Showing posts with label Business of Fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business of Fashion. Show all posts

Flatlay of British Fashion Magazines

The Business of Fashion is currently running a #BOFLive series, a host of panel discussions offered virtually on Zoom during the global pandemic. In one of their latest streams, journalist Tim Blanks sat down with two members from LOVE magazine Co-Editor-in-Chief Ben Cobb and Senior Editor Pierre A. M’Pelé. The pair discussed and recounted how they put together LOVE’s two-volume book, #LOVEDiaries, chronicling the events during worldwide lockdown. 


It was a really interesting talk that covered issues on what a fashion magazines place is post-Covid-19. This is actually a similar topic to what I wrote about in my final year project on, What does it mean to be a fashion publication in 2020? The essay looked at the historical context of fashion magazines purpose was when it originally came out to the purpose of it now. It mainly touched upon the structural elements and revenue streams that magazines need to adapt to in order to continue to be successful. 


Whereas I had looked at the structural elements, the conversation was more diverted to the content of a fashion magazine. The role of a fashion magazine is a documentation of current life. It is often referred to as a "mirror or our time" filled with current trends in fashion and what’s happening in the world. If you think about it, a fashion magazine can be used as a piece of history.


In the latest volume of LOVE Diaries, there is 600 pages of photography and essays summarising "the four months of choas, emotional extremes and fleeting moments of hope". This also includes the Black Lives Matter movement and worldwide protests that ignited with the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, United States. 


LOVE diaries vol 1
LOVE Diaries Vol 1 Cover shot by Sama Kai (@official_kaicapture) | Credit thelovemagazine.co.uk

Tim Blanks asked a great question of, “What is fashion going forward?”


Ben Cobb: Fashion has always been more about the clothes and accessories, that’s the store front…The culture, the time, politics, the conversations going on; that’s always driven and been wired into it. I think it’s almost like the behind-the-scenes part has moved to the front right now. It’s about humanity. Pierre and I were talking earlier about this book we’ve created is really about humanity. It’s about humans and how they connect together and all their stories. That’s always been there in the fashion conversation.


Pierre A. M’Pelé: I feel like we’re looking further than the clothing and we’re really trying to install meaning and purpose into what we wear and why we wear them and how those clothes can reflect the world we live in. Even looking at Sama Kai’s cover, it just says it all because obviously it’s clothing and fashion and that young man Marley looks fashionable but there is so much more behind it. It even makes me think of the black panther and the style. 


What do you think Fashion is going forward?

Love, Aoife xo



The only thing blaring through my headphones until about a month ago was music. Now, it’s podcasts. While they have been around for some time, podcasts have become quite a phenomenon in recent years. The momentum continues to grow with more listeners tuning in and more podcasts saturating the market. The good podcasts are a little harder to find with every podcast catering to what it seems like every type of person in the world. Whether you’re on the way to somewhere or waiting between lectures, podcasts are the perfect company. And if they’re done well, you feel right there with the presenters. Here are five of my favourite lifestyle and fashion podcasts.

ONE // The BoF podcast (a.k.a. Business of Fashion)
The Business of Fashion, or the BoF for short, is like The Economist equivalent for fashion. They publish business-related news about fashion, providing insight into issues among the industry as well as movement within top brands.

In their podcast, they interview industry professionals from former models, Liya Kebede, to famous designers, including Katherine Hamnett and Alexandre Mattiussi of AMI. Their podcasts provide listeners with insight into their guests’ lives – how they grew up, what attracted them to fashion and where do they see the industry going, to name a few. Their guests relate to the current affairs in the fashion industry, keeping you in the know of what’s going on and who the key players are.

Fave episode: Derek Blasberg's plans for YouTube / Marco Bizzarri on China's Role in Gucci's $10 Billion Plan.

TWO // Table Manners with Jessie Ware
This has to be one of the funniest podcasts I have ever listened to. Between singer Jessie Ware, her Mum and a celebrity guest who sit around Jessie’s kitchen table; they have me in stitches. They have a good natter about everything under the sun from work and what's going on in their lives to their favourite dishes. Which has me dreaming about delicious food for the rest of the day. You can also catch the dirt on your favourite celebrities.

This podcast is very raw from the chair scraping on the floor to cupboards opening and closing and the rattle of crockery, all of which makes it feel like your right at the table with them. 

Fave episode: Stefflon Don.

THREE // Feminists Don’t Wear Pink
…and other lies. Scarlett Curtis, author of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies, a collection of essays from empowering activists, actresses and influencers featuring Adoah Aboah and Saoirse Ronan. Scarlett brings the book to life in her podcast interviewing inspiring women about what feminism means to them and why it matters. As well as what feminist lies they’ve heard/ been told. Despite feminism being perceived as a heavy topic, this podcast is incredibly light, insightful and throws out all the pre-conceived notions you know about feminism.

I’ve just started reading the book and I love it already. It’s all about what feminism means to these women and the relationship they have with it. I’ll probably do a review on it when I have finished reading it.

Fave episode: Saoirse Ronan.


FOUR // The Sunday Social
Is blogging dying? What’s life like after Love Island? Why is the media transfixed with trans women? Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber Lucy Moon encourages the conversation around pop culture trends in music, film and entertainment. Lucy brings guests – from fellow bloggers, YouTubers, authors and love island contestants- to feature in her episodes.

This podcast is a little more intellectual than Table Manners and more serious than Feminists Don't Wear Pink but it's great nonetheless. Lucy speaks very fluently and smartly on the subjects. I think the Sunday Social is aptly named as it's the kind of conversations you can imagine having over a relaxed Sunday breakfast. The kind with a cup of coffee and a newspaper in front of you.

Fave episode: Is blogging dying?

FIVE // Fashion No Filter
Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley, both fashion journalists, give a behind the scenes glance at how the industry operates. Useful if you want to know more about one of the world’s exclusive industries. In a recent episode, the duo interviewed Eva Chen, head of fashion partnerships at Instagram. She has been popping up on a lot of the vlogs and articles I tend to read. She, in short, is the go-to girl at Instagram keeping up you up to date and aware of algorithms. On top of that, she has one of the most impressive CVs, climbing her way to the top national magazines before moving over to Instagram. 

Fashion No Filter keeps fashion at the focus of the podcast, discussing topics that very much at the centre of the fashion world.

Fave episode: Behind the Instagram Algorithm with Eva Chen.