewn in partner sewing workshops. One of the main characters in the collection is Professor Filutek, without whom it would be hard to imagine reading *Przekrój*. Anyone familiar with *Przekrój* will certainly recognise this distinctive character, usually wearing a bowler hat and a coat, often carrying an umbrella and accompanied by his dog, Filutek. Created by Zbigniew Lengren, the comic strip appeared in the magazine for years, captivating readers with the good-natured professor’s cheerful disposition and his unconventional approach to every obstacle he encountered. Today, a dozen or so selected comic strips can be found on T-shirts and a spacious cotton bag.
How was the first alien created?
Marek Raczkowski’s ‘Aliens’ also provide a strong representation of this diverse universe. They’ve made their way onto hoodies, T-shirts, bags and even socks, sometimes forming a complete design full of all sorts of cosmic characters, and at other times providing a small yet striking accent in the form of distinctive embroidery. Or perhaps you’d like to know how the first alien came to be, or who built the pyramids? No problem – there’s a T-shirt for that.
On the trail of the ‘kosmops’
Whether you’ve been leafing through *Przekrój* since childhood, starting with the ‘Rozmaitości’ section on the back page, or you identify with Stanisław from Łódź, tirelessly searching for aliens, or perhaps you associate the magazine with your grandmother’s house, it’s worth checking out exactly what’s in this ever-expanding *Przekrój* collection. Who wouldn’t want to finally find out what a ‘kosmopies’ looks like?
Series design: Marta Pakowska-Siwek
Illustrations: Marek Raczkowski, Zbigniew Lengren
Photography: Zuza Balcerzak ᴾᴴᴼᵀᴼ
Make-up and hair: Marta Sicińska
Featured in the photos: Tomek Jezierski and Munira Janicka
Assistant: Natalia Darnowska-Jędrej
Read also: Logo | Polish designers | Collection | Recommended | whiteMAD on Instagram
