Nous Vous launches publishing imprint with Jay Cover's ace book about weird English phrases

The wonderful Nous Vous gang have long impressed us: so much so that nine years ago we predicted they would take over the world. They’ve not done that quite yet, but what they have done is finally launch their own publishing imprint, Nous Vous Press.

“As part of our studio practice we’ve been making zines, books and prints since 2006, collaborating with established publishers like Hato Press, Tate Publishing and
Wide-Eyed Editions along the way,” says Nous Vous. “In fact the very first project we did together was a small book called Pocket-Sized, and after almost ten years of self-publishing we thought it was time to take things a bit more seriously. So we’ve officially launched our own imprint, Nous Vous Press.”

The outfit’s debut is in the form of a book by illustrator Jay Cover, who has written and illustrated a celebration of peculiar British idioms. Entitled Nature Calls, “breaking the ice” is brought to life by a heavy-footed polar bear, fresh as a daisy by, you guessed it, a pretty fresh daisy, and “down to earth” sees a beautiful bird gracefully flutter to the ground.

As you’d expect, the images are bold, poppy and simple, and manage to perfectly encapsulate the wonderful absurdity of the English language. According to Nous Vous, their aim is to “foster an inquisitive and playful attitude towards learning and making” and provide a platform for new work with the press. We have no doubt they will.