A Note From Our Editor as We Prepare to Launch the Newly Redesigned FASHION
If you’ve already received your September issue of FASHION, you might have noticed some changes. If you’ve read The Brief (formerly called Contents), you may suspect that something’s up. If you’ve noticed that the masthead, which is now called The Team, has also changed, you’re either a serious magazine junkie or in the biz. If you’re just getting to this note—not having picked up your September issue yet—you might be thinking “Hey, what’s going on?”
At first blush, it sounds like a redesign—and it is. But it’s more than that. Our goal was to create a post-digital magazine. The traditional structure—in which stories and photos are confined to strictly defined categories like style, beauty, culture, fashion and travel—seemed dated. It’s also not how any of us consumes content these days. Ideas and images are richer and more layered in meaning when their various influences are explored simultaneously. We also wanted there to be an element of surprise when you turn the page. It’s like sitting down to a chef’s tasting menu and being open to the curated mix of tastes and experiences that will unfold. In the past, the “soundtrack” to our “editorial feast” was mostly a series of strong single-instrument ensemble performances. But now we’re merging all these “performances” to create a richer “orchestral” experience for the reader based on a new editorial “score.” (OK, no more music references!)
The structure is fairly simple: There’s The Market and The Draw. Literally and figuratively, The Market is a place where ideas, goods, services and experiences are exchanged. Ideally, it’s an inspiring setting that attracts an engaging, eclectic and thoughtful cast of characters. It may look like a random collection of “stalls,” but FASHION’s Market is subdivided into three categories: Products, People and Moments. In each of these, you’ll find fashion, beauty, culture, travel and lifestyle stories and photos blended together. The driving narrative behind the story will determine which “stall” it lands in.
The Products and People sections are fairly self-evident, but stories and photo shoots in the Moments section have a broader context. They can be experiences, and they can also be an exploration of an idea or mood that’s having a moment. The other section of the book is called The Draw. It’s the “special editorial attraction” in that issue, and it’s where we’ll showcase a narrow but deep approach to our storytelling. It’s not about being everything to everybody; it’s about being everything to somebody—and that somebody is anyone who is interested in leading an informed, thoughtful and fashionable life.
So what’s the special “draw” in this issue? Somewhat appropriately—given our own transformation—we’ve focused on identity. (You can get a sneak peek of our thoughts on identity in our stories on Crazy Rich Asians’ Constance Wu, hijabi influencer Hodan Yousuf, multi-hyphenate artist Vivek Shraya and actress Amanda Brugel.) It’s a huge, complicated and meaningful topic that is being explored in fashion, beauty and culture. Our new identity is still taking shape, so expect more evolutions and surprises to come. We hope our new format will invite you to get comfy; put down your phone and enjoy a screen-free moment. Later, if you want to drop us an email to share your thoughts and suggestions, please write to [email protected]. Thanks, as always, for your support.
, you may suspect that something’s up. If you’ve noticed that the masthead, which is now called The Team, has also changed, you’re either a serious magazine junkie or in the biz. If you’re just getting to this note—not having picked up your September issue yet—you might be thinking “Hey, what’s going on?”
At first blush, it sounds like a redesign—and it is. But it’s more than that. Our goal was to create a post-digital magazine. The traditional structure—in which stories and photos are confined to strictly defined categories like style, beauty, culture, fashion and travel—seemed dated. It’s also not how any of us consumes content these days. Ideas and images are richer and more layered in meaning when their various influences are explored simultaneously. We also wanted there to be an element of surprise when you turn the page. It’s like sitting down to a chef’s tasting menu and being open to the curated mix of tastes and experiences that will unfold. In the past, the “soundtrack” to our “editorial feast” was mostly a series of strong single-instrument ensemble performances. But now we’re merging all these “performances” to create a richer “orchestral” experience for the reader based on a new editorial “score.” (OK, no more music references!)
The structure is fairly simple: There’s The Market and The Draw. Literally and figuratively, The Market is a place where ideas, goods, services and experiences are exchanged. Ideally, it’s an inspiring setting that attracts an engaging, eclectic and thoughtful cast of characters. It may look like a random collection of “stalls,” but FASHION’s Market is subdivided into three categories: Products, People and Moments. In each of these, you’ll find fashion, beauty, culture, travel and lifestyle stories and photos blended together. The driving narrative behind the story will determine which “stall” it lands in.
The Products and People sections are fairly self-evident, but stories and photo shoots in the Moments section have a broader context. They can be experiences, and they can also be an exploration of an idea or mood that’s having a moment. The other section of the book is called The Draw. It’s the “special editorial attraction” in that issue, and it’s where we’ll showcase a narrow but deep approach to our storytelling. It’s not about being everything to everybody; it’s about being everything to somebody—and that somebody is anyone who is interested in leading an informed, thoughtful and fashionable life.
So what’s the special “draw” in this issue? Somewhat appropriately—given our own transformation—we’ve focused on identity. (You can get a sneak peek of our thoughts on identity in our stories on Crazy Rich Asians' Constance Wu, hijabi influencer Hodan Yousuf, multi-hyphenate artist Vivek Shraya and actress Amanda Brugel.) It’s a huge, complicated and meaningful topic that is being explored in fashion, beauty and culture. Our new identity is still taking shape, so expect more evolutions and surprises to come. We hope our new format will invite you to get comfy; put down your phone and enjoy a screen-free moment. Later, if you want to drop us an email to share your thoughts and suggestions, please write to letters@fashionmagazine.com. Thanks, as always, for your support.
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