Although there are a plethora of highly-reputable American fashion magazines, reading international publications widens your knowledge of other cultures, trends and perspectives as well as providing creative and intellectual inspiration. However, you don’t need to travel the globe to pick up copies, as most are sold in select stores in the United States. Here is a starting list of foreign art and fashion magazines worth reading.
American Magazines: International Editions
Vogue Italia, Vogue UK, Elle UK etc. are all incredible magazines to read. Although there are American versions of these magazines, the international editions reflect their own cultures and have somewhat different identities than their American counterparts. Vogue Italia, for example, is known among the fashion crowd as the best version due to its inventive, shocking photoshoots and the fact that it feels much less commercial than Anna Wintour’s version. Since European fashion is seen as much less focused on marketability at the expense of creativity than American fashion is, the content and editorials are fresher and more creative.
Dazed Magazine
Formerly known as Dazed & Confused Magazine, this London based monthly periodical was founded in 1991. Their aim, which still stands strong today, is to distinguish themselves from traditional fashion magazines by featuring underground youth culture, up-and-coming alternative artists and revolutionary fashion. Their mission is so strongly ingrained in the magazine’s DNA that it exudes into every aspect of each issue. There is a feeling of grit and emotion that is only possible to achieve by being true to their original mission. What’s impressive is that they haven’t sold out and have started printing mainstream fashion articles. If purchasing magazines feels like a waste of space, their online site is almost as thought-provoking as the issues themselves. One doesn’t need to be purely interested in fashion as the magazine and website cover a wide range of topics including photography, news, music, art and culture. If still unsure of the power and intellectual worth of Dazed, their facebook page describes themselves best: “Dazed exists to empower, entertain and educate tomorrow’s cultural leaders through radical fashion, agenda setting photography and fearless storytelling.”
LOVE Magazine
In terms of fashion magazines, LOVE is the new kid on the block. Founded in 2009 by fashion journalist Katie Grand, this bi-annual publication lures you in with high-profile cover girls. Don’t be discouraged by the magazine’s blindingly hot pink website. LOVE features high-profile it girls, such as Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Lily Rose Depp, mega-stars like Miley Cyrus, as well as niche market celebrities, such as Beth Ditto. Be forewarned, there’s a lot of artful nudity, making it NSFW.
i-D Magazine
i-D’s logo, imitating a winking face when turned on its side, continues this cheeky element in almost every issue by having cover models wink. Unlike the traditional fashion periodicals, i-D, like others featured on this list, prides itself on capturing London youth culture. This is in great contrast with magazines such as Vogue, whose main goal is to be aspirational, rather than gritty and real. This magazine recognizes the business-savvy need for re-invention in order to remain culturally relevant. i-D has certainly come a long way since its inception in 1980, evolving from its roots as a punk street style publication to the fashion phenomenon it is now. According to their website, their motto is “originate – don’t imitate.”
Toilet Paper Magazine
Although not technically a fashion magazine, I’d be remiss not to include this, as it is such an underrated periodical. Each issue is a beautiful piece of art you’d never dare to rip the pages out of. Launched in 2010 by the famously mischievous Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari, this photography-only bi-annual publication is Cattelan’s second foray into the magazine world, first being the now defunct Permanent Food. Each issue is created solely from the torn-up pieces of other publications. Toilet Paper Magazine’s photos are highly satirical, unusual and beautifully photographed. They are the type of images you want to go back to again and again, if only just to stare at the absurdity of the pictures.
Purple Fashion, Interview and L’officiel are other exemplary foreign magazines. Rather than ordering subscriptions online, which are incredibly expensive due to its rarity in the U.S. as well as the overseas shipping, most of these can be bought at your local Barnes and Noble at a lower cost, especially if you have a membership card that gives you a 10% discount.
While most of these magazines feature fashion, they cover a wide variety of other artistic topics, making them appealing to many different types of creatives. If there are other foreign art publications you think are worthy of reading, please add them to the comments!
