Why would two talented and employable young graphic designers start up their own practice without any clients, in the midst of a recession, and in a city brimming with world-renowned designers? "Karlssonwilker inc.'s tellmewhy" is the improbable story of such a venture — or act of bravura or insanity — on the part of Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker, and offers a telling, humorous, and always human insight into the workings of a young startup design studio, showcasing every single project they did in their first two years. <BR>A book as iconoclastic as their designs, "tellmewhy" features fresh stories of karlssonwilker's ordinary office live and its less-than-romantic tales about rooftop parties, battles with immigration, language obstacles, missed meetings, and money problems. Despite these stories — and because of others — karlssonwilker has produced an impressive body of work in two short years. Tellmewhy shows the happy endings, including signage for a Philadelphia restaurant, logo designs for a New York fashion house, and CD packaging for both independent and major music labels. And it presents the few unrealized designs, like an ad campaign for a TV network. All share the designers' creative and humorous take on design. <BR>Karlssonwilker intersperses these examples with its singular illustrated diagrams, faux flow charts linking the partners' biographies, work, social lives, and whatever comes to their unique minds. <BR>"Tellmewhy" offers both inspiration and caution for designers everywhere. A foreword by former employer Stefan Sagmeister recalls karlssonwilker's start in his design office.

This book calls itself an anti-monograph. It tells the unromantic tale of two unestablished guys trying to build a design business and how they muddle through, while creating exceptional work in the process.