Emme Edizioni is an Italian children’s publishing house founded by Rosellina Archinto in the mid-1960s in Milan. The name “Emme” derives from the Italian pronunciation of the letter M, which was the initial of Archinto’s maiden name, Marconi. The publisher became known for introducing translated works and innovative graphic design to Italian children’s literature, including early publications of Leo Lionni’s Little Blue and Little Yellow and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are.[1][2]
Design and History
The Emme Edizioni logogram was designed in 1967 by Salvatore Gregorietti, working at Unimark International, the Milan-based design firm where Gregorietti had joined as a junior partner in 1965.[3][4]
Gregorietti rendered the word “emme”, the Italian pronunciation of the letter M, using the same modular shape for both the letter E and the letter M. The compactness of the mark creates a united symbol, and its rotational symmetry allows it to be read in multiple directions.[3]
Gregorietti continued to work with Emme Edizioni beyond the logo, designing numerous book series for the publisher through the late 1960s and 1970s. His work included the “Il Puntoemme” series in 1969 and the “I Pomeriggi” series in 1974, both credited to Unimark International.[5][6]
Archinto sold Emme Edizioni in 1985. The brand later became part of the Mondadori group, and today Emme Edizioni operates alongside Edizioni EL and Einaudi Ragazzi as a children’s imprint catering primarily to early childhood, featuring illustrated albums and early reading programs.[7][8]
Meaning and Symbolism
The logogram plays on the publisher’s name itself. “Emme” is the Italian pronunciation of the letter M, and Gregorietti’s design visually merges the letters E and M into a single modular form. The rotational symmetry of the mark allows it to be read from multiple directions, reinforcing the wordplay inherent in the name.[3]
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